Getty One day, he ‘ll be a quiz interview. “ What have these footballers all got in common : Raul, Zinedine Zidane, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Bebe ? “ *

unfortunately for the Portuguese winger, that will about surely be the extent of his bequest in English football. Quiz questions—maybe not evening ones deoxyadenosine monophosphate dainty as that—and bar-room debates about the worst players ever to play for Manchester United. Bebe ‘s contract at Old Trafford will come to an goal this summer. He wo n’t get a fresh one. His four years at United will have yielded equitable seven appearances and two goals. even Sir Alex Ferguson would have to admit there are better ways to spend £7.4 million. Bebe ‘s report is adenine noteworthy as it is well-known . Tim Hales Playing in the European Street Football Festival in 2009, a class later he was being uncover as United ‘s latest sign. He arrived the lapp summer as Javier Hernandez. And cost more .Video Play Button

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At the time, it was hard to believe. now it makes no sense any. Ferguson insisted in his autobiography that he had beaten off rival from Real Madrid and Jose Mourinho to sign Bebe in 2010 .

Bebe is the only actor I signed without seeing him in action. This boy had been playing homeless football and became a triallist for a second division team. then Real Madrid were on his dock. I know that ‘s true because Jose Mourinho told me Real were ready to sign him and that United jumped in front of them. We took a wee moment of a gamble .

You can about imagine Mourinho in a mountain-top lair, stroking a white kat and laugh. It ‘s that hard to believe that a team who spent more than £130 million on Ronaldo and Kaka the former summer would have contemplated spend more than £7 million on Bebe. But right until the end, Ferguson, again writing in his autobiography, remained adamant he could have been a success.

He came with limitations but there was talent there. He was not the complete player but we were coaching him to be beneficial. He had fantastic feet. With feet like that he was capable of scoring 20 goals a season .

Those who saw him play for United will be less than convinced. It ‘s a shame because Bebe ‘s rags-to-riches history deserved a better ending. Had it been made into a film, he would have scored the winner in the Champions League final. possibly that will come late. possibly, but credibly not. Joao Filipe Santos amazingly, there is silent a gamble the 23-year-old will get an opportunity on the biggest stagecoach of all this summer. On lend at Pacos Ferreira in Portugal ‘s top fledge, he ‘s score nine goals in his last 13 games. It has led Portugal coach Paulo Bento to acknowledge he is in his thoughts ahead of the World Cup. But not even a starring function in Brazil is likely to save his United career. That will be consigned to history this summer where it will take its place alongside those of Ralph Milne, Massimo Taibi and Dong Fangzhou. Paulo Duarte There should, however, be no blame attached to Bebe. He was presented with an crack very few would turn down. But he was n’t effective enough to play for United. Or, at least, he was n’t ready to show he was effective enough.

There will be few tears shed by United fans when he ultimately leaves this summer. possibly good a tinge of gloominess that the romance of his move to Old Trafford was n’t played out until the end. He will, though, always be remembered. even if it is n’t for the right reasons. *Answer : They ‘ve all scored in the Champions League .