Arsenal Passed on Signing Superstar Defender Nemanja Vidic Before He Joined Man Utd

Arsenal had the opportunity to sign Nemanja Vidic in 2005, a year before the now Premier League legend joined Manchester United, but the Gunners did not trust the judgement of the scout who recommended the Serbian defender to them.

Vidic joined Premier League rivals United in January 2006 and went on to win five Premier League titles and a Champions League. He formed one of English football's best defensive partnerships with Rio Ferdinand and become only United's second non-British or Irish captain.

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Yet before making the switch from Spartak Moscow to Old Trafford for £7m, Vidic was recommended to Arsenal by Goran Milosavljevic, a former Chester midfielder who had become a scout, agent and adviser since hanging up his boots.

Goran Milosavljevic had a 15-year relationship with Arsenal that lasted until Arsene Wenger's departure from the club a few months ago, but it appears the Gunners didn't trust him enough in the early stages of that partnership to take a punt on Vidic.

"I had worked with Arsenal closely for 15 years when Arsene Wenger was there," Milosavljevic explained in an interview with the Chester Chronicle.

"Early on it took time to get people to trust you with players. I remember in 2005 with Nemanja Vidic when he was playing for Spartak. I told Arsenal that he is a quality player and someone that they should sign. I had known him since he had been playing for Red Star Belgrade.

"But they didn't trust my judgement on the player and nothing happened and he ended up signing for Manchester United a year later. He could have ended up playing for Arsenal if they would have trusted me on that one."