Sir Alex Ferguson has few regrets – but failing to buy Frank Lampard still haunts the Manchester United manager.
Ferguson began tracking the England midfielder when he was a teenager breaking through at West Ham.
But when United failed to make a move, Chelsea stepped in with an £11million bid – and 12 years later Lampard stands on the threshold of breaking Bobby Tambling’s long-standing goals record for the Blues.
Ferguson, who has been linked with a move for the 34-year-old this summer following Chelsea’s failure to offer him a new contract, admitted: “Lampard is fantastic, he’s an incredible player.
“If he gets to the 202-goal record at Chelsea it will be a fantastic achievement. I don’t think there will be another midfield player who will do that again.
“I looked at him when he was at West Ham as a young player – and I have regretted not doing the deal ever since. Where else could I have got 200 goals from midfield?
“Lampard is quite phenomenal.
“He has the great knack that Bryan Robson had of timing when to arrive in the box. John Wark at Ipswich was another one. They can time their runs – and that has brought Frank more than 200 goals.
“On top of that, I can’t ever remember him being injured. That part of it is down to luck, but he has had a great career, all right.”
