Former Manchester United chief David Gill has named the most important signing he oversaw during his time at the club.
Gill was Man United's CEO during the glory days under Sir Alex Ferguson, who guided the club to domestic and European success.
He oversaw a slew of high-profile, big-money transfers during his stint at Old Trafford as he sanctioned Cristiano Ronaldo's blockbuster £80 million move to Real Madrid in 2009.
Gill was in charge of recruitment and made some significant transfers whilst operating at board level.
The 66-year-old sat down with Rio Ferdinand on his FIVE podcast to discuss his time at the club, revealing the top three signings he made.
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Asked to name the top three signings during his time at Man United, he replied: "The top three signings I would say would be... Wayne [Rooney]... In terms of what he did for the club. I would say Michael Carrick."
Rooney spent 13 prolific seasons at Man United following his switch from Everton. He scored an incredible 253 goals for the club, inspiring them to five Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2008.
Carrick was an ever-present for Man United, making 464 appearances for the club following his move from Tottenham.
Mulling over his third pick, Gill continued: "There's a lot... Vidic and Evra."
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He then hailed Edwin van der Sar's transfer to Man United from Fulham as the most important signing for the club.
"But one of the most important signings was Edwin," he added.
"We struggled to replace Peter [Schmeichel] and then we got Edwin, and he was great for us."
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Van der Sar joined the Red Devils in 2005 for a reported fee of £2 million.
He enjoyed six seasons at Old Trafford, making an impressive 266 appearances in all competitions for the club.
The Dutch goalkeeper helped Man United to four Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2008, famously saving Nicolas Anelka's penalty in the final.
Topics: Manchester United, Rio Ferdinand, Football
Nasir Jabbar