Former Manchester United chairperson Martin Edwards has said that Newcastle legend Alan Shearer wished to join the Red Devils over the Magpies during his playing days. After Euro 1996, Shearer joined Blackburn Rovers amid interest from Manchester United.
During a ten year spell with the Magpies between 1996 and 2006, he went on to establish himself as a fan favorite and legend at the club, having played 405 times in all competitions and scoring 206 goals in the process. He also helped Newcastle narrowly miss out on the Premier League title during the 1996-97 season.
Edwards has claimed that Shearer had wished to join United but the reason why the move fell through was because then Blackburn chairman Jack Walker blocked a transfer.
He said, “Alan Shearer was close, I did the deal with Stevens his agent. He told Alex (Ferguson) he wanted to come. I think the problem there was Jack Walker, Jack Walker didn’t want him to come to United.
“He was happy for him to go to Newcastle, yeah. Jack Walker was almost ‘over my dead body’, so he didn’t come.”
