Ryan Giggs has detailed his past efforts to recruit Manchester United target Elliot Anderson, including an awkward encounter on a golf course where Anderson asked him to "leave me alone."
Anderson ultimately joined Manchester City for £116 million in the summer transfer window, prompting Manchester United to sign Youri Tielemans, Carlos Baleba, and Andrey Santos for their midfield. Giggs recounted the incident during an appearance on "Rio Ferdinand Presents: The Debrief," explaining that he approached Anderson just days before the World Cup.
"He didn’t know how to take it at first, and then he relaxed a little bit," Giggs said. "But for the first four or five holes, we were literally crossing. And at the end of it, he went, ‘will you just let me, leave me alone. Will you just let me play my golf, please? You’re in trouble.’"
Rio Ferdinand commented on the intense recruitment tactics used in football transfers, noting the significant transfer fee involved for Anderson and Manchester United's budget constraints.
Guardiola's Past Assessment of Rashford
Giggs also shared an anecdote from a dinner event attended by Sir Alex Ferguson and Pep Guardiola approximately eight to nine years ago. According to Giggs, Guardiola identified Marcus Rashford as Manchester United's "best player" at the time and stated he would "take him tomorrow."
Giggs recalled asking Guardiola who he admired at Manchester United, running through potential names like David de Gea and Luke Shaw before Guardiola named Rashford, then a young forward. This assessment prompted Giggs to consider what Guardiola saw in the player.
An Approached Scouting Recommendation
Furthermore, Giggs revealed that during his tenure as an assistant manager at Manchester United in 2015, a fan approached him suggesting the club scout a young Kylian Mbappe from Monaco. The fan, who followed French youth football, later emailed Giggs with details.
Mbappe had recently begun his senior career with Monaco, making 14 appearances in the 2015-16 season. Giggs and fellow assistant Albert Stuivenberg reportedly watched some of Monaco's youth games and were impressed by Mbappe's exceptional talent.
Despite scouting Mbappe, Giggs stated that the scouting team was "weren’t too sure about him," leading the club to pass on the opportunity. Mbappe later joined Paris Saint-Germain for £165 million in 2017, going on to score 256 goals in 308 games and winning six league titles before his free transfer to Real Madrid in 2024. He was also a key player in France's 2018 World Cup victory.