Alex Ferguson has revealed that he originally wanted Manuel Neuer at Manchester United rather than David De Gea.

United were searching for a successor to Edwin van der Sar ahead of his retirement in the summer of 2011.

United's goalkeeper coach, Eric Steele, was adamant that De Gea would prove the better long-term signing, and persuaded the United boss to sign the 20-year-old De Gea from Atletico Madrid for £17.8 million instead.

"Eric Steele had been scouting David De Gea for quite a while, but then Neuer came on the scene at Schalke," Ferguson told Sky Sports. "And I think Schalke would have been happy if we'd have gone and taken him.

"So, my problem was Eric because he was adamant that we must take De Gea. I said 'Eric, the boy Neuer is the complete unit; he's mature, his physique is unbelievable,' and he says 'yeah, but in three years' time, De Gea will be better.' I said 'that's a statement.'

"Eric and I went out to watch him [De Gea] against Valencia away, and the things he'd been speaking about -- his agility, his confidence, his speed -- were evident.

"And Eric had been building a relationship with his parents, and was so adamant, that I had to trust him -- and I'm glad I did, because he was right."