“Every major club has shown interest in Stam,” Ferguson remarked. “All the top teams in the Premiership, in fact. He’s a remarkable player, and he’d be a great asset for us.”
Stam was eager to finalize his transfer before turning his attention to the World Cup. “PSV’s stance is ridiculous. They refuse to accept £10 million when they bought me for just £1 million from Willem II two years ago. No other player in Europe has seen their value increase tenfold in such a short period.”
Interestingly, just a year prior, Liverpool appeared to be the frontrunners to sign the center-back for only £2.5 million after Roy Evans personally assessed his performance. However, Stam acknowledged that Old Trafford was always at the forefront of his mind. “I’ve always been a fan of English football, especially United,” he later stated. “Everyone in Holland knows about United, it’s a massive club here.”
Although there were rumors of a last-minute offer from new Rangers manager Advocaat, the transfer was ultimately completed in a way that satisfied all parties, allowing Stam to head into the World Cup as a United player.
After celebrating the Treble victory in 1999 and winning Premier League titles in the subsequent two seasons, the tough center-back was unexpectedly transferred to Lazio in 2001.
