Manchester United could have signed £7.3m Bebe for just £125k in January

Manchester United could have signed Portuguese striker Bebe for just £125,000 in January, it was claimed last night.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson raised eyebrows last month when he splashed out £7.3million on the 20-year-old despite never having seen him play.

Now his former coach at Portuguese third division side Estrela has revealed that Bebe was being touted around Europe on the cheap last season. Jorge Paxaio said: “We had to raise money desperately and we told everyone: ‘You can have him for 150,000 Euros.’”