Man United turned down the opportunity to sign Brighton star Moises Caicedo for a bargain in 2021.
Caicedo has stood out at the Amex Stadium this season and helped the Seagulls beat United 2-1 in their Premier League opener at Old Trafford.
According to The Athletic, the Red Devils held talks with the midfielder's former club Independiente del Valle in February 2021 and walked out of a deal that would have cost them a mere £4.5m.
The Manchester giants turned their attention elsewhere due to complications over payments to various agents.
But Brighton swopped in and figured out a way to sort out those payments to get the Ecuador international.
The 21-year-old was then sent out on loan to Belgian outfit Beerschot in order to acclimatise to European football.
"My dream is to play for Manchester United. Antonio Valencia is an example to follow," he admitted.
"With his strength and dedication, he was able to get to that level. That motivates me to keep working hard and do the right things".
