Sliding Doors Moments: What if Shearer signed for Manchester United in 1996?
The first sliding doors moment we are going to explore involves Manchester United and Alan Shearer.
In the summer of 1996, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson made a huge effort to sign England striker Alan Shearer from Blackburn Rovers.
Shearer was the most prolific goal scorer in English football at the time, having just won the Premier League Golden Boot in both 1995 and 1996.
Ultimately, Shearer chose to join his boyhood club, Newcastle United, for a then-record fee of £15 million. However, an alternative scenario in which Shearer decided to sign for Manchester United could have dramatically affected both the club and the footballing landscape in the Premier League. The Old Trafford club decided to sign a certain unheard-of Norwegian at the time. He didn't do too badly...
So, what if Shearer moved to Manchester United in 1996?
In this alternate reality, Manchester United sign Shearer and he joins a team fresh off winning the Premier League and FA Cup double. Shearer’s arrival gives Ferguson a formidable attack, pairing him with Eric Cantona, a creative and charismatic forward who was already the heart of United’s offence. With the Premier League’s two most dangerous attackers now playing together, Manchester United’s already potent attacking options would have become even more lethal.
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| Shearer remains an icon at Newcastle. Photo from NewcastleGateshead | Flickr |
The famous Class of 92—featuring players like Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, David Beckham, and Gary Neville—were still in the early part of their careers but rapidly maturing into top-level talents. The service Shearer would have received from Beckham’s famous crosses alongside the vision of Scholes would have given him the perfect platform to continue his prolific goal-scoring form. An attack built around Cantona's flair and Shearer's predatory instincts could have become unstoppable.
By joining United, Shearer would have given Ferguson’s team the one missing piece they had needed in European competition. While United dominated the Premier League, their European exploits in the mid-90s fell short. The addition of Shearer—arguably the most complete striker of his generation—could have provided the firepower to mount a more serious challenge in the UEFA Champions League. His strength, technical ability, and natural goal-scoring instinct would have given United the edge they needed in tight European fixtures.
Domestically, Shearer’s arrival would have created a ripple effect across the Premier League. Newcastle United, having invested heavily in Shearer in reality, qualified for the Champions League in 1996-97, finishing second. Without their talisman, Newcastle’s form would have faltered. Meanwhile, United’s stranglehold on English football might have tightened, as Shearer’s goals would have pushed them even further ahead of their rivals. They did win the Treble in 1999 so things worked out ok.
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Cantona, who retired suddenly at the end of the 1996-97 season in reality, might have extended his career had Shearer arrived. Playing alongside a world-class striker like Shearer could have reignited Cantona’s passion, giving United another year or two with their enigmatic Frenchman leading the line.
As Shearer settles into his new role at Old Trafford, Ferguson begins to rotate between Cantona and Shearer, which keeps both players fresh and allows them to terrorise defences across all competitions. United go on to win another Premier League title in 1996-97, with Shearer taking the Golden Boot once again.
Had this alternative scenario played out, Shearer would have undoubtedly cemented his legacy as one of United’s greatest-ever players. He might have added several more Premier League titles, and perhaps a Champions League trophy, to his individual achievements.
By choosing Manchester United, his decision would not only have altered the course of his own career but also reshaped the Premier League’s competitive balance, with United potentially becoming even more dominant throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Shearer's form for club and country does alert Real Madrid and Barcelona. In 2002, fresh off winning the Champions League, Real Madrid are faced with a tough choice. Do they sign Ronaldo or Shearer? They opt for Shearer and the five-time Premier League says goodbye to Old Trafford after a record transfer fee. It's then for The Red Devils to rebuild again. What happens at Newcastle in this alternative timeline? Ultimately, very little changed.
