Manchester United could have signed Zinedine Zidane if Sir Alex Ferguson had known Eric Cantona was retiring, says former chairman Martin Edwards

MARTIN EDWARDS has revealed the inside story on his 22 years as Manchester United chairman - in his new autobiography, Red Glory.

Here he hits back at sniping over United's spending, plus reveals his feelings on Eric Cantona's contract discussion, Zinedine Zidane NOT signing and Juan Sebastian Veron shattering the Old Trafford wage structure.

SPENDING

THE accusation has always been United sold out and became overly commercialised —  but every club was doing the same.

While I was running United we never had  a fairy godmother like Chelsea, where a wealthy individual takes over, throws money around and  changes their football fortunes.

Everything we generated was off our own back through good management.

CANTONA’S CONTRACT

ERIC arrived at my office and I explained  that if we lost the league he could end up with less — but if we won it he got more.

I asked: “So  for the next three years Eric, how many times will we win the league?”

Immediately, he said “three times” That’s how confident he was.

NOT SIGNING ZIDANE

I CAN perfectly understand Alex’s argument at the time for not taking Zidane.

Alex couldn’t have known  Eric was going to retire.

It is very similar to the Lineker situation in Ron Atkinson’s time . . . but Zidane in the red of United is one of the biggest what-might-have-beens  during my tenure at the club.

EDWARDS ON… VERON

I WAS very disappointed when we bought Juan Sebastian Veron in 2001.

We had  won the league and we had Nicky Butt  in the reserves.  I  felt ‘Why  spend £28million on a player who  costs £5m a year in wages?’

We were breaking the wage structure on a player  I didn’t think was necessary.

MORE FROM MARTIN EDWARDS' AUTOBIOGRAPHY RED GLORY: MANCHESTER UNITED AND ME

• Martin Edwards: Arsene Wenger was my top choice to succeed Alex Ferguson as Manchester United manager
• Martin Edwards: My role in David Beckham meeting Victoria, poaching Ryan Giggs from Man City and when Paul Ince met 007