I would be a bargain at £120m says Manchester United legend

Manchester United legend Steve Bruce reckons it would cost £120m to sign him as a player in the current football marketplace.

The former centre-back, who captained the Red Devils during their Premier League title and cup-winning team of the mid-90s, has been casting an eye over the extraordinary deals taking place as the summer transfer window ramps up before shutting on Tuesday, 1 September.

When asked whether a prime Bruce would cost as much as £120m in today’s money, the once tough-tackling defender pulled no punches: “I'd be disappointed with that!” He said with a smile. “It's thoroughly mind-blowing, isn't it, where it's got to, and some of these transfer fees?

“Whether you're a defender, a midfielder or a forward, it doesn't seem to make any difference these days — centre-halves are as important as centre-forwards now. Listen, I wouldn't swap anything for it. I had a great time, I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I was paid handsomely at the time. Not like these lads are paid now — but who cares?”

Dominant in both boxes, Bruce once scored an incredible 19 goals in a season for United as the leader of Sir Alex Ferguson’s team during a glorious period for the club.

“Back in my day, I always fancied myself at set pieces, and I always wanted to score a goal,” he explained. “That never left me. I even took a few penalties, and why I did that is beyond me when I look at the great players I played with — how a centre-half ended up taking penalties, I'll never know, but I did.

“And any time there was a free kick, I always thought I could score. We had people who could deliver, and I wasn't afraid — by the state of me, you can tell I wasn't afraid to put my head where it hurts!”

Eventually transitioning from player to manager, the canny Geordie managed 13 different clubs, overseeing more than a thousand games. He left his last managerial role at Blackpool last year.

Now working as a TV and radio pundit, Bruce is expecting a hectic few days of activity before the deadline closes. Speaking to Free Bets, the 65-year-old added: “In my experience, most of the business gets done in the last two or three weeks, especially after a World Cup or European Championship.

“You tend to see the real action in the last week of the window, certainly with the big clubs, because everyone's back at work and there are no big tournaments going on. I wouldn't be surprised if there's a late flurry.

“Some of the prices being banded around now are just... well, it seems normal, every club's doing it. Even when you go and buy new players, it doesn't automatically mean success.”