Vincent Kompany was on Alex Ferguson's Manchester United wishlist in 2004, document reveals

Journalist Paul Hirst of The Times tweeted the document which shows Manchester City's departing captain on a list of defensive targets alongside Gabriel Heinze, Gerard Pique (who both signed that summer) and French stopper Philippe Mexes (who did not). 

Heinze went on to spend three years at United before signing for Real Madrid, while Pique joined Barcelona in 2008 after struggling to oust Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic from the Red Devils' starting XI. 

Kompany was an 18-year-old at Anderlecht back then, but Alex Ferguson snapped up Heinze and Pique instead of the Belgian – who signed for Hamburg in 2006, then Manchester City in 2008. 

Having won four Premier League titles in 11 years at the Etihad Stadium, City's long-serving captain will now rejoin Anderlecht as a player-manager in 2019/20.

"The moment that ball against Leicester went top bins, I knew I was done," said the departing centre-back. "I couldn't do anything better."

Fair enough, really. 

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