Crewe Alexandra chief Dario Gradi has revealed how Sir Alex Ferguson signed Nick Powell for Manchester United last season.
He wrote in the Daily Mail: "I remember last year when Sir Alex Ferguson rang up about Nick Powell. United had only watched him once but he explained that they would take the interest further at the end of the season. Sir Alex then came and watched Nick live.
"He rang me up the next day and said: 'Do you want to do a deal?' And I said: 'I thought you were going to watch him for a bit first?' Sir Alex said: 'There's no point. I came to watch him and he's a good size, he's a good shape, he runs well, he's skilful, he's two-footed, he's bright and he can score goals.
"'What more do I need to know?' I know Alex didn't want to loan Nick out. In fact, he told us that he was finding it hard to leave Nick out of the team. He was maybe closer to the first-team then than what he is now.
"But whatever route the new manager David Moyes wants Nick to take, he has to make it work. As it happens, David Moyes (as Everton manager) was at the same game as Sir Alex Ferguson watching Nick Powell, but he never spoke to me about him, whereas Sir Alex did."
