Former Manchester United assistant manager Mike Phelan admits they tried to sign Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany.

Kompany has become a rock to City since he joined from Hamburger SV five years ago, however it could have been a different story.

"Vincent Kompany has been a mainstay of this new Man City, and United looked at him at one point," Phelan told BBC Sport.

"We tried to impose ourselves in those negotiations, but he went across the road."