Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted he lost patience in his pursuit of Fernando Torres, before the Spanish striker finally moved to England with Liverpool this summer.
Manchester United were repeatedly linked with Torres as he excelled at Atletico Madrid but saw their great rivals from Merseyside bring him to Anfield for a club record fee earlier in the month.
Now Ferguson has explained that he grew tired of trying to bring Torres to Manchester, only to see him commit his future to Atletico time and again.
"Over the past few years there was some interest for us in Torres, but every time he signed a new contract," said Ferguson in the Daily Mail.
"Sometimes you get fed up with that kind of thing, you know."
Liverpool are also hoping to trump United in another transfer coup as they continue to pursue a controversial deal for Argentinian international Gabriel Heinze.
United have called on the defender to show the club some loyalty after they helped to nurse him through a cruciate ligament injury, and have criticised Heinze's agent for his role in the dispute.
Ferguson does not blame Liverpool though, as he admits he would gladly take Steven Gerrard if the opportunity presented itself.
"Liverpool are opportunists, like the rest of them," Ferguson added.
"The agent has obviously presented them with a situation and they've looked at it.
"If an agent came to me and presented me with a letter saying Gerrard was available for a certain fee, I would do the same."
I was never too keen on Torres - he has never played against a Prem club and he nnever play in Europe so this is big gamble - now The Dippers have the gamble, lol.