The real reason Diego Maradona didn't sign for Sheffield United after Argentinian superstar passes away, aged 60

Widely considered as one of the best players to have ever played the game, Maradona won almost 100 caps for Argentina and helped them win the 1986 World Cup.

He also won honours with Barcelona and Napoli as a player, and later coached the Argentinian national team.

Maradona, who has struggled with recent health problems, underwent brain surgery last month and suffered a heart attack today.

Maradona and United have been inextricably linked over the years, their names thrown together time and time again in those 'they nearly signed for...' stories that are all over the internet.

While some are tedious links, at best, this one is solid. United agreed a fee of £150,000 for a 17-year-old Maradona, only for the deal to go sideways when the military in Argentina at the time demanded a similar fee on top to let him leave the country.

United refused to get embroiled in such tactics, the deal stalled.

Argentina had just won the 1978 World Cup and Harry Haslam, regarded as something of a visionary, realised there were rich pickings to be found over there. So he flew to Argentina - accompnied by The Star's Blades reporter at the time, Tony Pritchett - and was initially interested in Ricky Villa and Ossie Ardiles, only for them to join Spurs instead.

Haslam had already signed Alex Sabella and Pedro Verde, but wasn't done yet. He was shown a young Maradona and liked what he saw immediately.

A fee was agreed, before a knock on the manager's hotel door.

“The money was not a problem,” said John Garrett, United's club historian, told The Athletic.

“The problems came because things had suddenly got political. Having to bribe someone to sign a player was not the sort of thing United wanted to be involved in. It made the directors uncomfortable.

“So, in the end, the club walked away from the deal. Of course, the story has built up since then of how United failed to sign Maradona because they couldn’t afford the transfer and came back with Sabella instead.

“But that isn’t what happened. Even for a 17-year-old, the money at that time was there and United were prepared to take a gamble. It is an amazing story, really.”

Maradona was asked about his near move to Bramall Lane in 2011.

"Not only was it a real offer, it seemed that the transfer was about to happen - Carlos Fren and me," he revealed, when asked the question by a Blades fan in FourFourTwo magazine.

"We were both going to travel: I think we even had our flights bought. I think you're not going to sleep well today, but I swear, we were really looking forward to it.

"But then, the transfer collapsed and we couldn't go. Sheffield and Arsenal, they both tried to sign me. It would have been a pleasure to play in England."

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