"I deleted it by accident" - Manchester United flop claims he deleted Sir Alex Ferguson's voicemail urging him to join Red Devils

Former Manchester United attacker Nick Powell has recalled accidentally deleting a voicemail from Sir Alex Ferguson before his transfer to Old Trafford in 2012.

Powell joined the Red Devils from Crewe Alexandra for £6 million at the age of 18 ahead of the 2012-13 season. He moved to Old Trafford following an impressive season for the Railwaymen, bagging 15 goals and seven assists in 41 League Two games.

Despite playing in the fourth tier, Powell attracted interest from Premier League heavyweights Arsenal and Chelsea. However, then-Manchester United manager Ferguson eventually persuaded him to join the Red Devils, guaranteeing him first-team football.

In a recent interview with SportBible, Powell recalled receiving a voicemail from the legendary manager urging him to join United. The Stockport County man said that receiving a message from the Scot meant so much to him (via The Daily Star):

"Obviously, you hear the papers and Chinese whispers. Back in them days, social media wasn't rife. You'd get your news through papers.

"I mean, my dad would cut out a snippet from a newspaper and show me. The biggest thing I remember at that time is when Sir Alex left a voicemail on my phone."

Powell went on to reveal that he accidentally deleted Ferguson's voicemail, causing him deep distress:

"It was an unbelievable feeling. I was with my friends at the time, and I'm letting them listen to it. And we're all buzzing.

"But because I was so bad with technology, I deleted it by accident. I remember thinking, 'Oh, my days. It's the greatest thing ever. And I've deleted it.''

Powell's gaffe, though, did not affect his transfer to Manchester United, as he joined the club after talks in the following weeks.

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How did Nick Powell fare at Manchester United?

Nick Powell, now 29, arrived at Manchester United from Crewe Alexandra with high hopes. However, the attacker struggled to live up to those expectations, failing to establish himself as a regular. He played just nine games across competitions at Old Trafford.

Powell made six appearances under Sir Alex Ferguson in his first season at Old Trafford. Despite his lack of involvement, the Englishman helped the Red Devils win the Premier League that term. His major contribution was netting once in the team's 4-0 win against Wigan Athletic.

Three of Powell's remaining appearances for United came under Louis van Gaal between 2014 and 2015. David Moyes did not use him at all. Powell eventually joined Wigan Athletic for free in 2016 following loan stints at Leicester City and Hull City.