Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United's football director, John Murtough, were reportedly involved in a heated 'feud' that reached its peak during Jude Bellingham's tour of Carrington, according to sources.

The Incident

The incident in question took place in 2020 when the young England international visited Manchester United's training ground ahead of a potential transfer. Bellingham, who was highly sought after in European football, was still playing for Birmingham City at the time.

Role of Sir Alex Ferguson

Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his assistants believed that having Sir Alex Ferguson finish an "analytical presentation and detailed personal report" for Bellingham would help convince him to choose Manchester United. This report would outline the midfielder's potential progression at the club and his pathway to the first team.

John Murtough's Disagreement

However, John Murtough, the football director, disagreed with this approach and had his own ideas about how the meeting should go. Murtough insisted that Ferguson could only meet and shake hands with the player, rather than providing an in-depth analysis.

Ferguson's Reaction

According to sources, Ferguson was left furious and felt that Murtough's decision was a personal slight against him. He reportedly expressed his discontent directly to Murtough at a later date.

Manchester United declined to comment on the matter when approached for a statement.

Bellingham's Career Progression

Following his visit to Manchester United, Bellingham ultimately chose to join Borussia Dortmund in Germany for a fee of £20 million in July 2020. Since then, he has emerged as one of the top talents in world football and recently completed a £115 million transfer to Real Madrid.

Lack of Trust and Future Plans

The Athletic has also reported that there is a significant lack of trust between Ferguson and Murtough, which stems from the sacking of David Moyes as Manchester United manager after just nine months. Moyes was Ferguson's chosen successor, but he was dismissed before completing a full season. It is expected that Murtough will leave the club when Sir Jim Ratcliffe completes his partial buy-out.

Please note: This article is based on reports and has not been confirmed by the parties involved.