Manchester United chose to sign Victor Lindelof instead of Virgil van Dijk in the summer of 2017, according to the defender's former Southampton team-mate Charlie Austin.
Van Dijk has been one of Liverpool's top performers since arriving from Southampton for a £75million transfer fee in January 2018, though was the subject of intense interest from Europe's top clubs six months earlier.
Former Saints striker Austin claimed he couldn't believe the Red Devils' decision to turn down van Dijk, who has now won the Premier League and Champions League at Anfield.