Manchester United Flop Bebe 'Didn't Exist' in Scouting System Claims Carlos Queiroz

Former Manchester United assistant manager Carlos Queiroz claims Old Trafford flop Bebe "didn't exist" in the club's scouting system prior to his arrival at the club.

In one of the club's most bizarre transfers in recent memory, United paid £7.4m to bring Bebe to the club in 2010 despite arriving at Portuguese side Vitoria de Guimaraes for nothing just weeks before.

The Portuguese forward's arrival came as a surprise to everyone given his lack of pedigree in professional football. Sir Alex Ferguson, the manager at the time, raised further questions over the move when he admitted he had never watched Bebe play.

The move remained under scrutiny and even prompted a probe from Portuguese police over where the £7.4m transfer fee actually ended up. Reports at the time suggested Bebe was recommended to the club by his countryman Queiroz, who left the club to take the reins at Portugal a month before the player's arrival.

But Queiroz, who now manages the Iranian national team, insists he had nothing to do with the deal.

"Bebe was not even part of our scouting files for the national team of Portugal," Queiroz told FourFourTwo. "He didn't exist, in a system where nothing escaped us.

"So Bebe going to Man United took me by surprise. I called my coaches and asked them what was going on, why he didn't exist. I knew nothing about him."

Following his arrival at Old Trafford, Bebe failed to make any sort of positive impression before embarking on a series of loan spells in Turkey and his native Portugal.

His final loan spell, however, at Pacos de Ferreira where he scored 12 goals proved to be the most successful season his career to date, prompting champions Benfica to sign him for €3m (£2.3m) during the summer transfer window.

Bebe made just seven appearances for United during his time at the club.

The 24-year-old made little secret of his desire to leave Manchester when Benfica made their interest known and left the club days after Louis van Gaal's arrival.