I've heard about Moyes turning down Thiago before but it just doesn't ring true to me. I reckon Pep just came in and stole him from under our noses and we deflected the blame whilst hurriedly pursuing other taller, more hairier avenues.
Why would Moyes turn down a player who would make his life easier, in a summer he's already stated it was tough to do deals, only to sign a far worse player for more than his release clause at half past 11 on deadline day? If Fellaini was anywhere near our first choice, we'd have paid his release clause. We didn't, all our targets went elsewhere and so we were left with no option. We were clearly desperate, and yet against this backdrop we're told that we apparently had Thiago begging us to sign him and we said no? It just sounds like a face saving excercise to me.
I mean, we're not talking about some unknown midfielder from River Plate. This was Thiago, Barcelona's next talent, Xavi's heir apparent and he'd even scored against us a year previously! What's to research? Moyes would just say 'yeah feck it, it's not my money. Get him in the door'. Anything to make his life easier, surely?