You can forgive Manchester United fans for still having painful memories of the 2013 summer transfer window.

It was the year that marked Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement after 27 years of unparalleled dominance at Old Trafford and the arrival of his successor - David Moyes. Having achieved brilliant things at Everton, he seemed the natural man for the job and was quickly heralded 'the Chosen One.'

Was Moyes sacked a little early? Probably, but the more time that passes, the more farcical his reign at Old Trafford seems and his miserable spells with Real Sociedad and Sunderland since then, haven't helped.

And it all started with that fateful summer in 2013 when Moyes failed to improve his title-winning United side and, rather infamously, only brought in Marouane Fellaini.

The Belgian has since improved in a United jersey, yet wasn't exactly the marquee signing that they needed after a 20th league title. That being said, Moyes did actually try to bring in some pretty big names.

Things didn't work out, however, and we know what happens next but how would United have shaped up if all of Moyes' transfer bids actually worked out?

Take a look at the wacky starting XI that might have been and wonder whether Moyes may have lasted a little longer in the role:

GK | David de Gea

There were never any rumours of Moyes bringing in a new number one at Old Trafford and why would there be? The Spaniard would go onto collect his first Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award that season and is arguably the best 'keeper in the world now.

LB | Leighton Baines

Here we go, brace yourselves United fans. In the end, it was one final hoorah for Patrice Evra at left-back in 2013-14 but Moyes actually wanted Baines to follow in Fellaini's footsteps.

The man himself later revealed: "The whole thing in the summer was letting things unfold. I could have signed a contract at any time in the summer and put it all to bed," but, crucially, he turned it all down.

CB | Phil Jones

The most capped central defender for United in 2013-14 over Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.

CB | Phil Jagielka

Speaking of Ferdinand and Vidic, the legendary pair were infamously shown clips of Jagielka in training to try and improve their defending. Furthermore, the Englishman only seemed to avoid great speculation by signing a long-term contract at Everton in 2013.

RB | Rafael

Moyes' number one right-back during the majority of his 10 months in charge at Old Trafford.

CM | Cesc Fabregas

Stolen by Chelsea the following summer, Fabregas was one of the biggest names on Moyes' wish-list when he left Everton. He revealed: “The other one I came really close to getting was Cesc Fàbregas, who we thought we would get [from Barcelona] right up until the last minute.

"The Cesc one was disappointing, it was very close."

CM | Marouane Fellaini

The sole signing of the summer of 2013 endured a terrible debut season at Old Trafford and only upon the arrival of Louis van Gaal did he truly turn things around.

CM | Toni Kroos

What a midfield this would have been but, similarly to Fabregas, it was an opportunity missed with the German spending a final season at Bayern Munich before moving to Real Madrid.. “Toni Kroos had agreed to come in the summer," the Scotsman revealed.

"I’d agreed it with Toni himself and his agent. It was a done deal, so that was the level I was targeting – but sometimes you don’t get deals done."

LW | Juan Mata

Not on his favoured side, here, but we're pretty sure he'd make way for the ideal right-winger. Mata was the big-money January signing that helped bring a lot of fans back onside but couldn't save Moyes in the end.

ST | Robin van Persie

The Dutchman was never truly the same after his flying debut season at Old Trafford yet remained the club's go-to striker in 2013-14 with 18 goals in 28 appearances.

RW | Gareth Bale

The number one target for Moyes and another star player who let Real Madrid top their priority list. “When I first went in to United my real target was Gareth Bale," Moyes reflected.

“I felt all along that Gareth Bale was a Manchester United player and I fought to get him [from Tottenham] right up until the last minute. We actually offered him a bigger deal than Real Madrid but Gareth had his mind made up on going to Madrid. He was, though, in my mind, the player I really wanted."

Special mention | Cristiano Ronaldo

"Sir Alex [Ferguson] had told me there was always a chance Ronaldo might come back from Real Madrid," Moyes mused in 2016. We'd be lying to ourselves if we actually saw the five-time Ballon d'Or upping sticks after Ferguson hung up the hairdryer, though.

If only, David, if only...

Do you think these players rejected Man Utd because of Moyes? Have your say in the comments section below.