Under Kevin Keegan we had players in the shortlist for the FIFA FIFPro World XI ... Alan Shearer, David Ginola and Les Ferdinand.
But if Ashley brings in the cash (and keeps it!) like he did with the £35m he got for Andy Carroll ... will we EVER have World stars in our team?
Chelsea trio Ashley Cole, John Terry and Frank Lampard, and Manchester United duo Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney made the cut (for the 55-man shortlist for the FIFA FIFPro World XI 2011), along with another 12 players from the Premier League - 13 if you include the now retired former United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar.
Two more Blues - David Luiz and Didier Drogba - are included, plus three more United players in Patrice Evra, Nemanja Vidic and Nani.
Tottenham's Wales winger Gareth Bale makes the shortlist, as does Arsenal's Robin van Persie and Liverpool's Luis Suarez.
The other four Premier League representatives play for Manchester City - Vincent Kompany, David Silva, Yaya Toure and Sergio Aguero.
Spain's top league boasts 22 nominees, made up predominantly of players from European champions Barcelona and their arch-rivals Real Madrid.
Nine of Barca's starting XI which beat Manchester United in the Champions League final in May are included - Pedro and Javier Mascherano the men to miss out - with Madrid boasting 10 inclusions.
Italy's Serie A contributes nine players to the list, four come from Germany's Bundesliga and one each from Russia's Premier League and Brazil's Campeonato.
The nominees were voted on by the 50,000 professional footballers belonging to the players' unions across the world that form FIFPro.
The final XI will be announced at the FIFA Ballon d'Or in Zurich on January 9, 2012.
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Italy, Juventus), Iker Casillas (Spain, Real Madrid), Manuel Neuer (Germany, Bayern Munich), Victor Valdes (Spain, Barcelona), Edwin van der Sar (Holland, retired, formerly Manchester United).
Defenders: Eric Abidal (France, Barcelona), Dani Alves (Brazil, Barcelona), Ricardo Carvalho (Portugal, Real Madrid), Ashley Cole (England, Chelsea), Patrice Evra (France, Manchester United), Rio Ferdinand (England, Manchester United), Vincent Kompany (Belgium, Manchester City), Philipp Lahm (Germany, Bayern Munich), Lucio (Brazil, Internazionale), David Luiz (Brazil, Chelsea), Maicon (Brazil, Internazionale), Marcelo (Brazil, Real Madrid), Alessandro Nesta (Italy, AC Milan), Pepe (Portugal, Real Madrid), Gerard Pique (Spain, Barcelona), Carles Puyol (Spain, Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Spain, Real Madrid), Thiago Silva (Brazil, AC Milan), John Terry (England, Chelsea), Nemanja Vidic (Serbia, Manchester United).
Midfielders: Xabi Alonso (Spain, Real Madrid), Gareth Bale (Wales, Tottenham Hotspur), Sergio Busquets (Spain, Barcelona), Cesc Fabregas (Spain, Barcelona), Andres Iniesta (Spain, Barcelona), Kaka (Brazil, Real Madrid), Frank Lampard (England, Chelsea), Nani (Portugal, Manchester United), Mesut Ozil (Germany, Real Madrid), Andrea Pirlo (Italy, Juventus), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany, Bayern Munich), David Silva (Spain, Manchester City), Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands, Internazionale), Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast, Manchester City), Xavi (Spain, Barcelona).
Forwards: Lionel Messi (Argentina, Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Real Madrid), Wayne Rooney (England, Manchester Utd), David Villa (Spain, Barcelona), Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon, Anzhi), Sergio Aguero (Argentina, Manchester City), Neymar (Brazil, Santos), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast, Chelsea), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden, AC Milan), Luis Suarez (Uruguay, Liverpool), Radamel Falcao (Colombia, Atletico Madrid), Edinson Cavani (Uruguay, Napoli), Karim Benzema (France, Real Madrid), Mario Gomez (Germany, Bayern Munich), Robin van Persie (Holland, Arsenal)