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Manchester United is regarded as one of the most successful football clubs in the world, accumulating over 659 million loyal supporters since it was founded in 1878. Throughout its 140 years of existence, the club has proved time and time again that they are a force to be reckoned with, from taking home the league just after they almost went bankrupt in 1902 to securing the European Cup just a few years after the tragic plane crash that killed their entire team.
While the Red Devils have had their fair share of epic triumphs and jaw-dropping goals, they have also had a few less than stellar moments, especially when it comes to signing new players. Unfortunately, over the years, it’s fair to say that not all the players who donned the iconic red jersey have left the same impact. Sometimes it’s hard to get it right, but Manchester United have proven that they sure know how to get it wrong.
If you think about it, football transfers indirectly affect sports fans too, particularly if you like placing wagers on the latest football matches. You can sign up to one of the greatest providers around like Mr Green Casino, it’s useless if the players within the team are a total let down.
From big names that left their skills at their last club to rookies who never took to English soil, let’s take a look at the 10 worst Man United transfers that should have never happened.
1. Bebé
Sir Alex Ferguson took an uncharacteristic gamble on the Portuguese forward, paying around £7.4 million for the exchange before ever seeing him play. Bebe came recommended by the coach of the Portugal national team, Carolo Queiroz, who, not so coincidentally, was also Ferugson’s former assistant at Old Trafford.
Fans were not the only ones completely perplexed about the situation; Portuguese authorities opened up an investigation into the bizarre deal over allegations of corruption. Bepe only ever made seven appearances with the Red Devils, costing the club around £1 million per game, before essentially being shipped off to Benfica.
2. Juan Sebastian Veron
Veron was the club’s first-ever South American signing and another costly disappointment. Ferguson forked out £28.1 million to secure the Lazio midfielder, having been impressed by his performance playing for Sampdoria. The Argentine was expected to play a pivotal role at the club; however, as soon as he arrived at Old Trafford, it was made abundantly clear that his style of play did not suit the tough Premier League. Scoring just seven goals in 57 Premier League games, Veron was released two years later from his five-year contract, moving on to Chelsea.
3. Ralph Milne
Milne gained a reputation at Dundee United after pulling off the title for the first time in the club’s history back in 1983. However, the Scottish native failed to make the same impression when he transferred from Bristol City to Old Trafford. Ferguson even publicly admitted that, despite only paying £170,000 in 1988 for Milne, he is regarded as his worst ever buy. The midfielder only played 23 league games with the Red Devils before being pushed out in 1991.
4. William Prunier
Prunier’s tragic tale is slightly different from the rest of the players on our list. Originally a loan from Bordeaux, Prunier was expected to move to Manchester United permanently, but this never materialized. The French defender only played twice for the club, with his second game ending in a humiliating 4-1 defeat. He then moved to Montpellier in 1996.
5. Angel Di Maria
Maria made his debut in the summer of 2014, coming over from Real Madrid. The Argentine winger represented Louis van Gaal’s marquee signing, with the club hoping to move past their last disappointing season. However, Maria struggled to adapt to life in the UK and the difficult nature of the Premier League, failing miserably to live up to the expectations of becoming the club’s new star player. He swiftly found a way out of Manchester United in 2015 after just one season, fleeing to Paris Saint-Germain.
6. Memphis Depay
When Depay transferred from PSV in 2015 for £25 million, there was a lot of hype surrounding the decision. The pressure, however, proved to be too much for the skilled Dutchman, as he only managed to score two goals during his first Premier League season. As it became more evident that the Old Trafford move was premature, Depay moved to Lyon for £15 million in 2017.
7. Eric Djemba Djemba
Djemba Djemba was brought on from Nantes to replace United’s captain, Roy Keane. Although no one can deny that this was a tough ask, no one expected Djemba Djemba to fail so miserably. While the club paid a small fortune to nab the Cameroonian midfielder, he only lasted 18 months. His stint caused quite a stir among fans, with many asking who had even scouted the player.
8. Alexis Sanchez
Sanchez left Arsenal in 2018 to join the Red Devils; however, much like the rest of the players on our list, his much-anticipated move was anticlimactic, to say the least. His stint with the team only lasted 18 months, with the Chilean managing to score just three Premier League goals. Following his disappointing performance, Sanchez was allowed to leave on loan to Inter Milan before securing a permanent contract with the team.
9. Morgan Schneiderlin
Schneiderlin is considered to be one of the most forgettable players in the Red Devils long history. His Old Trafford career can only be described as unremarkable and downright boring, lasting a pitiful 18 months. During his time at Manchester United, Frenchman made just 32 appearances in the Premier League, scoring just once. Regrettably, the club forked out £25 million on the midfielder, making this trade one of the strangest decisions.
10. Paul Pogba
Pogba made a triumphant return to Manchester United, four years after originally leaving the club. Coming off some of his career-best performances at Juventus, it seems like a no-brainer that the club would shell out £89 million for his services. The maestro was meant to help the club get out of its slump following Sir Alex’s departure, but after six years of dramatic highs and lows, Pogba did not live up to any of his expectations.
Author’s Bio:
Senior Content Writer, Timothy Wright loves sports – particularly football – as much as he loves writing. So, you can rest assured that anything worth reporting or blogging about, he’s your man. When he’s not typing away at his laptop or watching the latest football match, you’ll probably find him checking in at the airport pursuing his other passion: travelling.
