Manchester United are now entering the 11th season since their legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson departed from the club. And as United fans are well aware, that makes it over ten years since the club last won the coveted Premier League trophy, something achieved no fewer than 13 times during the Ferguson era.
It’s not down to lack of ambition, of course. United have spent more on transfers in the last ten years than most clubs around the globe. They are huge spenders every summer, but so many of the transfers end up flopping. For every Bruno Fernandes, there seems to be two arrivals that utterly fail. The transfer policy has been a huge reason for United’s failure to return to the top, not to mention why the latest sports betting odds point to another season of coming up short for the Red Devils.
But who has been the worst? Below, we count down our biggest flops of the post-Ferguson era at Manchester United:
1. Alexis Sanchez
Few transfers sum up the poor policy of Manchester United quite like Alexis Sanchez. In January of 2018, United signed the Chilean not because they needed him, but because they could sign him. Sanchez had been one of Arsenal’s best players for several seasons prior to his arrival at Old Trafford. But he failed to make an impact, mostly due to being played out of position. His career has not really recovered since.
2. Paul Pogba
Paul Pogba played as a youngster for United, before the Frenchman decided to leave for Juventus on a free transfer. United then spent £80 million to buy him back. In the summer of 2022, he returned to Juventus for free. There were some bright sparks for Pogba at United, but he will always be associated with the period of decline.
3. Harry Maguire
Another £80 million man, and another player who the United fans have grown to dislike. Maguire’s United career actually started off quite well – he was even made club captain – but the deterioration of performances has caused quite a problem. He is no longer captain, but fans are annoyed because of his refusal to move. Like many United players, Maguire knows he would not earn the same astronomical wage elsewhere.
4. Angel Di Maria
In another time, Angel Di Maria could have been perfect or United. The speedy Argentine showed flashes of brilliance during his brief spell at United, but more often than not he looked overwhelmed by the physicality of the Premier League. Sadly, he was a flop, although the fans don’t bear him any ill will.
5. Marouane Fellaini
Often cited as one of the most problematic transfers of United’s recent history, Fellaini’s United career was doomed before he even kicked a ball. Not only was the Belgian seen as regressive and incompatible with United’s style, but the transfer itself was bungled. United could have signed him a few weeks earlier for a much cheaper price, but decided to play poker with Everton right up to the final moments of the Transfer Window. United lost.
6. Eric Bailly
Another example of players that United simply can’t sell because they will not accept lower wages elsewhere. Like many others, Bailly simply sits on his United contract without playing. His loan moves have been unremarkable. To Bailly’s credit, he tries his best, but injuries have derailed his United career.
7. Jadon Sancho
There is still hope for Sancho, but one wonders whether his time at the club is coming to an end. Costing a massive transfer fee from Borussia Dortmund, Sancho has largely struggled in a United shirt. His relationship with Erik Ten Hag also seems strained. United fans want him to get back to his best and ultimately succeed. But many are worried about Sancho’s future.
8. Romelu Lukaku
Was Lukaku a flop at United? Perhaps not. He scored goals for fun in a United shirt, but the problem was more so down to the fact that Lukaku did not suit United. It is perhaps unfair to suggest that he flopped, but he was a bad fit for the team. And like the majority of the players on this list, he cost an awful lot of money.
9. Matteo Darmian
One of the many, many average players that United signed, paid above-average wages to keep, and offered little in return. Darmian is one of the most forgettable players of the post-Ferguson era. Of course, United lost about 80% of their initial outlay when selling him to Parma in 2019.
10. Morgan Schneiderlin
Schneiderlin joins a growing list of players for whom Manchester United paid a large fee but got a mediocre player. Injuries hurt him at Old Trafford, but he was a shadow of the player who performed so well at Southampton. Miraculously, United managed to get almost £20 million back when selling him to Everton in January 2017.