Manchester United FC have made some huge signings in the Premier League era and have broken the record fees quite a few times. For most of the times, the expensive signings have come good for the club, but there also have been exceptions. Here we take a look at some of the big-money flops in the Premier League era for the Red Devils.
5 Greatest Money Flops At Manchester United
#5-MEMPHIS DEPAY –
Manchester United signed Memphis Depay under Louis Van Gaal in 2015 for a reported fee of £25m. The Dutch winger was just 20-years old, had played much of his football with PSV Eindhoven but was known for his brute pace and silky skills. Depay had also won the Best Young Player that year and was ready to wear the fabled United No.7 shirt.
Under the pressure of his price tag and the No.7 shirt, Depay failed to produce the goods at Old Trafford. In his two years at the club, Depay played a total of 53 games in which he scored seven goals and provided six assists. With issues in his fitness and struggles on the pitch, Depay was sold to Lyon in January 2017.
#4-MORGAN SCHNEIDERLIN –
Another big-money move in the summer of 2015 came for Morgan Schneiderlin, who had played well for Southampton. The French defensive midfielder was signed for a reported fee of £27m in what was already a packed midfield at United. Schneiderlin was arguably always second-choice or third-choice defensive midfielder at United, with the likes of Carrick and Blind.
The French midfielder saw game-time hard to come by at Old Trafford and played only 47 games for the Red Devils. In his two-year stay at the club, Schneiderlin scored only one goal and provided one assist which was very underwhelming. To end his misery at United, he was sold to Everton in 2017 and ended a nightmare at Old Trafford.
#3-JUAN SEBASTIAN VERON –
One of the only big-money signings that Sir Alex Ferguson arguably got wrong was for Juan Sebastian Veron. The Argentine midfielder was signed from Lazio for a reported fee of £28.1m in 2001, which was a British record fee back then. The robust midfielder was signed by United to run the midfield for the Red Devils alongside Scholes and Keane.
Unfortunately, the Argentine midfielder had fitness issues which massively impacted his performances on the pitch. In his two-year spell, Veron played a total of 82 games, in which he scored 11 goals and provided 11 assists. His record wasn’t poor by any means, but it wasn’t up to what was expected of him and United sold him to Chelsea in 2003.
#2-ALEXIS SANCHEZ –
Alexis Sanchez was signed by Manchester United in the January transfer window of 2018, from Arsenal by swapping Mkhitaryan. Sanchez was one of the best players in the Premier League back then and signed him to strengthen their attack. Sanchez inherited the fabled United No.7 shirt and the pressure that came with it, and unfortunately, the Chilean suffered.
The Chilean never showed signs of what he was at Arsenal, having played 45 games for the Red Devils. Sanchez scored only five times and keeping in mind he was the highest-earning player of the league, he had a torrid time. The 31-year old has been loaned out to Inter Milan at the beginning of this season and is touted to be signed by Inter.
#1-ANGEL DI MARIA –
Angel Di Maria signed for Manchester United in 2014, following four very successful seasons with the Los Blancos. The Red Devils broke the bank to sign the Argentine winger for a reported fee of £59.7m, which broke the British record. Unfortunately, like many other Argentineans, Di Maria found it difficult to settle in England and with his teammates at United.
His stay at the club was so poor that he left the very next season to PSG ending his bizarre time. In his only season at United, Di Maria played 35 games, in which he scored four goals and provided 12 assists. Di Maria’s had a great start to his career at United, but slowly faded away and was desperate to go elsewhere.
