Gary Neville broke the internet on Monday Night Football with his classification of Manchester United’s major signings post-Sir Alex Ferguson. Along with Jamie Carragher, the former United right back separated the players into Green, Amber and Red. Only two players were deemed good enough for the green section, shining a stark light on the recruitment problems at Old Trafford.
To truly appreciate the scale of United’s transfer market follies, The Sportsman have taken a different approach to that of Sky Sports’ dynamic duo. We have taken on the daunting task of ranking every single major signing the club has made since 2013, from best to worst.
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Warning: the lower half of this list is hazardous to the health of Manchester United fans.
1. Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Certainly the most successful product of United’s recent obsession with signing strikers in their mid-30s. The man who calls himself a “Lion” helped fire the club to their last two major trophies, 2017’s League Cup and Europa League.
2. Bruno Fernandes
The Portuguese midfielder has lost his way now, but during his first season he drew comparisons to Eric Cantona and Bryan Robson. Cristiano Ronaldo’s arrival has seen him replaced as the squad’s totem.
3. Luke Shaw
Many fans will balk at this placing, but when Shaw is firing he is arguably the best left back in the league. The 2018-19 Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year needs to recapture his finest form.
4. Juan Mata
The popular Spaniard would likely be higher in this ranking if he had been deployed in his favoured attacking midfield role more often. Wasted on the right wing, Mata still provided enough moments to make his tenure fondly remembered.
5. Marouane Fellaini
Seen at the time as an early symbol of United’s post-Fergie decline. History has been kind to Fellaini, who always worked hard and scored some vital goals. Suffered from the pressure of being the only signing of David Moyes’ first transfer window in charge.
6. Daley Blind
Multifunctional defender-cum-midfielder Blind was asked to fill a lot of gaps in the side during his tenure. A classy presence who did what was asked of him, but could have meant so much more to the team had he been handed a single position consistently.
7. Ander Herrera
Endeared himself to fans with pugnacious displays and no shortage of determination. When he used that same determination to demand huge sums of money for a contract extension, fans found that less endearing. Still one of the best midfielders United have had since Ferguson left.
8. Paul Pogba
Some fans would put this man at the top of the list, others would have him right at the bottom. For every lung-busting display to single-handedly beat Manchester City there were ten abject performances where he could barely control the ball. Constant speculation about his future that started almost the second he arrived didn’t help.
9. Anthony Martial
Martial’s best two seasons in red, in 2015/16 and 2019-20, suggested United had captured the world’s next great forward. The lack of effort and application he has shown in most of his other campaigns explains why he has fallen short of his once-world class potential.
10. Cristiano Ronaldo
Another divisive choice. Ronaldo’s effect on United last season was either galvanising or devastating. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner netted 24 goals last term but has caused problems, both tactically and by his ill-timed transfer request this summer.
11. Victor Lindelof
A solid back-up centre back, Lindelof has often been asked to do more than his ability will allow. He is not quite at the standard to start consistently for a club with the ambitions of the Red Devils, but has performed admirably at times when called upon.
12. Romelu Lukaku
Not as good as he should have been, but not as bad as you remember. Lukaku scored 28 league goals across two seasons at Old Trafford. Not a horrendous total, but not enough to justify the tactical concessions that were made to accommodate him.
13. Edinson Cavani
A United career of two halves. Cavani’s free transfer looked inspired during his first campaign, where he added experience, guile and a sprinkle of stardust as United finished second and reached a Europa League final. His second season never got off the ground, with the loss of his shirt number and starting place to Ronaldo seeming to puncture his desire and commitment.
14. Jadon Sancho
The jury is still out on last season’s summer buy from Borussia Dortmund. Sancho started very slowly, but started to improve as the season reached its final stages. Seems to be back to his worst this campaign, but at the age of 22 he still has more to offer.
15. Nemanja Matic
Matic’s best days were behind him by the time he answered Jose Mourinho’s call in 2017. At times he was serviceable, at others it looked like the pace of games was passing him by. The fact people still cite Michael Carrick as United’s last proper defensive midfielder speaks volumes.
16. Raphael Varane
Supposedly a statement signing that would push United on to a new level, fitness concerns and struggles to adjust have seen Varane fail to make an impact. Still only 29, but he has seen new boy Lisandro Martinez preferred to him this season.
17. Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Unable to perform consistently in the Premier League, the Armenia international was a revelation in the Europa League. Arsenal took him off United’s hands despite his average displays, but the other half of that swap deal ended up being even worse.
18. Fred
The Brazilian was signed to play in defensive midfield, but has only ever looked good playing further forward. Too goal-shy for a consistent role further forward and best known as half of the risible ‘McFred’ pivot.
19. Harry Maguire
The lightning rod for the vitriol and bile of United’s online support. Maguire is not quite as bad as all that, but you have to go back as far as last summer’s belated Euro 2020 for the last time he looked any good. Confidence is shot and the captaincy hangs heavy over him.
20. Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Defensively formidable, offensively clueless. Wan-Bissaka is an old-fashioned right back in a wing back’s world. Erik ten Hag seems unimpressed by him, but he arguably warrants another go after Dalot’s displays.
21. Daniel James
Perhaps this is a little harsh on a player who had some decent times in a United shirt. Lack of end product was a problem, and the current Leeds player always looked out of his depth at Old Trafford. One of the few players United have made a profit on in the last decade.
22. Amad Diallo
An example of the mixed-up thinking at Old Trafford. Treated as one for the future, but bought for a £40 million fee from Atalanta. Presented as a major signing on deadline day in 2020 after efforts to sign Sancho had fallen through, he has played just nine games in two seasons at the club. At 20, he might still make it.
23. Eric Bailly
There have been days where Eric Bailly has looked world class. Unfortunately there has only been about five of those in his 113 appearances. Constantly injured, Bailly has not played more than 13 league games in a season since his 25 appearances in 2016-17.
24. Diogo Dalot
His attacking instincts have caused various coaches to see him as an antidote to the defensive-minded Wan-Bissaka. But just because he likes to go forward, it doesn’t mean he’s effective. Has probably hit more ticket-holders with his crosses than he has players.
25. Angel Di Maria
Circumstances were against him, with a home burglary, family unrest over settling in Manchester and an ill-advised shift to centre forward blighting his stay. He wasn’t exactly pulling up trees before that stuff happened, but it can’t have helped.
26. Memphis Depay
Given the poisoned chalice of United’s number seven shirt, the Dutchman’s squad number would also correspond to the number of goals he scored in two years at the club. Some fans want him back now he looks likely to leave Barcelona. Those fans have short memories.
27. Bastian Schweinsteiger
United’s recruitment department thought they’d got the deal of the century when they signed Schweinsteiger on a free after exactly 500 appearances for Bayern Munich. What they did not take into account is that the German giants had not extended the club legend’s contract for a very good reason. The midfielder was a shell of his former self in the Premier League.
28. Donny van de Beek
Three consecutive United managers, if you include interim boss Ralf Rangnick, have been reluctant to trust Van de Beek. Even now under his former Ajax boss Ten Hag he is a peripheral figure. The midfielder would argue he has rarely played, his coaches would argue that he has rarely impressed when he has.
29. Marcos Rojo
Best remembered for burning his toast and posting it on social media, the Argentine never quite caught fire in the same way at Old Trafford. Often let his temperament get the better of him and was only trusted as an intermittent starter.
30. Alex Telles
The greatest impact Telles had was spurring left back rival Luke Shaw to his best season in 2020-21. The ex-Porto man can strike a dead ball brilliantly, but lacks the awareness and positional discipline to defend in the Premier League. Now on loan at Sevilla.
31. Morgan Schneiderlin
One of the most forgettable players to turn out for the Red Devils. The ex-Everton midfielder played 47 games for United and even seasoned supporters would struggle to remember more than two of them.
32. Matteo Darmian
The Italy international made a promising start, winning Player of the Month in his first month at the club. The performances declined and, eventually, so did his minutes. Featured just 14 times in the league across his last two seasons at the club.
33. Alexis Sanchez
It started with a piano. It ended with five goals in 45 appearances and a free transfer to Inter Milan. United were supposed to have signed Arsenal’s talisman. Instead they had signed a player whose best days were behind him. Sanchez played like a man adjusting to a new league, not someone who had netted 24 Premier League goals the season before he joined.
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