The transfer scenario has changed drastically around Old Trafford since Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down as the Manchester United manager. His successors, David Moyes, Louis Van Gaal and now Jose Mourinho has spent a fortune to bring a whole host of players from different leagues.
Sir Alex Ferguson left David Moyes, his immediate successor with the group of players who had just won the English Premier League and he bought Juan Mata and a panic transfer of Marouane Fellaini from his the former club Everton on the deadline day. Despite bringing in a couple of new players, the season was a disaster with United failing to secure a top-four position in the league.
1 Ángel Di María
Ángel Di María was a talismanic figure at Real Madrid, but since Gareth Bale arrived from Spurs, his playing time with the Spanish giants was relatively less. It prompted Louis Van Gaal, Man United manager at that time, to bring the Argentine to Old Trafford.
When he arrived, there was a lot of speculation about him being the man who could bring a change to the struggling United team and immediately got the most coveted No. 7 jersey. But he failed to live up to the quality of the players who have donned that jersey before him. He struggled in his first season with injuries, suspensions, and off-field issues which forced him to not come back for the second season and he eventually signed for PSG.
2 Memphis Depay
Another player who was brought in by Van Gaal to Old Trafford. Memphis Depay had a forgetful time at Man United. The Dutch International was one of Europe’s promising young players when he joined the Red Devils in 2015 in a £30m deal on the back winning Eredivisie player of the year with PSV Eindhoven.
He got the No.7 shirt, but he failed to carry out the responsibilities which came along with it. Memphis tried hard to establish himself as a regular in the team, but nothing seemed to click for the Dutchman, and he was eventually sold to Lyon after he failed to appear in Jose Mourinho’s plans.
3 Bastian Schweinsteiger
Bastian Schweinsteiger was part of Germany’s 2014 World Cup winning campaign. He ended his 17-year stint with Bayern to sign for Van Gaal’s side in 2015. But he had fitness issues, and it carried on at United as well. The midfielder failed to impress in his first season, however.
Due to his injuries, he struggled to influence games, and the writing was on the wall. With Jose Mourinho appointed as the new manager after Louis Van Gaal, Bastian was made clear that he had no future at the club and he was sold to Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire.