5 Worst Signings of Man United in Glazer Era. Manchester United appears to be on the approach of dumping their wasteful owners, the Glazers, after 18 years of oppressive shenanigans. Fans are eager for the club to enter a new era under a new era because like most things involving the Glazers, the takeover issue has dragged on.
By borrowing a large portion of the buyout money against the club, the Glazers, who took over in 2005, acquired Manchester United free of debt, and they have been milking it as a sort of cash cow ever since. The Glazers’ treatment of the team has angered supporters throughout.
After Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down as manager in 2013, the club’s problems became more obvious. Since then, the gap between the owners and the supporters has gotten even greater.
Upgrades to the stadium and training facility have been callously disregarded, and the club is falling behind Europe’s top teams in terms of infrastructure and several other areas. The Glazers have never been afraid to spend a lot of money on new hires, which is one element that works in their favor.
The only issue with that, though, is that some of them have been incredibly foolish purchases. Without further ado, let’s look at five of Manchester United’s poorest acquisitions throughout the Glazer era.
#5 Jadon Sancho:
At only 23 years old, Jadon Sancho still has the potential to succeed for Manchester United. As a result, even though the data is fairly convincing, it could be a little soon to write him off as a failed signing.
By the time United signed Sancho, he had already developed into a superstar at Borussia Dortmund. In 137 appearances for the Bundesliga powerhouses across all competitions, he had 50 goals and 64 assists.
After a protracted negotiation that lasted over a year, United paid him €85 million to join them in 2021, and they anticipated him to have an immediate impact at Old Trafford.
However, Sancho’s tenure at the club has been a tremendous disappointment despite a few moments of brilliance that he has occasionally displayed.
In 79 games across all leagues and competitions, he has so far only contributed 12 goals and six assists for the Red Devils. Even Sancho was sent away by the squad’s current manager, Erik ten Hag, to get his bearings.
The 23-year-old is currently in danger of being demoted to benchwarmer status by Alejandro Garnacho, a talented rookie who had an outstanding first season this past season.
#4 Bebe:
Even Sir Alex Ferguson, one of the best managers of all time, has made disastrous mistakes in the transfer market. The £9 million purchase of Bebe from the Portuguese club Vitoria de Guimaraes in 2010 is evidence of that.
Ferguson has now addressed the poorly chosen decision with a tone of resignation when Bebe was swiftly revealed to be out of his depth at Manchester United. He stated: “I am aware that Benfica and Real Madrid were circling. One of those judgments that have to be taken right now.”
“There are times when you have to trust your gut and other times when you have to follow your instincts. This was a first for me, but our scout in Portugal was certain that we needed to take action, and we highly value our scouting department.”
According to The Metro, even Bebe was shocked to learn that the Red Devils wanted to sign him. The Portuguese attacker played for Manchester United for seven games total, scoring twice.
Over the ensuing years, he was loaned to Besiktas, Rio Ave, and Pacos de Ferreira until being purchased by Benfica in 2016.
#3 Donny van de Beek:
Even today, some Manchester United supporters still stand with Donny van de Beek. He may not be suited for the Premier League, though, according to the overwhelming evidence on the other side.
Van van Beek did himself no favors during his half-season loan stint at Everton in the 2021–22 season as if his underwhelming performances for the Red Devils weren’t enough. Van van Beek only made seven appearances for the Goodies and managed just one goal before failing to secure a starting position even at Everton.
His United statistics are appalling to read. The 26-year-old joined the Red Devils in the summer of 2020 for €39 million and has made 60 appearances since then, scoring twice and dishing out two assists. It was yet another poor choice made by Ed Woodward, the disgraced former CEO of Manchester United.
Van de Beek had previously worked with current Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag at Ajax, and it was under the Dutch coach that the midfielder had his best years. Van de Beek’s situation did not improve with Ten Hag’s arrival at Old Trafford, either, and he remained an unimportant member of the team.
Later, in January 2023, he had a knee injury and missed the remainder of the campaign. Van van Beek, who is currently being strongly linked to a departure, will go down as one of Manchester United’s worst-ever acquisitions.
#2 Angel Di Maria:
Real Madrid defeated Atletico Madrid in the 2014 Champions League final, with Angel Di Maria turning in the performance of the game.
The fact that Real Madrid was willing to trade the Argentine winger that summer shocked fans all around the world. This was in particular since he appeared to be about to enter his prime.
When Manchester United intervened, Di Maria was welcomed at Old Trafford with much enthusiasm. He had a promising beginning at United under Louis van Gaal and displayed some magic in his early years there.
The tight method of the seasoned Dutch coach, however, was too constricting for a player with Di Maria’s fluidity. He was unable to play his natural game, and Van Gaal frequently put him in an awkward position.
Di Maria had a difficult season, but he still managed to contribute 12 assists and four goals in 33 games for United in all competitions. But the inconsistency and confusion he introduced to the entire structure are what people remember most about his time there.
United was once again attempting to use a square peg in a round hole. To the dismay of supporters, Di Maria left the club the following summer for €63 million.
#1 Alexis Sanchez:
At Arsenal, Alexis Sanchez was a definite threat. The former Barcelona winger was among the Premier League’s most direct and productive wingers of the contemporary age. During his four years at the Emirates, he made 166 appearances for the Gunners, scoring 80 goals and dishing out 45 assists.
One of the most sought-after forwards in the world, he was prolifically scoring goals and generating opportunities for his teammates. Because of this, Manchester United’s decision to spend a fortune on Sanchez in 2018 made sense, in a way.
The Chilean international, meanwhile, appeared disoriented right away at Old Trafford. He quickly turned into a shadow of the person he once was. Sanchez’s tenure at Manchester United may best be described as average, and that’s being kind. He lacks confidence and has lost his mojo.
Despite doing nothing to merit such a generous settlement, Sanchez reportedly made almost €400,000 per week in pay. Sanchez made 45 appearances for the Red Devils in all competitions, recording five goals and nine assists. He eventually signed a free transfer to join Inter Milan in the summer of 2020.
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