For decades, Manchester United enjoyed the luxury of signing some of the world’s finest football talent. With 20 English league titles and three Champions League trophies, the Red Devils have long been considered one of football’s most prestigious destinations. Legendary players such as George Best, Wayne Rooney, and Cristiano Ronaldo once illuminated Old Trafford, leaving behind legacies that shaped the club’s identity.
However, not every high-profile arrival at the Theatre of Dreams lived up to expectations. Alongside their many iconic signings, United have also endured a series of high-cost disappointments—players who arrived with great fanfare but left with little impact.
Here are seven of Manchester United’s most disappointing and least successful signings across the club’s modern history.
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Memphis Depay – Superstar Potential That Never Sparked
Signed during Louis van Gaal’s tenure, Memphis Depay was expected to become the next world-class attacker at Old Trafford. Instead, his time in Manchester became a frustrating chapter for both the player and the fans.
Dutch legend Ruud Gullit even labelled Depay the worst signing of 2015, a harsh but telling criticism of his struggles in England.
Across two seasons, Depay made 53 appearances, contributing just seven goals and six assists in all competitions—far below expectations for a player touted to be United’s next superstar. After leaving, he revived his career brilliantly at Olympique Lyon before later joining Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, proving that the issue was less about talent and more about the wrong fit at United.
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Donny van de Beek – A Bright Talent Wasted on the Bench
Calling Donny van de Beek a flop feels unfair at times; the midfielder never truly received consistent opportunities to prove himself. But the numbers tell a stark story.
United paid £35 million to sign him from Ajax, where he was regarded as one of Europe’s most exciting midfield prospects. He was a pivotal figure in Ajax’s legendary run to the 2018/19 Champions League semifinals under Erik ten Hag.
Yet during four seasons at Old Trafford, Van de Beek made only 62 appearances in all competitions, most of which came from the bench. Even after being reunited with Ten Hag in Manchester, his form failed to recover. Van de Beek eventually moved to Girona, closing a disappointing chapter in his career at United.
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Bebe – The Most Bizarre Signing in United History
Perhaps the strangest transfer in the club’s history, Tiago Manuel Dias Correia—better known as Bebe— remains one of the most bewildering signings ever made by Sir Alex Ferguson.
United paid £7.4 million for a player Ferguson admitted he had never seen play. Bebe featured just seven times during his four-year stay and was even linked to a police investigation over alleged corruption surrounding his transfer, as he had changed agents days before the deal.
Though he later enjoyed a respectable career in Portugal and Spain, his time at United is remembered as a complete misfire.
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Alexis Sánchez – A Piano Introduction, A Flat Finale
When Alexis Sánchez arrived from Arsenal in January 2018, he was widely considered one of the Premier League’s best players. United even unveiled him with a viral video of him playing the piano—symbolic of the huge expectations placed upon him.
But the reality was disastrous.
Sánchez earned £14 million per year on a four-and-a-half-year deal yet delivered almost nothing on the pitch. Across 45 appearances, he scored just five goals, a staggering contrast to the elite form he once showed at Arsenal.
His move to Inter Milan marked a much-needed reset, where he eventually helped the Nerazzurri win the 2020/21 Serie A title.
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Harry Maguire – The World’s Most Expensive Defender Who Never Settled
United’s £80 million signing of Harry Maguire in 2019 remains one of the most controversial deals in Premier League history. Signed to become the foundation of a new defensive era, he instead became a lightning rod for criticism.
Though he had strong stretches early on, inconsistency, high-profile errors, and the weight of his enormous price tag made him one of the club’s most scrutinised players. For many fans and pundits, Maguire’s signing represents one of United’s biggest transfer miscalculations.
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Juan Sebastián Verón – A Genius Who Never Fit In
Sir Alex Ferguson made few transfer mistakes, but Juan Sebastián Verón was one of them. Signed for a then-record £28.1 million from Lazio in 2001—equivalent to nearly £150 million in today’s market—Verón was expected to dominate English football.
Instead, he never adapted to the pace and physicality of the Premier League. After just two uneven seasons, he left for Chelsea, leaving behind a legacy of unfulfilled promise despite his undeniable talent.
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Paul Pogba – The Most Expensive Homegrown Return Gone Wrong
United breaking the world transfer record in 2016 to re-sign Paul Pogba for £93 million should have been a triumphant homecoming.
Instead, it became one of the club’s worst decisions.
Despite moments of brilliance, Pogba’s six-season spell was riddled with inconsistency, injuries, and off-field drama. Multiple managers failed to unlock his full potential, and the midfielder himself often appeared frustrated.
In the end, Pogba left for free back to Juventus in 2022—just as he had done a decade earlier.
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