Manchester United is in shambles right now, with the club going in no clear direction. They're set to miss out on Champions League football for 2022-23 and frankly have so many problems within their squad, especially at the back. Needless to say, Erik Ten Hag has a lot of work ahead of him this summer.
Playing at Old Trafford always comes with boatloads of pressure. United is one of the biggest clubs in the world and their fanbase is just as massive. That being said, when a player arrives at the Theater of Dreams, they're expected to perform. Unfortunately, it doesn't always work out that way.
Over the years, there have been a number of big-name players who came to Manchester United for a hefty fee and then absolutely failed to live up to expectations. Here are the five biggest flops in Red Devils history.
*Note: This list is from 2010 on.
5 biggest Manchester United flops in club history
5. Wilfried Zaha
Zaha is a staple in Crystal Palace's attack and despite being linked to other Premier League clubs over the past years, he's stayed put at Selhurst Park. However, back in 2013, Zaha was Sir Alex Ferguson's final signing at Manchester United before he gave up his managerial duties. The Ivory Coast international agreed to terms in January and initially stayed on loan at Palace for the remainder of the season.
Once he actually suited up for the Red Devils, it was David Moyes in charge. The two certainly didn't see eye to eye. He made just two appearances under the Scotsman in 2013-14 and eventually went on loan to Cardiff City for the remainder of the campaign. Zaha returned to Palace in late August of 2014, even though Moyes was sacked. Zaha really never got a legitimate chance to prove himself but regardless, this was a forgettable move for Manchester United.
United thought they had just signed the next big thing in the summer of 2017, bringing in Romelu Lukaku from Everton, where he was absolutely lethal. The Belgian put pen to paper on a five-year deal worth around £75 million and quickly got off to a solid start at Manchester United, scoring in the UEFA Super Cup and then bagging a brace in his league debut against West Ham. Lukaku ended with 16 goals in 34 PL appearances in his first season, but it all went downhill the next year.
The now Chelsea man netted only 15 times in 45 outings in 2018-19, losing his place in the starting XI. For a player with such a big price tag, it was simply not good enough. Manchester United expected him to come in and be a lethal No. 9, but his form dwindled. Lukaku even looked out of shape at times and clearly lost the quickness he previously showed at Everton. He went on to shine at Inter Milan but now Lukaku is back struggling in the EPL with the Blues.
3. Bastian Schweinsteiger
Bayern parted ways with Bastian Schweinsteiger in 2015 as he entered the twilight years of his career. Manchester United jumped at the chance to sign the German midfielder, but it quickly proved to be a mistake. He looked worn down and picked up far too many bookings, even being handed a three-game suspension at one point. Schweinsteiger went on to make only 18 appearances in 2015/16 in Premier League action and made little impact. Once Jose Mourinho took over the next season, he basically didn't see the pitch at all. The Special One even demoted him to train with the U-23 squad at one point. Schweinsteiger eventually packed his bags and left Europe, joining MLS side Chicago Fire in March of 2017.
2. Alexis Sanchez
Oh, how things have changed for Alexis Sanchez. Once an absolute killer in the final third for Arsenal, the Chilean now finds himself as a substitute for Inter Milan. His downfall initially started when he left the Emirates for Manchester United in January of 2018 and was immediately awarded the No. 7 shirt. Right away, the pressure was on his shoulders. Fast forward to the end of the 2018-19 season and Sanchez only made 32 appearances in league action, providing the Red Devils with absolutely no consistency up top. The club was happy to let him go on loan to Inter in 2019-20 before officially making the move permanent. Another striker failure for United.
1. Angel Di Maria
Angel Di Maria had so much hype after a fantastic stint at Real Madrid, possessing pace, skill, and finishing abilities. The Argentine signed a five-year deal at Old Trafford for £59.7 million, the highest fee paid by a British team at the time. but, he only lasted at Manchester United for a lone season before taking his talents to French giants PSG.
Di Maria got off to a fantastic start, bagging two goals and supplying two assists in his first four games for the club. But, it all came crashing down after that, ultimately scoring only three times in 27 appearances. Given how much Man United paid for the winger and considering it was a record fee in 2014, this is absolutely the biggest failure of the lot, hands down.
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