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Manchester United have made several big-money signings in the past, but not all of them ended up as successful acquisitions at Old Trafford.
The demands of English football do not always suit some of the world's best footballers. In essence, players including Angel di María, Radamel Falcao and more recently, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, have proved that some can struggle to meet expectations consistently.
It's also impossible for a side like United to give opportunities to all of their reserve players. Some may show extraordinary ability early on in their career, while others need regular first-team football to justify their potential.
Michael Keane, Danny Welbeck and Tom Heaton are three examples of Premier League-established players who have proved their ability away from Manchester in recent seasons.
On that note, let's take a look at five players who have failed to impress at Old Trafford but flourished at other clubs.
#5 Giuseppe Rossi
Giuseppe Rossi moved to England as a 17-year-old and made his United debut against Crystal Palace back in 2004. Touted for greatness, his career prospects fell drastically, which was unexpected, to say the least given his ability.
Failure to compete with Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney for a regular starting berth saw him leave United in 2007, making only 12 appearances during his three-year stint with the Red Devils.
He joined La Liga side, Villarreal, for £6.6m and quickly established himself as one of Spain's best forwards. Scoring 82 goals in 192 appearances, he joined Serie A side Fiorentina in 2012 and continued his resurgence away from Old Trafford.
United struggled to replicate their goalscoring exploits once Ronaldo moved in a then world-record move to join Real Madrid in 2009. If Rossi had stayed, he could have potentially become one of the club's most important players during a tricky transitional period.
#4 Ryan Shawcross
Ryan Shawcross progressed through Manchester United's youth academy. Having made his senior debut in 2006, he was sent out on loan in January 2007. Stoke City was the destination of his second loan spell, during the 2007-08 campaign.
Having to fight for a first-team place with the centre-back pairing of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic was always going to be difficult. As a result, Ferguson decided to let him leave finally, and Stoke were the beneficiaries, signing him for only £1m at the time in January 2008.
Since his departure, he has been one of the Potters' most influential players and continues to start for them now. He has made 448 appearances across all competitions to date, while representing England on one occasion during a 4-2 friendly defeat by Sweden in November 2012.
He possessed all the qualities to become a world-class defender under Ferguson's management, but his progression was unfortunate to cross paths with United's excellent defensive pairing. Sir Alex himself admitted his decision to let him leave was a mistake, with the 32-year-old becoming a reliable defender for the Potters.
#3 Wilfried Zaha
After a successful spell in the Championship with Crystal Palace, winger Wilfried Zaha secured a dream £15m move during the 2013 summer transfer window.
Plenty was expected of the young winger, who was then only 20-years-old. Things ultimately did not go as planned for the Ivory Coast international. Inexperienced and someone who needed time as well as patience to prove his pedigree, regular opportunities never came his way.
He struggled for regular minutes on the pitch and Ferguson's successor David Moyes did not consider him as his first-choice winger. Despite going on a series of loan spells, he struggled to regain his form and showcase why United were happy to part with £15m for his services.
After two frustrating years in the North East, Zaha made his return to Palace on a permanent deal for a cut-price fee. Since then, he has revived his career and become a key player for the Eagles in the Premier League.
Zaha has been linked with moves to Arsenal and Everton recently and is finally showing signs for maturity, five years after leaving Old Trafford
#2 Danny Drinkwater
Born in Manchester, Danny Drinkwater joined United in 1999 as a nine-year-old. Having progressed through the youth ranks at Old Trafford, he made the reserves squad in 2006 before being called up into the first-team in 2008.
A series of loans followed as he was keen to earn senior experience. However, Leicester City completed a permanent deal to sign him in 2012, as he struggled to earn any opportunities with a United side packed full of talent.
Leicester was where he developed his craft and earned recognition for his consistent displays in midfield. Two hundred eighteen appearances as well as a promotion and Premier League medal later, he joined United's rivals - and defending champions - Chelsea in a surprising £35m deal on deadline day in 2017.
At the age of 30, Drinkwater's career has derailed since his move to Chelsea, but the Englishman was a mainstay of Leicester City's title-winning squad in the 2015-16 season.
#1 Gerard Pique
Gerard Pique was one of the most exciting young defenders in England, having made his United debut back in 2004.
As was the case with Shawcross, his opportunities for regular minutes were limited due to the presence of Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand. The duo were widely regarded as two of the best defenders in the Premier League at the time.
After only 22 club appearances, he opted for a £5m move back to boyhood club Barcelona in the summer of 2008. Since returning to the La Liga giants, he has established himself as a world-class central defender and won every major trophy win for club and country.
Pique failed to make a mark in England and returned to Spain to rejuvenate his career, where he continues to produce the goods for Barcelona well into his 30s.
