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Despite an ongoing eight-year-long domestic title drought, Manchester United remain English football's most successful club in the Premier League era. The Red Devils stamped their authority in English football under legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson. The Manchester giants won eight Premier League trophies between 2000 until the Scottish coach's retirement in 2013.
United's success has always been powered by their superstar players. The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Paul Scholes and Nemanja Vidic were all amongst the world's best players during their time at the club. However, there have also been high-profile let-downs such as Alexis Sanchez and Juan Veron, who didn't live up to their hype during their spells at Old Trafford.
Manchester United's overrated stars were not necessarily bad players
Unlike flops such as Bebe and Gabriel Obertan, who failed at Manchester United even during the club's golden period, the names on this list weren't bad players. Instead, they didn't play as big a role in the club's success as their CVs suggest.
Thanks to a combination of nostalgia, flair and revisionism, their time at Old Trafford is looked back upon with more fondness than their performances deserved. On that note, here's a look at five players who were overrated during their spells at Manchester United.
#5 Anderson
Brazilian midfielder Anderson became a fan favourite during his time at Old Trafford, winning numerous trophies with Manchester United. Signed from Porto in 2007 for £25 million, the 2008 Golden Boy winner spent eight seasons with the Red Devils. In this period, he won four Premier League titles, two League Cups, the 2008 UEFA Champions League and the Club World Cup.
Something of a cult icon amongst the club's supporters, there is the impression that Anderson was a potential world-beater who went wrong. However, a closer look at his numbers suggests the Brazilian never remotely displayed qualities to indicate he would develop into a world-class talent.
Anderson played more than 20 league games in a season for Manchester United just once during his time with the club. He scored only nine times in 181 appearances.
It is a miracle he managed to have such a long career at Old Trafford, and was without a doubt one of Sir Alex Ferguson's worst signings. The midfielder retired in 2019, aged just 31.
#4 Carlos Tevez
No list of overrated players is complete without a dose of controversy. And as far as causing a stir goes, it doesn't get more controversial than Carlos Tevez.
A complete centre-forward with no real weakness, Tevez had an exit that left the most bitter of tastes in the mouths of Red Devils fans. His transfer to Manchester City also marked the rise of the Citizens, who would eventually go on to surpass their famous neighbours.
The Argentinian striker formed one of the greatest attacking triumvirates in modern football when he linked up with Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney in 2007-08.
Signed from West Ham United on a two-year loan deal, Tevez played a key role in Manchester United's 2007-08 Champions League and Premier League double. The Argentine international scored 19 goals and provided eight assists in his debut campaign at Old Trafford.
Manchester United and Tevez's initial success often overshadows the fact that the Argentine's second season with the club was rather underwhelming. He scored just five goals in 29 league games, and was benched for the 2009 Champions League final.
At the end of the 2008-09 season, Tevez rejected the chance to make his Manchester United move permanent. The club was willing to match West Ham's £25.5 million valuation as well as the striker's wage demands. Instead, he sealed a transfer to Manchester City, becoming the first player to move between the two clubs in over a decade.
Sure, Tevez was excellent in 2008-09. However, the club's trophy haul glosses over the fact that he was by no means indispensable.
#3 Dimitar Berbatov
If one were to watch a video of Dimitar Berbatov's Manchester United highlights, they would be convinced he was the club's best player.
From an outrageous hat-trick against Liverpool and a five-goal return against Blackburn to a magical pirouette assist against West Ham, the Bulgarian was incredible on his day.
Signed for £30.75 million from Tottenham Hotspur in 2008, the big-money signing arrived at Old Trafford to much fanfare. To be fair to Berbatov, he was by no means a bad player. He even finished as the joint-highest scorer in the 2010-11 Premier League season, scoring 20 goals.
However, he was frustratingly inconsistent. Red Devils fans back then had a love-hate relationship with the striker, who was viciously criticised for his low work rate, languid style and apparent laziness. Berbatov scored 56 goals in 149 Manchester United appearances, but was under the scanner throughout his Old Trafford tenure.
He departed the club in 2012 after winning two Premier League titles along with a couple of League Cups. Despite winning trophies and providing fans with some wonderful memories, the Bulgarian had an inconsistent career at United.
#2 Nani
Portuguese maverick Nani arrived at Manchester United in 2007 after a £23 million move from Sporting Lisbon. He caught the eye with his trickery, flair, long-range shooting and acrobatic celebrations, and was compared with Cristiano Ronaldo.
His time at Old Trafford coincided with that of Anderson, as Nani also won the Champions League and four Premier League titles with Manchester United. However, Nani never lived up to the hype or his £110K per week wages over his eight seasons with the Red Devils.
The winger never managed to register double-digit goal returns in the league for the club. In fact, he only scored more than five league goals twice during his spell in England.
Despite making over 230 appearances for Manchester United, Nani netted just 41 times. There were flashes of brilliance, such as his memorable performance in the 2010 Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich and his 19-assist Premier League campaign in 2010-11.
However, Nani will eventually be remembered as a wildly inconsistent wideman with more style over substance than a mercurial winger with a lethal end product.
#1 Paul Pogba
It has been a dramatic fall for Manchester United's record signing. When Sir Alex Ferguson let Paul Pogba leave the club for free in 2012, many believed it was one of his biggest mistakes. The French star returned home in 2016 in a sensational £89 million transfer from Juventus. Pogba was expected to be the man to lead United back to the summit of English football.
Instead, the midfielder's transfer and subsequent six-year spell at the club sums up Manchester United's struggles in recent seasons. Pogba was expensive and extravagant, but with precious little to show for it. Rather than becoming a leader, Pogba has come under the scanner, not only for his on-field performances but also for his off-field behaviour.
The French star infamously fell out with manager Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese labelled the midfielder a 'virus' after Pogba snubbed the team bus in favour of his personal Rolls-Royce after a win over Burnley. Manchester United legends Roy Keane and Paul Scholes have also blasted Pogba for his social media antics, dressing room dance moves, exaggerated celebrations and flashy fashion.
Meanwhile, things haven't been much better on the pitch. The number of word-class performances Pogba has delivered for the club have been too few. United have tried to play him in all sorts of positions while also signing supporting midfielders, hoping to unlock Pogba's potential.
Pogba and his agent Mino Raiola have been accused of unsettling the dressing room by repeatedly hinting at the midfielder's desire to leave the club. With 38 goals and 49 assists in 219 games, Pogba has struggled for consistency, delivering the occasional good game every few weeks.
Currently out with an injury, it is highly unlikely we will see Paul Pogba in a Manchester United jersey again. He is expected to walk away for free when his current contract expires at the end of the 2021-22 season.
It is safe to say that this time, Manchester United fans will not be disappointed to see him leave.
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