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Manchester United are going through a troubling time at the moment. The manager looks to be on his way out if he cannot turn the results their way. A few players seem to be detached from the squad, such as Paul Pogba, who is currently having a massive fall out with Jose Mourinho. It looks set to be another season where the club might end up without the Premier League trophy.
That brings along the memories of the seasons that have gone by, post-Sir Alex Ferguson when the team lost their mettle as the top flight side and never really recovered. It has not been like the club's hierarchy hasn't tried to inject quality into the team. The club has been spending heavily in recent years. Big names have made their way to Old Trafford but have failed to bring about any real change.
Here are the top 5 failed transfers at the club in recent memory.
Angel Di Maria
Perhaps one of the most welcome and then the most hated player at the club in recent memory. Angel Di Maria arrived as a then-record British signing of £60 million from Real Madrid.
He started the season well at his new club becoming an instant fan favorite. Grabbing a string of assists and quickly becoming the team's main creative outlet. The performances, however, did not last and the Argentinian slowly lost his starting place to Ashley Young.
Man United finished the season at 4th place and Angel Di Maria reportedly fell out with manager Louis Van Gaal. He did not turn up for the team's pre-season tournament next year and was subsequently sold off to PSG as the club cut its losses.
Di Maria has recently revealed the reason why he left Man United. The club faithful, however, hated the way he departed, criticising him for the apparent lack of fight for his place. The Argentinian remains one of the biggest failed transfer in the history of the club.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan
A much more recent signing at the club. Mkhitaryan signed under Jose Mourinho from Borussia Dortmund for about £30 million. He arrived with a lot of expectations at Old Trafford having constantly been among the goals for his previous club.
Things, however, did not pan out as per plan for the Armenian in the EPL. He found it difficult to adjust to the physicality of the Premier League and was subsequently kept out of matches by his manager who stated that the player has a tendency to disappear from the game.
Mkhitaryan however, did deliver on the European stage having scored in the final of the Europa League to grab the trophy for the Red Devils in 2017. But his exploits in the league continued to be sub-par. The next season proved to be no better and he was sold to Arsenal as part of a swap deal which included Alexis Sanchez moving in the opposite direction.
Speaking about Alexis, he could very well make this list if his current form does not improve.
Also read: When will Man United's highest paid player turn up at matches
Radamel Falcao
The 2014-15 season began with a lot of anticipation for United fans. Along with Di Maria, Colombian striker Radamel Falcao was another world-class arrival at the club. His transfer could not be completed in the nick of time, hence, he joined the club on loan, with an option of making the deal permanent.
Falcao had missed the 2014 World Cup with a career-threatening leg injury and was slowly making his way back into action. That was painfully apparent on the pitch as the Colombian looked like a shadow of his former self. His first touch was bad, his physicality left a lot to be desired and also he was in direct competition with Rooney and Van Persie for an opening spot.
Manager Van Gaal soon lost trust in the striker and it was apparent that the Dutchman's dour possession-based philosophy wasn't suiting Falcao. A player who thrives on crosses and regular service from the midfield wasn't getting any of it. Injuries made things all the worse and Falcao ended the season with only 4 goals for the club. His loan deal was not extended and he now plays for Monaco where he has been scoring consistently for the past few seasons.
Victor Valdes
Perhaps not the most exciting of arrivals, Victor Valdes was still a renowned world class keeper who had been Barcelona's number 1 for all his playing career.
He was in the back end of his career and it was apparent that Valdes was only going to be a backup option for David de Gea. His work back from rehabilitation kept him out of action until the second half of the season. He then played two games at the club, one of which was a dazzling display against struggling Hull City.
But like many other players, Valdes had a falling out with manager Louis Van Gaal and was told to play for the under 21s. Van Gaal then publicly criticised the Spaniard for refusing to play for the young United side. Valdes gave it back by posting on Twitter an Under 21 match sheet which showed he had indeed played for them.
Unsurprisingly, he did not feature for the club again and was sold to fellow Premier League side Middlesbrough. Man United haven't had a goalkeeping problem for years, so this didn't hurt the team too badly, but it still was another case of a high profile player not fulfilling his potential at the club.
Memphis Depay
4 of the 5 players in this list were brought under manager Louis Van Gaal; which tells a story in itself. How many funds were actually wasted under the Dutch manager? Memphis Depay was another of those players who Van Gaal failed to bring the best of.
Having given the legendary number 7 shirt, Depay was being termed as the next big thing in world football. He had already impressed with the Dutch national team and had even featured previously under Van Gaal. Why he could never fulfill that potential at Man United remains a mystery. Like many others, Depay found it easier in Europe than in the Premier League. There were flashes of absolute brilliance but they stayed few and far between.
He lost his place in the side and was ultimately sold to Lyon upon the arrival of Jose Mourinho. He has since been giving impressive displays for the French side and can still return to the club according to a clause in his contract. If Depay might still turn his failed transfer into a success, might be up in the air.
United fans will surely love to see that happen.
