Ranking the 5 greatest Manchester United signings from Ligue 1

Who is the greatest Manchester United signing from Ligue 1?
Who is the greatest Manchester United signing from Ligue 1?

#3 Fabien Barthez

Fabien Barthez during his spell with Manchester United
Fabien Barthez during his spell with Manchester United

The former Manchester United goalkeeper was considered one of the greatest of his time. His eccentric performances had accumulated lots of fans. Before joining Manchester United, he had a decade-long successful run with Toulouse, Marseille and Monaco.

What caught the attention of Sir Alex back then was his World Cup-winning performance for France in 1998. Along with that, the club was also in search of a prolific keeper as their No.1, Peter Schmeichel had left the club. In need of a long-term replacement, Manchester United signed him for £7.8 million in 2000.

Barthez lived up to the hype as he made flawless saves that helped United win the Premier League for the third year in a row. The remainder of his four-year spell was a mixed one as along with excellent performances, his tendency to take unnecessary risks was costing the game to Manchester United. However, Barthez added another league title to his trophy cabinet.

After retiring from his football career in 2006, he picked up a new profession as a motorsport racer.


#2 Zlatan Ibrahimovic

AC Milan v Torino FC - Serie A
AC Milan v Torino FC - Serie A

The Swedish striker is a prime example of aging like fine wine. He turned 40 this year and is not looking to stop anytime soon. Zlatan Ibrahimovic has had an extensive journey with his 22-year career lasting across nine top clubs.

However, the places where he lasted the most were Ajax and PSG. While one crafted his career, the other made him a legend. His spell at Ajax opened the doors to his European dominance as he signed for Juventus. That was followed by moves to Inter Milan, Barcelona and AC Milan before he eventually joined PSG in 2012.

Along with winning plenty of trophies, he went on to become the club's all-time goalscorer, which was later surpassed by Cavani.

In 2016, Manchester United signed Zlatan Ibrahimovic under Jose Mourinho's tenure. His addition was very impactful as United won the FA Community Shield, EFL Cup and their first European Cup since 2008 in the form of UEFA Europa League. He signed off on his Manchester United journey with 29 goals in two seasons.


#1 Patrice Evra

Manchester United v Aston Villa - Premier League
Manchester United v Aston Villa - Premier League

Manchester United are just as grateful as Patrice Evra is for joining them. The Frenchman made his professional debut for a third division Italian club before climbing his way into Ligue 1 side AS Monaco. He became a regular there and a dire need for a defender made Manchester United pursue a deal for him.

In 2006, reports suggested that United were interested in signing him. At the same time, there were rumors mentioning that Monaco had reached an agreement with Inter Milan. However, Evra preferred a move to Manchester United, the day after which they issued an official bid.

Initially signing a three-and-a-half-year deal, Evra went on to etch his name in the club's history books after making 379 appearances in eight years. During this stint, he became one of the best left-backs in the world, winning all major trophies along the way.

He was named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year three years in a row. He was also included in the FIFA FIFPro World XI and UEFA Team of the Year following the Champions League success in 2008.

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