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Manchester United are one of the best clubs in the world, and the right signings have played a huge role in their success. However, the Red Devils have always been well-known for the players created via their academy as well.
This recognition was elevated in 1958 when the 'Busby Babes' under Sir Matt Busby were fabricated. The custom carried on and 40 years later, Sir Alex Ferguson created his own set of players famously known as the 'Class of 92'.
In 2019, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer proudly continued the record of fielding at least one academy player for 4000 straight matches, which started in 1937.
Manchester United have still recruited impressive talent despite their quality academy
The academy will always remain the stepping-stone of the club for years to come, but that has never shied them from recruiting talent from across Europe. Since the beginning of this century, Manchester United have spent billions on arrivals, ranking them third only behind Chelsea and Manchester City amongst English clubs in terms of transfer expenditure.
Many succeeded whereas many left the same way they came. However, we will be looking at the success category here and focusing on the best signings made by Manchester United from the French division, Ligue 1:
#5 Anthony Martial
Rising through Lyon's academy, Anthony Martial attained fame when he joined AS Monaco. He was a teenage star in the making and Manchester United rose to the occasion and grabbed the Golden Boy winner in 2015 for a total fee of £58 million.
He had a perfect debut as he scored a brace which included an incredible goal that helped Manchester United beat Liverpool 3-1. Since that memorable day, he has been loyal to the club and is currently in his seventh season at Old Trafford.
Although he is having an erratic spell with an exit looming, the 25-year-old Frenchman is a skilled and threatening striker on his best days. He has scored 79 goals in 265 appearances as a Manchester United player so far.
#4 Edinson Cavani
Manchester United signed Edinson Cavani as a free agent after his contract with PSG expired, and this has been one of the best decisions taken by the club recently. The Uruguayan international is one of the most complete strikers in football history. His spells at Napoli and PSG are enough to back that statement.
With 104 goals in 138 appearances for Napoli, Cavani held the mantle for the club's top scorer each season. After adding a trophy during that spell, he became the then sixth most expensive signing in the world when PSG cashed out £58 million for his services.
His seven-year spell in Paris saw him become a dominant force, and with 200 goals in 301 appearances, he became the club's all-time top scorer. Excluding the Champions League, he won every other trophy available to PSG multiple times at the Parc des Princes.
Manchester United then approached the 34-year-old veteran to provide his immeasurable experience to the young squad. Despite his age, he proved why he was called 'El Matador'. Cavani has only enjoyed limited involvement, but he has been effective every time he enters the pitch for Manchester United.
#3 Fabien Barthez
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
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 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.
