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In the fullness of time, Manchester United has evolved into one of the biggest footballing brands around the globe. Since the inception of the Premier League, the club has been a major attraction for players hailing from diverse geographies.
The exciting brand of football has been a major reason why it has housed multitudes of foreigners.
Since Manchester United hold the honour of being the best footballing institution in the English top-tier, the club has contributed immensely in globalizing the English top-tier and making it a destination worth being at for footballers around the globe.
While the Red Devils are renowned for manufacturing some of the greatest English legends, they have also bought and nurtured a considerable amount of foreign talent. On that note, let's have a look at the ten best non-native footballers to have plied their trades at Old Trafford.
#10 David De Gea
Honours at the club: 1 x Premier League, 1x FA Cup, 1 x EFL Cup, 3 x Community Shield, 1 x Europa League
When he arrived at Manchester United, David De Gea definitely didn't have the best of starts to a career at a big club.
A shambolic performance against Manchester City in the Community Shield had the fans doubting over Sir Alex Ferguson's decision to splash £22.50 million to sign him from Atletico Madrid in 2011.
Seven years fast forward, the wise old man's decision probably appears to be one of the best he ever made at Manchester United.
In a period that has seen the Red Devils fall down from their pedestal as the Premier League's team to beat, David De Gea has acted as a saviour on numerous occasions.
No wonder, he has clinched the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award thrice in a row; he is apparently the first player to achieve that feat.
De Gea's superb reflexes in front of goal have saved Manchester United from humiliation many times.
That is perhaps also the reason why he has garnered comparisons with former greats like Edwin Van Der Sar and Peter Schmeichel albeit he doesn't have a stellar trophy cabinet to boast.
One thing is certain though - De Gea may not win oodles of trophies, but he will definitely remain an immortal in the history books of Manchester United. As of now, he has made 325 appearances for the club.
#9 Park Ji-sung
Honours at the club: 4 x Premier League, 3 x EFL Cup, 4 x Community Shield, 1 x UEFA Champions League, 1 x FIFA Club World Cup
Park Ji-sung agreed to join Manchester United in the summer of 2005 from Dutch outfit PSV Eindhoven for a £5.85 million fee.
Though he was held in high regard by Sir Alex Ferguson during his times at Old Trafford, the South-Korean was pre-dominantly underrated throughout his career.
Functioning as a midfielder, Park built a reputation for his immense work-ethic on the pitch. He was often deployed as a defensive midfielder by Sir Alex when extra defensive steel was a necessity in big games.
He was also a tactically versatile player, capable of functioning as a winger in a three-man attack, apart from being a defensive midfielder.
While Park churned out many important performances for the Red Devils, his greatest was perhaps in the 4-0 drubbing of AC Milan in the Champions League in 2009.
The South-Korean efficiently negated the impact of Italian pass master Andrea Pirlo, who later praised him in his autobiography.
In I Think Therefore, I Play, Pirlo writes about Park as follows:
"The midfielder must have been the first nuclear-powered South Korean in history, in the sense that he rushed about the pitch at the speed of an electron."
Park left Manchester United to join Queens Park Rangers in 2014 with 205 appearances and 27 goals under his belt.
#8 Edwin Van der Sar
Honours at the club: 4 x Premier League, 1 x EFL Cup, 3 x Community Shield, 1 x UEFA Champions League, 1 x FIFA Club World Cup
Initially, Sir Alex had shown an interest in signing Edwin van Der Sar during his days with Ajax in 1999, while searching for a replacement for the ageing Peter Schmeichel.
However, the Dutchman opted for a move to Juventus and the Red Devils would have to wait until 2005 to get their man.
Signed for £4.75 million at the ripe old age of 35, Van der Sar is perhaps the best example that supports the dictum 'age is just a number'.
At a point of time that is usually considered to be the advanced stage of the twilight of a footballer's career, he oozed class of the highest measure while guarding the posts at Old Trafford.
Edwin Van der Sar was known for his intelligence and excellent positional sense as a goalkeeper. Blessed with a lanky stature coupled with great reflexes, the Dutchman was a brilliant all-round shot-stopper.
He was also renowned for his brilliant distribution of the ball with either foot which gave him the ability to launch counter-attacks.
Van der Sar won numerous major titles at Old Trafford before retiring in 2011. He made 266 appearances for the club and is one of the most important figures in the club's illustrious past.
#7 Patrice Evra
Honours at the club: 5 x Premier League, 3 x EFL Cup, 5 x Community Shield, 1 x UEFA Champions League, 1 x FIFA Club World Cup
There's an endless list of bargain signings that Sir Alex Ferguson has made at Manchester United and Patrice Evra is amongst the very best on that list.
The diminutive Frenchman joined United from AS Monaco in 2006 for £7.20 million. Operating as a left-back, he formed one of the best defences the Premier League has ever witnessed, alongside Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.
Regarded as the best left-back in the world during his prime years, Patrice Evra was a strong and athletic defender blessed with a fine pace. His speed was often a major asset to Manchester United during counter-attacks.
In spite of having a short stature, Evra was good in the air. He was also one of the most hard-working players on the pitch during games.
His tactical versatility also enabled him to be a center-back at times. He was also well-versed at crossing the ball - an ability he apparently mastered while playing as a winger in his earlier days as a youth prospect.
Patrice Evra made 379 appearances and scored 10 goals for Manchester United before departing for Juventus in 2014.
#6 Nemanja Vidic
Honours at the club: 5 x Premier League, 3 x EFL Cup, 5 x Community Shield, 1 x UEFA Champions League, 1 x FIFA Club World Cup
Another of Sir Alex Ferguson's best pieces of transfer business. Nemanja Vidic was signed for a fee of £10.50 million in 2006.
The hardman from Serbia played a mammoth role in forming a resilient backline at the club after his arrival.
Hailed as one of the best defenders to grace the Premier League, Vidic formed a formidable partnership with Rio Ferdinand in the heart of the defence. The Vidic-Ferdinand pairing has apparently fone down as one of the best center-back pairings in the history of the sport.
Nemanja Vidic earned a reputation for his unrivalled bravery. He is renowned as a player who put his body on the line on numerous occasions and as a defender who was immensely tough to get past. He boasted an astute positional sense and excellent leadership qualities.
Regarded as one of the finest defenders of the modern times, Vidic quit Manchester United for Inter Milan in 2014, with 300 appearances and 21 goals under his belt.
#5 Ole Gunnar Solksjaer
Honours at the club: 6 x Premier League, 2 x FA Cup, 2 x Community Shield, 1 x UEFA Champions League, 1 x Intercontinental Cup
Signed by Manchester United in the summer of 1996, Norwegian striker Ole Gunnar Solksjaer was a surprise acquisition knowing that the English champions were actually targeting Blackburn's Alan Shearer.
However, Shearer joined Newcastle and Solsjaer was the only striker to arrive at Old Trafford that summer, for a fee of £2.25 million.
While the fans expected him to be more of a backup striker behind Andy Cole and Eric Cantona, Solksjaer proved his importance in a different yet exciting manner. Throughout his tenure at Old Trafford, he mastered the ability to score goals after coming on as a substitute.
Affectionately nicknamed as the 'Baby-Faced Assassin' by the United faithful, Ole Gunnar Solksjaer was blessed with a keen eye for goal and deadly finishing. He may not have scored many goals, but it's because of the importance of his goals why he is still revered at the club.
One of the Norweigan's greatest feats was his four-goal haul in 12 minutes when he came on as a substitute in an 8-1 win against Nottingham Forest.
He also played his role to perfection when he scored the winning goal against Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final. That will perhaps remain the most important goal of his illustrious career with the Red Devils.
Ole Gunnar Solksjaer found the net 123 times in 359 games for United and retired at the club in 2007.
#4 Rudd van Nistelrooy
Honours at the club: 1 x Premier League. 1 x FA Cup, 1 x EFL Cup, 1 x Community Shield
Not many players can boast joining one of the biggest footballing institutions in the world after being sidelined due to injury for over a year. Apparently, Rudd van Nistelrooy can.
The Dutchman signed for Manchester United in 2001 for a fee of £25.65 million from PSV Eindhoven. Throughout his five seasons with the club, he evolved into one of the most prolific goalscorers the Premier League has ever seen.
Functioning as a striker in the times when the English top-tier was dominated by Arsenal's Invincibles, Van Nistelrooy netted goals at will and showcased his talent before the football world.
He was gifted with strength, pace and physical ability; his tall stature allowed him to be a threat in the air during crosses and set-pieces.
As a striker, Van Nistelrooy's magnificence in finishing was second to none. He had an excellent positional sense; his off-the-ball movement and ability to anticipate the moves of his opponents enabled him to be at the right place at the right time for scoring goals.
His tally of 150 goals in 219 games stands as a fine testimony to his exceptional talent as a goal-poacher. He left Manchester United for Real Madrid in the summer of 2006 and is remembered affectionately at Old Trafford even to this day.
#3 Peter Schmeichel
Honours at the club: 5 x Premier League, 3 x FA Cup, 1 x EFL Cup, 4 x Community Shield, 1 x UEFA Champions League, 1 x UEFA Super Cup
Peter Schmeichel was probably the first greatest shot-stopper to play for Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson. The Scottish gaffer signed him for a fee of £675,000 from IF Brondby, a sum he later branded as the 'bargain price of the century' in 1991.
Nicknamed the 'Great Dane', Schmeichel was known for his imposing figure and excellent reflexes in goal.
He was surprisingly agile and athletic for a player of his size and stature. He was also known for his vocal presence on the pitch and the ability to lead the team from the back. He was also famous for marauding forward during set-pieces when his teams trailed 1-0.
Regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers ever to grace the beautiful game, Peter Schmeichel attained immortality at Manchester United in the 90s, being an integral part of a side that revived the club's legacy.
He made 339 appearances and also scored a goal during his times at Old Trafford.
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo
Honours at the club: 3 x Premier League, 1 x FA Cup, 2 x EFL Cup, 1 x Community Shield, 1 x UEFA Champions League, 1 x FIFA Club World Cup
None can forget that skinny 18-year-old who came all the way from Lisbon to Manchester to fulfill a destiny not many have enjoyed in the history of the sport before.
Well, when a group of Manchester United players are pleading their boss for signing you after just playing for 45 minutes, you are surely destined for a great legacy, aren't you?
Amidst a number of suitors lining up for a young Cristiano Ronaldo, Sir Alex got him for a £17.10 million fee in 2003.
At just 18, he sported the No. 7 jersey, apparently, the one that is reserved for the greatest legends to play at Old Trafford.
Knowing that a glorious history is associated with that number, Ronaldo didn't disappoint after succeeding a titan like David Beckham as the club's next No. 7.
With his silky dribbling skills, an endless bag of tricks, sheer perseverance and determination and above all, an indestructible positive mentality, he was already on the path to becoming the world's greatest player at the age of just 24 when he won his first and only Ballon d'Or with United.
Ronaldo struck a wonderful partnership with a young Wayne Rooney as the duo ushered another era of glory in the first decade of the 21st century, seeing off a challenge from Jose Mourinho's Chelsea.
He left for a world record £84.60 million fee in 2009 to perceive his dream to play for Real Madrid. He scored 118 goals in 292 appearances for the Red Devils.
Indeed, so dynamic was his impact that Manchester United are still searching for a worthy name to succeed him as the next No.7, even after a decade of his departure.
#1 Eric Cantona
Honours at the club: 4 x Premier League, 2 x FA Cup, 3 x Community Shield
When Eric Cantona moved to Old Trafford from Leeds United in 1992 for £1.62 million, few would have expected him to lead the epoch of glory in the 90s.
Known for his miffy nature and a rather a vociferous tongue, the budding Fergie's Fledgelings couldn't have asked for a better leader to show them the right path.
What needs to be appreciated about Cantona is the fact that he was well-versed in speaking volumes both on the pitch and in the dressing room.
The flamboyant Frenchman was blessed with a deadly eye for goals and mastered the art of rattling the net at a level few can boast of.
His numbers at Old Trafford do little to in encompassing his forte, but then, when have statistics actually and truly helped in uncovering the true quality of every player?
Affectionately nicknamed 'King Eric' by the Old Trafford faithful, Cantona retired at the age of 31 at Manchester United with 82 goals in 185 games under his belt.
To the outsiders, Cantona might be a figure who was incessantly cornered by controversies in his entire career.
But to the United supporters, he is nothing less than a Messiah, a lovable personality who led the foundation of their domineering years in the Premier League.
