Top 5 Manchester United players who moved directly to a rival Premier League club

Manchester United v Manchester City - Premier League
Manchester United v Manchester City - Premier League

#3 Owen Hargreaves to Manchester City

Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League
Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League

Owen Hargreaves is another name on the list who is not that grand by any means. But he was one of the players who transferred directly to Manchester City from Manchester United.

Hargreaves joined Manchester United from Bayern Munich in 2007, after enjoying a successful tenure in the Bundesliga. The midfielder made only 39 appearances in his four-year tenure at Old Trafford and failed to make any mark. He was constantly plagued with injuries which limited his minutes on the pitch.

Hargreaves joined Manchester City following his contract expiry and after winning the Premier League and the Champions League with the Red Devils. He endured a forgettable campaign with City, making just one Premier League appearance in his brief spell.


#2 Denis Law to Manchester City

Manchester United v Leeds United - Premier League
Manchester United v Leeds United - Premier League

Denis Law is another legend of the Red Devils who moved directly to Manchester City at the end of his career. The Scottish great was initially at Manchester City in 1960, before moving to Torino and Manchester United.

Law became famous for his prolific goalscoring record at Manchester United and remains one of the greatest forwards to don the famous red kit. His phenomenal goalscoring record at United is a testament to his outworldly caliber. Law sits third on the all-time top goalscorer list for the Red Devils with 237 goals.

During his tenure at the club, Law helped Manchester United win two English Championships and one European Cup, among other notable accolades. Law was awarded the Ballon d'Or in 1964 and he remains the only Scottish player to have ever won the award.

Law ended his career at Manchester City after moving from the Red Devils in 1973.


#1 Carlos Tevez to Manchester City

Liverpool v Manchester United - Premier League
Liverpool v Manchester United - Premier League

Carlos Tevez remains the most prominent name on the list with his transfer taking place in 2009 when Manchester City were on the rise. The Argentine forward enjoyed two successful seasons at Old Trafford, winning two Premier League titles and a Champions League title in 2008.

During his tenure with the Red Devils, Tevez formed a dangerous partnership with Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo. He ended up scoring 34 goals and providing 14 assists in 99 appearances for the Red Devils before moving to arch rivals Manchester City.

At Manchester City, Tevez was an integral part of the team which won its first Premier League title in 2012. He spent four seasons at the Etihad, during which he scored an impressive 73 goals in 148 games in all competitions.

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