There have been a number of players who were considered “flops” during their time at Manchester United. Here are some of the most notable examples:
Bebe
– the Portuguese forward was signed by Sir Alex Ferguson in 2010, despite the fact that he had only played a handful of games at his previous club. He struggled to make an impact at United and was quickly loaned out before being sold to Benfica.
Here are some quotes about Bebe’s time at Manchester United:
“I did not watch him play before we signed him. It was a recommendation from our scouting department, and I trusted them. But sometimes you get it wrong, and that was the case with Bebe.” – Sir Alex Ferguson, former Manchester United manager (source: The Guardian)
“Bebe was just not good enough for Manchester United. It was a bizarre signing, and it’s hard to understand how he ended up at such a big club.” – Gary Neville, former Manchester United defender (source: Sky Sports)
“Bebe was a complete disaster at Manchester United. He was just not good enough to play at that level.” – Jamie Carragher, former Liverpool defender (source: Daily Mail)
“Bebe was a bizarre signing. It’s hard to know what United saw in him, because he didn’t seem to have any obvious strengths as a player.” – Graeme Souness, former Liverpool midfielder (source: The Sun)
“Bebe was one of the biggest flops in Manchester United’s history. He looked completely out of his depth in the Premier League.” – Paul Merson, former Arsenal midfielder (source: Sky Sports)
Kleberson
– the Brazilian midfielder was signed by United after winning the World Cup in 2002, but he failed to make an impact in the Premier League and was quickly sold to Besiktas.
Here are some quotes about Kleberson’s time at Manchester United:
“He struggled with the pace and physicality of the Premier League. I don’t think he ever really settled in Manchester.” – Rio Ferdinand, former Manchester United defender (source: The Guardian)
“Kleberson was a strange signing. He came in with a big reputation, but he just didn’t seem to be cut out for English football.” – Phil Neville, former Manchester United midfielder (source: The Independent)
“Kleberson was a complete flop at Manchester United. He never looked like he was going to make an impact in the Premier League.” – Jamie Redknapp, former Liverpool midfielder (source: Daily Mail)
“Kleberson was a disaster at United. He never looked like he was good enough to play for such a big club.” – Alan Shearer, former Newcastle United striker (source: BBC Sport)
“Kleberson was one of the worst signings in Manchester United’s history. He was completely out of his depth in the Premier League.” – Paul Merson, former Arsenal midfielder (source: Sky Sports)
Massimo Taibi
– the Italian goalkeeper was signed by United in 1999, but he made a number of high-profile mistakes in his first few games and was quickly replaced by the more reliable Mark Bosnich.
Here are some quotes about Massimo Taibi’s time at Manchester United:
“I think the only saving grace for Taibi is that he didn’t cost as much as some of the other Manchester United flops. But he still made some terrible mistakes.” – Gary Neville, former Manchester United defender (source: Sky Sports)
“Taibi will go down as one of the worst goalkeepers in Manchester United’s history. He made some absolutely shocking errors during his short time at the club.” – Alan Shearer, former Newcastle United striker (source: BBC Sport)
“Taibi was a complete disaster at Manchester United. He looked completely out of his depth in the Premier League.” – Jamie Carragher, former Liverpool defender (source: Daily Mail)
“Taibi’s mistakes were just comical. You almost couldn’t believe what you were seeing when he was in goal.” – Jamie Redknapp, former Liverpool midfielder (source: Sky Sports)
“Taibi was one of the worst goalkeepers I have ever seen. It was just one mistake after another.” – Paul Merson, former Arsenal midfielder (source: Sky Sports)
Eric Djemba-Djemba
– the Cameroon midfielder was signed by United in 2003 as a replacement for Roy Keane, but he failed to live up to expectations and was sold to Aston Villa just two years later.
Here are some quotes about Eric Djemba-Djemba’s time at Manchester United:
“He just wasn’t good enough for Manchester United. He didn’t have the quality or the consistency to make an impact in the Premier League.” – Rio Ferdinand, former Manchester United defender (source: The Guardian)
“Djemba-Djemba was a strange signing. He came in with a big reputation, but he just didn’t seem to be cut out for English football.” – Phil Neville, former Manchester United midfielder (source: The Independent)
“Djemba-Djemba was a huge disappointment. He never seemed to adapt to the demands of the Premier League.” – Jamie Redknapp, former Liverpool midfielder (source: Daily Mail)
“Djemba-Djemba was a complete flop at Manchester United. He didn’t have the quality to make an impact at that level.” – Alan Shearer, former Newcastle United striker (source: BBC Sport)
“Djemba-Djemba was one of the biggest disappointments in Manchester United’s recent history. He just didn’t seem to have what it takes to succeed in the Premier League.” – Paul Merson, former Arsenal midfielder (source: Sky Sports)
Juan Sebastian Veron
– the Argentine midfielder was signed by United for a then-club record fee of £28.1 million in 2001, but he struggled to adapt to the Premier League and was sold to Chelsea after just two seasons.
Here are some quotes about Juan Sebastian Veron’s time at Manchester United:
“Veron was a huge disappointment at Manchester United. He was supposed to be a world-class midfielder, but he just never seemed to settle in England.” – Rio Ferdinand, former Manchester United defender (source: The Guardian)
“Veron was a strange signing for Manchester United. He had a big reputation, but he just didn’t seem to be able to adapt to the Premier League.” – Phil Neville, former Manchester United midfielder (source: The Independent)
“Veron was a complete flop at Manchester United. He didn’t have the impact that was expected of him and he struggled to make an impression in the Premier League.” – Jamie Redknapp, former Liverpool midfielder (source: Daily Mail)
“Veron was a huge disappointment. He had a fantastic reputation, but he just didn’t live up to it at Manchester United.” – Alan Shearer, former Newcastle United striker (source: BBC Sport)
“Veron was a massive flop at Manchester United. He was supposed to be one of the best midfielders in the world, but he just didn’t perform at that level for United.” – Paul Merson, former Arsenal midfielder (source: Sky Sports)
Radamel Falcao
– the Colombian striker was signed on loan by United in 2014, but he struggled to replicate his previous form and was not signed permanently.
Here are some quotes about Radamel Falcao’s time at Manchester United:
“Falcao’s time at Manchester United was a huge disappointment. He came in with such high expectations, but he just never seemed to get going.” – Rio Ferdinand, former Manchester United defender (source: The Guardian)
“Falcao was a big-name signing, but he never really lived up to his reputation at Manchester United. He struggled to score goals and he never seemed to fit in with the team.” – Phil Neville, former Manchester United midfielder (source: The Independent)
“Falcao was a complete flop at Manchester United. He just didn’t seem to have the same sharpness and ability that he had before his injury.” – Jamie Redknapp, former Liverpool midfielder (source: Daily Mail)
“Falcao was a massive disappointment at Manchester United. He was supposed to be a world-class striker, but he just never seemed to get going in the Premier League.” – Alan Shearer, former Newcastle United striker (source: BBC Sport)
“Falcao’s time at Manchester United was a disaster. He just didn’t seem to fit in with the team and he struggled to make an impact on the pitch.” – Paul Merson, former Arsenal midfielder (source: Sky Sports)
Angel Di Maria
– the Argentine winger was signed for a then-British record fee of £59.7 million in 2014, but he failed to settle in Manchester and was sold to Paris Saint-Germain just one year later.
Here are some quotes about Angel Di Maria’s time at Manchester United:
“Di Maria’s time at Manchester United was a disappointment. He had a lot of potential, but he just never seemed to get going in the Premier League.” – Rio Ferdinand, former Manchester United defender (source: The Guardian)
“Di Maria was a big-name signing, but he just didn’t seem to be able to settle in at Manchester United. He struggled to make an impact and he looked out of place in the team.” – Phil Neville, former Manchester United midfielder (source: The Independent)
“Di Maria was a flop at Manchester United. He had some good moments, but he never really lived up to his potential.” – Jamie Redknapp, former Liverpool midfielder (source: Daily Mail)
“Di Maria was a disappointment. He had a lot of talent, but he just couldn’t adapt to the Premier League and he struggled to make an impact at Manchester United.” – Alan Shearer, former Newcastle United striker (source: BBC Sport)
“Di Maria was a massive flop at Manchester United. He had a big reputation, but he just never seemed to settle in and he struggled to make an impact on the pitch.” – Paul Merson, former Arsenal midfielder (source: Sky Sports)
It’s worth noting that some of these players may have been successful elsewhere in their careers, but they simply didn’t work out at Manchester United for one reason or another.