Manchester United might have 13 Premier League titles between 1993 and 2013, but we’ve had quite a few questionable talents during those years.
Sir Alex Ferguson made terrific signings like Roy Keane, Eric Cantona and Cristiano Ronaldo, but he also signed William Prunier, Eric Djemba-Djemba, Dong Fangzhuo and Bebe.
The Red Devils became the most successful club in English football during his tenure, winning two Champions League along the way.
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Manchester Evening News have named the very worst players United have had in the past 28 years and put them into a 25-man squad, which is an alternative way for football reporters to engage with readers during these uncertain times with COVID-19 interrupting football worldwide.
Goalkeepers: Mark Bosnich, Massimo Taibi, Roy Carroll
Bosnich has a big task taking over from Peter Schmiechel but lasted one season (1999/2000) as first-choice goalkeeper.
Taibi is arguably the worst goalkeeper to have played for United…
Carroll may have been poor, but he did tremendously to trick match officials with dark magic when Padro Mendes’ ‘ghost goal’ was denied despite the ball clearly crossing the line.
Defenders: William Prunier, Phil Jones, Marcos Rojo, Matteo Darmian, Tyler Blackett, Guillermo Varela, Alexander Buttner, Jonathan Spectior
Pruiner made just two appearances for the club before Ferguson said enough was enough. The defender never played for United again.
Jones had a bright future ahead of him. Fergie even made comparisons to the late Duncan Edwards. I strongly believe he hasn’t been helped by the chopping and changing of managers down the years. Like Rojo, he is still on the club’s books.
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Blackett, Varela, Buttner and Spector were all young players who didn’t have what it takes to be at a club like United. No hard feelings.
Midfielders: Angel Di Maria, Gabriel Obertan, Kleberson, Eric Djemba-Djemba, Luke Chadwick, Juan Sebastian Veron, David Bellion, Zoran Tosic, Wilfried Zaha
Di Maria was a massive disappointed after joining from Real Madrid. Never got the impression he wanted to be at the club and he had his differences with Louis van Gaal. He only scored four times before being shipped off just a year after moving to Old Trafford.
Veron didn’t live up to expectations which was a real shame.
Chadwick made plenty of appearances (38) but wasn’t up to scratch.
Tosic was unable to fulfil his potential and the same could be said for Zaha, but the latter should have got more opportunities at United.
As for Djemba-Djemba, he was so bad they named him twice.
Obertan, Kleberson and Bellion were never good enough. Fergie got a bit trigger happy after Kleberson won the World Cup in 2002 with Brazil.
Forwards: Radamel Falcao, Diego Forlan, Manucho, Dong Fangzhou, Bebe
Falcao, an absolute world beater, failed to adapt to the Premier League but had only returned from a serious knee injury. This still hurts.
Folan made the Scousers cry. Enough said.
Dong and Manucho weren’t Premier League standard, never mind Manchester United.
Bebe remains one of the craziest signings in United’s history. Awful winger.
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