Manchester United's top 3 flop signings of the Glazer Era

Manchester United (Source: Twitter)

The Glazer family's stint at Manchester United appears to be coming to an end after years of protests and controversies. Despite investing in the first-team squad, the American owners have done some poor business in the transfer market since retaking control in 2005. They spent nearly £2bn ($2.6bn) on new players, including a club-record £210m ($269m) signing in the 2022 summer transfer window.

The Red Devils have won 13 major trophies under Glazers, including five Premier League titles and the Champions League. However, after Sir Alex Ferguson's departure as manager in 2013, the scenario has changed, with elite recruits proving to be significant disappointments.

In this article, we look at United's top 3 flop signings of the Glazer era.

3. Romelu Lukaku

The Belgian striker arrived at United with high expectations and responsibility on his shoulders. After three successful seasons at Everton, the Red Devils would not have bothered spending £75 million ($96 million) on Lukaku in 2017. He scored 68 Premier League goals for the Liverpool-based club, including 25 in his final season.

The 30-year-old scored 28 goals in his first campaign at United but was unable to be part of a major success. Notably, Lukaku failed to deliver when it mattered most in matches against the top six teams; in fact, he underperformed in crucial games. His numbers dipped in 2018-19 and Mourinho sacked him midway through.

2. Angel Di Maria

Di Maria's match-winning performance for Real Madrid against Atletico Madrid in the 2014 Champions League final was the centre of attraction for United to sign him. However, the Argentine star struggled with settling into Van Gaal's game plan and clearly could not justify the £60m ($77m) price tag.

The 35-year-old had also admitted that he was never the right fit for the Premier League giants. "I didn't have a great relationship with the coach, so I think the decision to join Paris was the best solution. Life in England was a bit difficult. It is not easy for a South American. Some people get on fine, and for others, it is harder to adapt," he told Le Parisien after his departure.

1. Alexis Sánchez

Alexis Alejandro Sánchez is often hailed as the greatest Chilean player of all time, but Manchester United fans may not agree with it as he failed to replicate his heroics for the English club. The 34-year-old was sensational at Arsenal but endured a poor one-and-a-half season with United, scoring just three goals. The Red Devils acquired him for £14M per year with great expectations.

"I think in every job you have when you are not happy it is not so easy to perform at every level. "But the reality is that I always felt , ‘a sad man’," former United manager Mourinho told The Telegraph.

The Red Devils acquired Sanchez for £14 million a year with high expectations, but all they got was one of the worst signings ever. The forward was then loaned to Inter Milan for the duration of the 2019-20 campaign.