Manchester United, particularly under Sir Alex Ferguson’s leadership, was one of the most feared teams in world football even before the leaky modern era. Since the obstinate Scot left in the summer of 2013, putting David Moyes in control of the keys, that idea has partially faded.
The team that plays its games at the Theatre of aspirations used to be a venue where players could flourish, win the Premier League, and realise their aspirations. That is no longer the case, and after leaving for other opportunities, players frequently continue to get better.
Many Old Trafford supporters are concerned that Marcus Rashford, who is now on loan at Aston Villa for the second half of 2024–2025, would be the next to leave, but GIVEMESPORT has looked at and ranked ten players who got better after leaving Manchester United.
[Ranked]: The Top 10 Players Who Got Better After Leaving Manchester United
Rank
The player
Old Trafford years
Notable teams after Manchester United
1.
Ronaldo Cristiano
From 2003 to 2009
Al-Nassr, Juventus, and Real Madrid
2.
Pique Gerard
2007–2008
Barcelona
3.
Forlan, Diego
From 2002 to 2004
Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan, Villarreal, and Internacional
4.
Angel Di Maria
2014–2015
Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, and Benfica
5.
McTominay, Scott
From 2017 to 2024
Napoli
6.
Depay, Memphis
From 2015 to 2017
Corinthians, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and Olympique Lyonnais
7.
Gomes, Angel
2019–2020
Lille, Boavista LOSC
8.
Elanga Anthony
2022–2023
Forest of Nottingham
9.
Mkhitaryan Henrikh
From 2016 to 2018
Inter Milan, AS Roma, and Arsenal
10.
Howard, Tim
From 2003 to 2007
Memphis 901, Colorado Rapids, and Everton
1Cristiano Ronaldo
Clubs post-Man Utd: Real Madrid, Juventus, Al-Nassr
Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo was already a household name at Manchester United. Ferguson’s eyes were captivated by the young man’s performance for Sporting CP that evening, and he went on to play for the Red Devils from 2003 to 2009. Well, his second spell wasn’t very good.
The Portuguese record-setter’s tenure at Real Madrid may have been the turning point in his career that made him a world-beater. The winger-turned-striker received numerous individual and collective awards. He is at the top of the list because, at its core, he became one of the best players to ever grace the beautiful game.
2Gerard Pique
Clubs post-Man Utd: Barcelona
Given that the Spanish defender only made 23 appearances for the 13-time Premier League champions, many supporters are unaware that Gerard Pique once earned his stripes for Manchester United. He struggled to unseat Rio Ferdinand or Nemanja Vidic due to his lack of experience at the time, and he was sold for a pittance of £5 million.
But with Barcelona, the four-time Champions League champion rarely made a mistake and rose to become one of the most feared centre defenders in international football. He spent the remainder of his career—15 years, to be exact—at Camp Nou after being born and bred in Barcelona. He retired in 2023, carrying a mountain of trophy in his locker.
3Diego Forlan
Clubs post-Man Utd: Villarreal, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan, Internacional
Diego Forlan, who was born in Montevideo, did not live up to the expectations of being a memorable line-leader when he signed a contract in January 2002 at Old Trafford. Before moving on to other pastures, he scored 10 goals in 63 Premier League games before joining Villarreal on a permanent basis.
When he moved to the Spanish capital in 2007 to play for Atletico Madrid, he became a cult icon for the Yellow Submarine. He scored 128 goals over his seven seasons in Spain’s top division. He retired and began playing tennis professionally in 2019, and his 98-game stint at Manchester United is what most people remember about him.
4Angel Di Maria
Clubs post-Man Utd: Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, Benfica
The supporters of Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, and Juventus all have positive memories of Angel Di Maria, but the Old Trafford faithful have a completely different perspective. They are unhappy and frustrated that the 36-year-old Argentine didn’t play at his best.
Di Maria’s journey in England got off to a great start with a bold chip over Kasper Schmeichel, but after that, things kind of stalled. He joined PSG during his one season in England and played a key role in their supremacy in French football. Di Maria was a key player in Argentina’s victory at the 2022 World Cup.
5Scott McTominay
Clubs post-Man Utd: Napoli
Antonio Conte enjoys watching the big midfielder, who was a powerful box-crasher in his later years at Old Trafford, do just that for Serie A team Napoli. Scott McTominay, one half of the team’s tumultuous McFred twin pivot, had a difficult time securing a permanent place in Manchester United’s senior proceedings after emerging from the depths of Carrington.
Since leaving and relocating to Italy, he has advanced significantly, possibly as a result of not having to deal with as much pressure on a weekly basis. Naturally, his skill was always undeniable, but his performances and numbers in the Italian top division show that he was frequently abused by those in authority.
6Memphis Depay
Clubs post-Man Utd: Olympique Lyonnais, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Corinthians
Memphis Depay’s arrival in the summer of 2015 created a lively atmosphere among Old Trafford supporters. Unquestionably gifted, the Frenchman only managed to score two goals in 33 Premier League games and, for whatever reason, struggled to pull up trees in Manchester United’s front line.
After departing, he joined Olympique Lyonnais in January 2017 and quickly established himself as a formidable force, transforming moments of genius into a run of games that secured their Champions League berth. Born in Moordrecht, he spent four years in France before joining Barcelona, one of the best football clubs in the world, with whom he won the Spanish Super Cup and La Liga.
7Angel Gomes
Clubs post-Man Utd: LOSC Lille, Boavista
Midfielder Angel Gomes, another once-exciting academy talent, is a name that might not even come close to the names on this list, but he has shown why Manchester United was wrong to let him go in the summer of 2020. He still has lots of years left to develop into one of the top engine room patrollers in the world, as he is only 24 years old.
The centre midfielder is now a fixture for Lille in all competitions, and his exploits have drawn the attention of England’s national team, leading to a call-up. This is quite an accomplishment considering how miserable his time at Manchester United became. Even after graduating from the academy, his youthful enthusiasm was not enough depended upon. However, Amorim is keen in bringing him back to Old Trafford, so a reunion is imminent.
8Anthony Elanga
Clubs post-Man Utd: Nottingham Forest
Anthony Elanga, a Sweden international who currently plays for Nuno Espirito Santo’s high-flying Nottingham Forest, rose through the club’s youth systems before being given the opportunity to flourish on the senior stage, much like McTominay. After failing to establish himself as a regular under numerous managers, he jumped ship and is currently thriving.
Widely regarded as one of the fastest wingers in football history, Elanga can be tricky and unpredictable when playing at his best. He has been giving his best when Manchester United needs a player of his calibre. For some reason, things didn’t work out for either of them, but at least he’s having fun playing football, albeit in a different location.
9Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Clubs post-Man Utd: Arsenal, AS Roma, Inter Milan
The midfielder, who played a key role in Manchester United’s Europa League-winning season in 2016–17 under Jose Mourinho, is generally considered a Premier League failure due to his arduous time at Old Trafford, where he contributed 13 goals and ten assists.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan spent the remainder of his career in Italy after leaving England’s top division; he first played for AS Roma before joining Inter Milan in 2022. The 95-cap Armenian has had his greatest success with the latter, including making it to the Champions League final and winning the Italian championship in the 2023–2024 season.
10Tim Howard
Clubs post-Man Utd: Everton, Colorado Rapids, Memphis 901
During the 2003–04 season, which fell between Fabian Barthez and Edwin van der Sar’s tenures, a regular in between the Old Trafford sticks Although Tim Howard may not have had great success after leaving Manchester United, his career had to be saved in 2007. He went to Everton, where he would become one of England’s best goalkeepers.
On Merseyside’s blue side, Howard is a sort of cult legend after spending nine years with the Toffees and making over 400 appearances. In addition to being one of the goalkeepers with the most clean sheets in Premier League history, he accumulated 121 caps for the USMNT between 2002 and 2017.
