Manchester United have shuffled from one crisis to another since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 after winning his 13th Premier League title.
The club were taken over in 2005 by American billionaires the Glazer family, but things have steadily unraveled under their leadership over the past 21 years and this season United have had their worst start to a Premier League season -- they sit just one point off the bottom of the table, having won once in 10 league games.
The finger of blame for United's woes has been pointed in many directions over the past decade or so, with the current hierarchy -- led by co-chairman Joel Glazer, minority owner Jim Ratcliffe, CEO Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox -- taking plenty of flak for the recent malaise.
But a lot of different backroom senior staff have been involved in the club since 2005, a lot of different managers have tried and failed, and a lot of players have come and gone. So where are they now?
Jump to: Backroom staff | Managers | Incoming players
Backroom staff
David Gill (CEO)
Gill left his role in the summer of 2013 and worked as vice president of UEFA and FIFA, as well as serving as a vice-chairman of the English Football Association. Still a Man United board member, Gill stepped down from his role on the UEFA executive committee in 2025 and was named the chair at Telix Pharmaceuticals in September 2026.
Ed Woodward (executive vice-chairman)
Having advised the Glazer family during the takeover of Manchester United, Woodward was hired in 2005 and given charge of the commercial and media operations two years later. He replaced Gill as CEO in 2013 and left the club in February 2022.
Now, he is the co-owner of the Quinta da Pedra Alta vineyard in Portugal. He is also a partner at AGILIS Sports Advisory Group -- a London-based mergers and acquisitions boutique focused on the sports sector -- a trustee at the Bloomsbury Football Foundation, and a non-exec board member at Sentient Sports, which describes itself as "pioneering AI-driven athlete protection and sports innovation."
Matt Judge (director of football negotiations)
The former investment banker joined the club in 2012 and was involved in United's transfer business from 2014. He led contract negotiations under Woodward from 2016, but he took up a new role in March 2021 when Darren Fletcher was named technical director and John Murtough was promoted to football director before leaving in 2022. He is now a partner, alongside Woodward, at the aforementioned AGILIS Sports Advisory Group.
Dan Ashworth (sporting director)
Ashworth was named the FA's director of elite development in 2012. He moved to Brighton to become the club's technical director in 2019, before joining Newcastle United as sporting director in 2022. In 2024, he joined United as sporting director and the 53-year-old was seen as a key part of Sir Jim Ratcliffe's revamp at Old Trafford along with Wilcox and Berrada. However, he lasted just five months and is now back at the FA in the role of chief football officer.
Richard Arnold (CEO)
A former accountant who also previously worked in telecommunications, Arnold joined Man United in 2007 as commercial director and was named managing director to replace Woodward in 2013. Arnold left the role ahead of Ratcliffe's arrival as a minority shareholder in 2023, to be replaced by the club's chief legal counsel Patrick Stewart on an interim basis. He now works as executive director at Norton Motorcycles in the West Midlands, and is a non-executive chairman at Teneo Financial Advisory Sports Practice.
John Murtough (director of football)
Murtough joined United in January 2014 and was named the club's first football director in 2021 after being promoted from head of football development, before leaving in 2024. During his career he held senior roles at the Premier League, Everton, Fulham and Coventry City, and as director of global development at Atalanta, and is now director of football at Championship side Birmingham City.
Former managers
Sir Alex Ferguson
The greatest manager in history, Ferguson retired on a high after winning the Premier League title for the 13th time, but he is still seen as a keen observer in the stands at Old Trafford.
Ferguson's assistant in 2005, Carlos Queiroz, went on to manage Portugal, Iran (twice), Colombia, Egypt, Qatar and Oman, and is now in charge of Ghana. His first-team coach Mike Phelan runs his own coaching company, Mike Phelan Coaching, after leaving his assistant job at Plymouth Argyle in December 2024, following the departure of manager Wayne Rooney. Ricky Sbragia, who had been in charge of the reserves, left for Bolton Wanderers in October 2005, but came back to manage the U23s from 2017 to 2019 before retiring.
David Moyes
The Everton boss was the club's choice to succeed Ferguson, but he lasted less than a year, with a 52.9% win ratio. He since took in spells at Real Sociedad, Sunderland and West Ham United (twice), with whom he won his first trophy -- the Europa Conference League -- in 2023. He returned to Everton in January 2025, where he is now closing in on his 600th game with the club.
Ryan Giggs (caretaker)
The legendary United winger was brought in as interim boss after Moyes was sacked in 2014 and managed two wins from his four games. However, the pressure of managing at the top level got to him and he was happy to cede power to Louis van Gaal and work as his assistant for two years. Giggs left United in 2016 and took the Wales job in January 2018, but stepped aside in 2020 after assault charges were brought against him, though they were later dropped in 2023. Giggs stayed out of the public eye, but in 2024 he was appointed as director of football at League Two club Salford City, (which he previously co-owned alongside his Class of '92 colleagues before a takeover by a consortium led by David Beckham and Gary Neville in May 2025).
Louis van Gaal
Van Gaal took over at United in 2014 and stayed for two years, where he managed a 52.4% win ratio and won the FA Cup in 2016 -- though he was sacked two days later. In January 2017, he said he was taking a break from management for "family reasons" and then announced his retirement in 2019. However, in August 2021, he returned to take charge of the Netherlands national team and reached the quarterfinals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup before losing to Argentina on penalties. He won 14 and drew six of his 20 games to end his final career stint unbeaten (technically).
Jose Mourinho
After leaving his second spell with Chelsea, Mourinho arrived at Old Trafford in 2016 and won the Community Shield, then followed it up with the Carabao Cup and UEFA Europa League in 2017. But he was sacked after a poor run of results in December 2018. Just under a year later he took charge at Tottenham Hotspur, then moved to Roma for 2½ seasons in 2021, Fenerbahçe for a year in June 2024, and then back to his first club Benfica in September 2025. Incredibly, the Portuguese boss then took the chance to return to Real Madrid in the summer of 2026.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
The legendary United super-sub took over from Mourinho for the rest of the 2018-19 season, but after winning 14 of his 19 games he was given the permanent job in March 2019. That lasted until November 2021, and while out of work he took on jobs as a UEFA match analyst and as a volunteer coach for his hometown club Kristiansund FK's youth team (where his son played). A move to Turkish Super Lig club Besiktas came in January 2025, but he was sacked that August after failing to secure European football.
Ralf Rangnick
Carrick had been placed in temporary charge after the sacking of Solskjaer, but Rangnick was handed the title of interim manager in November 2021 with a view to a consultancy role for another two years. It was his first job outside the German Bundesliga, but a 37.9% win ratio saw him leave in May 2022 -- and not take up his consultancy role -- after a season that saw United pick up the worst points-total (58) in their Premier League history. Austria had handed him the position of head coach in April and he has been there ever since.
Erik ten Hag
Ajax boss Ten Hag took the job in May 2022 but lasted only until October 2024 despite a third-place league finish, Carabao Cup (2023) and FA Cup (2024) success. His attacking style of football did not take hold, with United languishing in 14th in the Premier League table after losing four of their first nine games of the 2024-25 season. In May 2025, Ten Hag joined Bayer Leverkusen to replace Xabi Alonso (who had left for Real Madrid) but was sacked after three competitive games (W1, D1, L1) in September after clashing with the club hierarchy. He was then appointed as FC Twente technical director in February 2026.
Ruud van Nistelrooy (interim)
The former United striker was handed the interim reins in October 2024 and won three of his four games, but stepped aside for the arrival of new head coach Ruben Amorim. Van Nistelrooy tried his hand at management again, with Leicester City in November 2024, but lasted only 27 games, of which he lost 19, before departing in June 2025. He is now the Netherlands assistant manager under former Barcelona midfielder Xavi.
Ruben Amorim
Amorim arrived in November 2024 as one of the top young coaches in Europe, thanks to his successes with Sporting CP, but his 3-4-2-1 formation was not a good fit for United and they finished 15th in his first season, while also losing the UEFA Europa League final. His 63-game spell eventually ended in January 2026 with a 38.1% win ratio, though AC Milan snapped him up in June 2026 on a two-year contract.
Darren Fletcher (interim)
After retiring from his playing career in 2019, after spells with West Brom and Stoke, the former United midfielder returned to Old Trafford in October 2020 to coach the club's U16 team. In January 2021 he was promoted to first-team coach, then technical director a few months later. Eventually, Fletcher was replaced in this role by Jason Wilcox in April 2024 but stayed on to coach the U18s. He took interim charge of the club in January 2026 for two games (D1, L1) before returning to the U18s when Carrick took over.
Former players
Only incoming signings, permanent or on loan, or promotion from the academy. Any players currently on the squad aren't included, and every player signed in seasons 2024-25 and 2025-26 is still at the club.
Information and fees via Transfermarkt.
2023-24
Rasmus Højlund, ST (Atalanta - €79.8M). Left in June 2026 to move to Napoli for €44M.
Jonny Evans, CB (Leicester - Free). Currently a first-team coach at United after retiring from playing in 2024.
Sofyan Amrabat, CM (Fiorentina - Loan). Did not stay after his loan and moved to Fenerbahçe, before heading to Ajax.
Sergio Reguilón, LB (Tottenham - Loan). Did not stay after his loan and is now playing with Lionel Messi at Major League Soccer club Inter Miami.
Willy Kambwala, CB (Academy promotion). Left in July 2024 for LaLiga side Villarreal, and now plays for Serie A club Como on loan.
Omari Forson, FW (Academy promotion). Left in June 2024, when he moved to Serie A club Monza.
2022-23
Antony, FW (Ajax - €95M). Considered one of the worst signings in Premier League history, the Brazil winger left in January 2025 to join Real Betis on loan and then signed permanently for around €25M in September 2025.
Casemiro, CM (Real Madrid - €70M). Left in July 2026 to join Messi at Inter Miami CF.
Tyrell Malacia, LB (Feyenoord - €15M). Left in September 2026 to join MLS side FC Cincinnati.
Wout Weghorst, ST (Burnley - Loan). Returned to Burnley and is now at Twente, where he plays under technical director Ten Hag.
Martin Dúbravka, GK (Newcastle - Loan). Made just two appearances before moving to Burnley and is now at Tottenham Hotspur.
Christian Eriksen, AM (Brentford - Free). Left in 2025 for VfL Wolfsburg, but soon departed by mutual consent just over three months after collapsing during a Denmark friendly against Ukraine.
Marcel Sabitzer, CM (Bayern Munich - Loan). Left after his loan spell and moved to Borussia Dortmund for around €19M.
Jack Butland, GK (Crystal Palace - Loan). Never made a first-team appearance and is now at Hull City after a spell at Rangers.
Zidane Iqbal, CM (Academy promotion). Made only one appearance for United before signing for Utrecht, and is now at Dundee United.
Alejandro Garnacho, FW (Academy promotion). Left in August 2025 to join Chelsea for around €45 million. Now on loan at Aston Villa.
Álvaro Carreras, LB (Academy promotion). Left in January 2024 for Benfica on loan, and the Portuguese club exercised the €6 million option to sign him permanently, then moved him to Real Madrid for €50M a year later.
Hannibal Mejbri, AM (Academy promotion). Left United in 2024 for Burnley.
Matej Kovar, GK (Academy promotion). Left United in 2023 for Bayer Leverkusen and is now at PSV Eindhoven.
2021-22
Jadon Sancho, FW (Dortmund - €85M). After loan spells at Dortmund, Chelsea and Aston Villa, Sancho has yet to find a new club after being released in July 2026.
Raphaël Varane, CB (Real Madrid - €40M). Left in July 2024 to join Como, but retired in September after suffering a serious knee injury.
Cristiano Ronaldo, FW (Juventus - €17M). His return to Old Trafford for a second spell lasted 54 games, where he scored 27 goals, before leaving for Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr. At 41, he is still playing and chasing his 1,000th career goal.
Anthony Elanga, FW (Academy promotion). Left in July 2023 to join Nottingham Forest for a fee of €20M, then Newcastle United signed him two years later for €60M.
2020-21
Donny van de Beek, CM (Ajax - €39M). After loan spells at Everton and Frankfurt, he left in July 2024 to join Girona for an initial fee of €500,000 (rising to €9M in add-ons).
Alex Telles, LB (Porto - €15M). Left in July 2023 to join Ronaldo at Al Nassr and is now at Brazilian club Botafogo.
Facundo Pellistri, FW (Peñarol - €8.6M). Left in August 2024 to join Greek club Panathinaikos for around €6M.
Edinson Cavani, ST (PSG - Free). Left in August 2022 for Valencia, then joined Boca Juniors a year later. He retired in 2026.
Teden Mengi, CB (Academy promotion). Left in August 2023 to join newly promoted Premier League club Luton Town.
James Garner, CM (Academy promotion). Left in September 2022 to join Everton, where he had made over 100 appearances and recently received an England call up.
Dean Henderson, GK (Academy promotion). Left in August 2023 to join Crystal Palace permanently for around €20M.
2019-20
Aaron Wan-Bissaka, RB (Crystal Palace - €55M). Left in August 2024 for a €20M move to West Ham United, and is now at Aston Villa on loan.
Daniel James, FW (Swansea - €17.8M). Left in August 2021 for a €30M move to Leeds United.
Odion Ighalo, ST (SH Shenhua - Loan). Returned to Shenhua after his loan, then moved to Al Shabab and Al Hilal, and is now at Al Wehda.
Brandon Williams, RB (Academy promotion). Left in August 2025 to join Hull City, then signed for Rotherham United in October 2026.
Mason Greenwood, ST (Academy promotion). After making the breakthrough into the first team, Greenwood was arrested on suspicion of attempted rape and assault in January 2022 and though criminal charges against the striker were dropped in February 2023, it was mutually agreed that he would leave on loan to Getafe that September. Ligue 1 club Marseille signed him for around €40M in July 2024, where he scored 48 goals in 81 games, and he moved to Fenerbahce for €45M in July 2026.
Tahith Chong, CM (Academy promotion). Left in September 2022 for Birmingham City, then signed for Luton Town and is now at Sheffield United. He starred for the Curaçao national team at the 2026 World Cup.
Angel Gomes, CM (Academy promotion), Left in August 2020 for Lille. He joined Marseille in June 2025 and is still there, but spent time on loan at Wolves last season.
2018-19
Fred, CM (Shakhtar - €59M). Left in August 2023 for Fenerbahçe, then signed for boyhood club Atlético Mineiro in Brazil in August 2026.
Lee Grant, GK (Stoke City - €1.7M). Retired in May 2022. Became Huddersfield Town manager in 2025 and is now in charge of Walsall.
Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, LB (Academy promotion). Was released in 2020 and joined Oldham Athletic, before spells with Burton Albion and Śląsk Wrocław. He's now at Macclesfield.
2017-18
Romelu Lukaku, ST (Everton - €84.7M). The player with the most cumulative transfer fees of all time (at over €300M), Lukaku left United in August 2019 to join Inter Milan for around €80M. Then in August 2021, he rejoined Chelsea for €115M, before loan spells at Inter and Roma. Napoli signed him for €30M in August 2024, and he is now at Fenerbahçe after joining for €6M in August 2026.
Nemanja Matić, CM (Chelsea - €44.7M). Left in June 2022 on a free transfer to join AS Roma, then spent time at Rennes and Lyon before joining Sassuolo in August 2025.
Victor Lindelöf, CB (Benfica - €35M). Left in September 2025 on a free transfer to join Aston Villa.
Alexis Sánchez, FW (Arsenal - Swap with Henrikh Mkhitaryan). Sánchez left in August 2019 and joined Inter Milan (initially on loan), then moved Marseille, went back to Inter Milan, then back to his first European club, Udinese, headed to Sevilla, and is now at MLS side CF Montréal in Canada at age 37.
Joel Pereira, GK (Academy promotion). Left in July 2021 to join RKC Waalwijk and moved to Reading in September 2023.
Scott McTominay, CM (Academy promotion). Left in August 2024 to join Napoli for €30M, where he has become one of Europe's best central midfielders.
2016-17
Paul Pogba, CM (Juventus - €105M). Pogba's return to United lasted six years before he went back to Juventus on a free transfer in July 2022. In 2024, he was handed a four-year ban after testing positive for DHEA, which boosts testosterone levels, but it was cut to 18 months after he appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. However, his contract was terminated in November 2024 by mutual agreement. Pogba joined AS Monaco in June 2025, but his contract was ended a year early after fitness problems. He is still a free agent.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan, AM (Dortmund - €42M). After two years at United, Mkhitaryan was part of a swap deal with Sanchez that saw him move to Arsenal. He joined Roma in August 2020, after a season-long loan there, and then signed for Inter Milan in July 2022.
Eric Bailly, CB (Villarreal - €38M). Left in September 2023 for Beşiktaş. He then moved to Villarreal, Oviedo, and is now in MLS with Columbus Crew.
Zlatan Ibrahimović, ST (PSG - Free). The confident striker left in March 2018 to join LA Galaxy -- taking out a full-page advert in the Los Angeles Times that read: "Dear Los Angeles, you're welcome" -- and he scored 53 goals in 58 games there. In December 2019, he rejoined AC Milan and eventually retired in June 2023. He is now a senior advisor to Milan and had a high-profile stint as a pundit on FOX during the 2026 World Cup. Though it appears he has also retired from punditry.
Axel Tuanzebe, CB (Academy promotion). Left in September 2023 for Ipswich Town, before spending a year at Burnley. He is now at Auxerre in France.
2015-16
Anthony Martial, FW (Monaco - €60M). A loan to Sevilla in January 2022 was the beginning of the end, but he moved permanently in September 2024 when he joined AEK Athens. In September 2025, he moved to Liga MX side Monterrey but departed in the summer and is now without a club.
Morgan Schneiderlin, CM (Southampton - €35M). Left in January 2017 to join Everton for €25M and took in spells at Nice, Western Sydney Wanderers, Konyaspor and Greek side A.E. Kifisia before retiring in August 2024.
Memphis Depay, FW (PSV - €34M). Left in January 2017 to join Lyon, but then spent four years in LaLiga from 2021-2024 at Barcelona and Atlético Madrid. He signed for Brazilian side Corinthians in September 2024, though a dispute over a contract extension soured his time there.
Matteo Darmian, RB (Torino - €18M). Left in September 2019 to join Parma, then had a six-year spell with Inter Milan before heading to Bologna in October 2026.
Bastian Schweinsteiger, CM (Bayern Munich - €9M). Left in March 2017 to join MLS side Chicago Fire and retired in October 2019. He became a pundit but got into trouble for making comments about Ivory Coast's style on German TV during the 2026 World Cup.
Sergio Romero, GK (Sampdoria - Free). Released by United, he joined Venezia in October 2021, then signed for Boca Juniors in August 2022 and had a brief stint with Argentinos Juniors before retiring in March 2026.
Guillermo Varela, RB (Academy promotion). Having signed from Peñarol, he left to return to Peñarol in August 2017. Spells with FC Copenhagen and Dynamo Moscow followed, and he's been at Flamengo since 2022.
Andreas Pereira, CM (Academy promotion). Left in July 2022 to join Fulham for €12M and spent four years in London, before returning to Brazil to join Palmeiras in August 2025.
Timothy Fosu-Mensah, CB (Academy promotion). Left in January 2021 to join Bayer Leverkusen. However, injury saw him leave in 2024 and he has been a free agent ever since. Though he has been training with Crystal Palace's U21s recently.
2014-15
Ángel Di María, FW (Real Madrid - €75M). Left in July 2015 to join PSG for €50M. He spent a year at Juventus, before moving back to Benfica and then returned to end his career at boyhood club Rosario Central. Though, at 38, he is still playing.
Ander Herrera, CM (Athletic Club - €36M). Left in July 2019 to join PSG on a free transfer. He returned to Athletic on loan, then signed permanently in January 2023, before moving to Boca Juniors in January 2025. In July 2026, he returned to boyhood club Zaragoza.
Marcos Rojo, CB (Sporting - €20M). Left in February 2021 to join Boca Juniors. He moved to Racing Club in August 2025 and is now at Estudiantes for a third spell.
Daley Blind, CB (Ajax - €17.5M). Left in July 2018 to rejoin Ajax for €16M. In January 2023, he moved to Bayern and then to Girona six months later. In July 2026, he rejoined Ajax again.
Vanja Milinković-Savić, GK (Vojvodina - €1.75M). Left in November 2015 after failing to get a work permit and moved to Lechia Gdańsk, then Torino, and is now at Napoli.
Víctor Valdés, GK (Free). The former Barcelona star signed in January 2015 but made only two appearances and joined Standard Liège in January 2016. He moved to Middlesbrough in July then and confirmed his retirement in January 2018.
Radamel Falcao, ST (Monaco - Loan). Did not stay after his season-long loan from Monaco and joined Chelsea on loan in July 2015. He returned to Monaco for a few years, then joined Galatasaray in September 2019 before moving to Rayo Vallecano in September 2021. Falcao then returned to Colombia in June 2024 and joined Millonarios. He was released in July 2025 but rejoined them in January.
James Wilson, ST (Academy promotion). Highly rated at the time, Wilson left in July 2019 to join Aberdeen and had spells at Salford City and Port Vale, before being released by Northampton Town in 2025. He is still without a club.
Tyler Blackett, CB (Academy promotion). Left in August 2016 to join former United defender Jaap Stam's Reading side. He had spells at Nottingham Forest, FC Cincinnati and Rotherham United, before moving to USL side New Mexico United in March 2026.
Paddy McNair, CB (Academy promotion). Left in August 2016 to join Sunderland. Two years later he moved to Middlesbrough, then headed to San Diego FC in July 2024 but didn't stay the year and returned to West Brom on loan. He's now at Hull City.
Jesse Lingard, AM (Academy promotion). Left in July 2022 to join Nottingham Forest. He made an unusual move to South Korean club FC Seoul in July 2024, then landed in Brazil to play for Corinthians in March 2026.
2013-14
Juan Mata, AM (Chelsea - €44.7M). Left in September 2022 to join Galatasaray on a free transfer. He stayed for a year before heading to Japan to play for Vissel Kobe, then spent another year each at Western Sydney Wanderers and Melbourne Victory in Australia. He left in September 2026 and announced an ownership stake in the Victory, but has yet to formally retire.
Marouane Fellaini, CM (Everton - €32.4M). Left in February 2019 to join Chinese club Shandong Luneng. He stayed for five years and retired in February 2024.
Adnan Januzaj, FW (Academy promotion). Left in July 2017 to join Real Sociedad. He was released at the end of 2021-22 and moved to Sevilla in August 2022. His contract expired this summer and he is still without a club.
Tom Thorpe, CB (Academy promotion). Released in July 2015 and joined Rotherham. He spent a year at Indian Super League side ATK before joining Macclesfield in February 2023 after five years as a free agent. He ended his career at Stalybridge Celtic.
Will Keane, CM (Academy promotion). Left in August 2016 to join Hull. Had spells at Ipswich Town, Wigan Athletic and Preston North End, before moving to Doncaster Rovers in October 2026.
2012-13
Robin van Persie, ST (Arsenal - €30.7M). Left in July 2015 to join Fenerbahçe. He returned to boyhood club Feyenoord in January 2018 and retired in May 2019. A year later he was named assistant coach to Dick Advocaat, then took his first senior job with Heerenveen in May 2024. In February 2025, Feyenoord appointed him as head coach, but he was sacked in June 2026 and is now without a club.
Shinji Kagawa, FW (Dortmund - €16M). Left in August 2014 to return to Dortmund. The Japan international stayed five years, then left for spells at Real Zaragoza, PAOK and Sint-Truiden, before returning to his boyhood club Cerezo Osaka in January 2023.
Wilfried Zaha, FW (Crystal Palace - €11.75M). Left to return to Palace on loan, then signed permanently in February 2015. In July 2023, he left for Turkish Süper Lig side Galatasaray and he has spent time on loan at Lyon and Charlotte FC.
Nick Powell, CM (Crewe Alexandra - €7.5M). Left in July 2016 to join Wigan. Had spells at Stoke City and Stockport County, before moving to Bradford City in August 2025.
Ángelo Henríquez, FW (U. de Chile - €5.5M). Left in July 2015 to join Dinamo Zagreb. His career took in clubs in Mexico, Chile, Brazil, Poland, Russia, Greece and he is now back in Chile with Deportes La Serena.
Alexander Büttner, LB (Vitesse - €5M). Left in June 2014 to join Dynamo Moscow. He returned to Vitesse then spent a year New England Revolution and RKC Waalwijk, before moving to De Graafschap. He returned to Vitesse again in August 2024.
Davide Petrucci, CM (Academy promotion). Left in September 2014 to join CFR Cluj. He retired in 2025 and is now working to become an agent.
Marnick Vermijl, RB (Academy promotion). Left in February 2015 to join Sheffield Wednesday. Had spells at Preston North End, MVV, and Thes Sport. Now playing for Bocholt VV.
2011-12
David de Gea, GK (Atlético - €25M). Left in July 2023 when his contract expired. It took a year before he found a new club, and joined Fiorentina in August 2024.
Phil Jones, CB (Blackburn - €19.3M). Retired in August 2024 and joined Sheffield United as a first-team coach in June 2026.
Ashley Young, RB/FW (Aston Villa - €18M). Left in January 2020 to join Inter Milan. Young then returned to Villa in June 2021, and had spells at Everton and Ipswich Town before retiring in April 2026.
Frédéric Veseli, CB (Man City - Free). Left in July 2013 at the end of his contract to join Ipswich. He moved to Port Vale, then spent his career in Turkey, Albania and mostly back in Italy, and is now at Livorno in Serie C.
Paul Scholes (Free). The legendary midfielder retired in May 2011, but came out of retirement in early 2012 and retired again in May 2013. In August 2018, at the age of 43, he played for his son Arron's team, Royton Town. In February 2019, he was appointed manager of League Two club Oldham Athletic, but resigned in March. In October 2020, he was appointed interim head coach of Salford City (the club he part-owned with his Class of '92 teammates) and left in November. He is now a TV pundit and columnist.
Ben Amos, GK (Academy promotion). Left in July 2015 at the end of his contract to join Bolton Wanderers. He had spells at Charlton, Wigan, Port Vale, and is now at Burnley.
Sam Johnstone (Academy promotion). Left in July 2018 to join West Bromwich Albion for €8M. He moved to Crystal Palace in June 2022, then to Wolves in August 2024.
2010-11
Bebé, FW (Vit. Guimarães - €8.8M). One of the most famous transfer flops in Premier League history, Bebé only made seven appearances and left permanently (after a number of loan spells) in July 2014 for Benfica. Spells at Eibar, Rayo Vallecano, Zaragoza (loan) and Racing Ferrol followed, before he found a home at Ibiza.
Chris Smalling, CB (Fulham - €8M). Left in August 2019 to join Roma. He moved to Saudi side Al-Fayha in 2024 and then joined FC Porto two years later.
Javier "Chicharito" Hernández, ST (Chivas - €7.5M). Left in August 2015 to join Bayer Leverkusen for €10M. The Mexico international then signed for West Ham United and Sevilla before making the move to the LA Galaxy in January 2020. In January 2024, he returned to Mexico with Guadalajara and has been at USL Championship club Atlético Dallas since July 2026.
Anders Lindegaard, GK (Aalesunds FK - €5M). Left in August 2015 to join West Brom on a free transfer and had spells at Preston, Burnley and Helsingborg before retiring in November 2022 after the club were relegated. He now works at global investment bank UBS.
Reece Brown, CB (Academy promotion). Released in July 2013, he signed for Watford and spent time at Barnsley, Sheffield United, Bury, before retiring at Rochdale in 2018.
Conor Devlin, GK (Academy promotion). Released in July 2011, he signed for Brentford and spent time at Luton Town before heading back to Northern Ireland with Cliftonville. He ended up at Larne FC and retired in July 2022.
Joe Dudgeon, LB (Academy promotion). The younger brother of former United defender Wes Brown, he left in July 2011 to join Hull and spent some time at Barnsley on loan before retiring in 2015.
2009-10
Antonio Valencia, RB/FW (Wigan - €18.8M). Released in June 2019 at the end of his contract. He moved back to Ecuador to play for LDU Quito and then retired after a year at Querétaro in May 2021.
Mame Diouf, CM (Molde FK - €4.5M. Left in January 2012 to join Hannover 96. He moved back to England with Stoke City in June 2014, but was released in 2020 and went on to play for four Turkish clubs, the last of which was Ankara Keçiorengucu where he still plays.
Gabriel Obertan, FW (G. Bordeaux - €4M). Left in August 2011 to join Newcastle United for €4M. He moved to Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala in August 2016, then came back for a six-month spell at Wigan that ended in relegation. He moved to Levski Sofia, then Turkish side Erzurumspor, before ending his career with a four-year spell at U.S. side Charlotte Independence in 2025. He is now an assistant coach at the club.
Michael Owen, ST (Newcastle - Free). The Liverpool legend's controversial three-year move to Old Trafford ended in September 2012 when he joined Stoke. He only played eight times before retiring in March 2013. He now works as a pundit, had an Amazon Prime documentary series "Meet the Owens," breeds and owns racehorses, and serves as a brand ambassador for a number of different companies.
2008-09
Dimitar Berbatov, ST (Tottenham - €38M). Left in August 2012 to join Fulham. The mercurial Bulgarian then moved to Monaco on a free transfer in January 2014, before heading to PAOK a year later. Spending a year out of the game, he then moved to Indian Super League club Kerala Blasters in 2017 and left in March 2018. He announced his retirement in September 2019 and now works as a pundit and brand ambassador.
Zoran Tosic, FW (Partizan - €7M). Left in June 2010 to join CSKA Moscow for €10M. In August 2017, he moved back to Partizan and then tried his luck in China, Kazakhstan and Greece before retiring in September 2024.
Ritchie De Laet, CB (Stoke City - €250K), Left in May 2012 to join Leicester City. He had a spell at Aston Villa -- with loans at Royal Antwerp and Melbourne City -- before retiring at Antwerp in 2019 after struggling with ulcerative colitis.
Federico Macheda, ST (Academy promotion). Released after a host of loan spells in May 2014, Macheda signed for Cardiff City. In December 2016, he joined Serie B side Novara and then went Panathinaikos, Ankaragucu and in 2024 he signed for Greek side Asteras Tripolis.
Fábio, LB (Academy promotion). Left in January 2014 to join Cardiff City. In August 2016, he moved to Middlesbrough and then joined Nantes in July 2018. His final move was back to Brazil in 2013 with Grêmio and he retired two years later.
Danny Welbeck, ST (Academy promotion). Left in September 2014 to join Arsenal for €20M. He stayed for five years before moving to Watford, then Brighton & Hove Albion and this summer he made a shock move to Chelsea at age 35.
Tom Cleverley, CM (Academy promotion). Left in July 2015 to join Everton on a free transfer and then signed for Watford in July 2017 after a six-month loan spell. He retired in July 2023 and was given a role at the club as U18 coach. Named interim manager in March 2024, he was given the job a month later but was sacked in May 2025. He is now in charge at Plymouth Argyle.
Darron Gibson, CM (Academy promotion). Left in January 2012 to join Everton. He then had spells at Sunderland, Wigan and Salford City, and retired at the end of the 2020-21 season after breaking his leg. He now does community work with the Manchester United Foundation.
2007-08
Anderson, CM (Porto - €31.5M). Left in February 2015 for Internacional, but departed in July 2018 for Adana Demirspor. He retired in September 2020.
Nani, FW (Sporting - €25.5M). Left in July 2015 to join Fenerbahce. He then had spells with Valencia, Sporting CP, Orlando City, Venezia, Melbourne Victory, Adana Demirspor, Estrela da Amadora, and joined Kazakhstan Premier League side Aktobe in 2026.
Owen Hargreaves, CM (Bayern - €25M). Left in August 2011 to join rivals Manchester City but he was released in July 2012 after struggling with injuries. He retired soon after at the age of 31 and went into a TV career as a pundit.
Carlos Tévez, ST (West Ham - Loan). Left in July 2009 to join rivals Manchester City. He lasted four years at City before moving to Juventus and then back to Argentina with Boca Juniors in 2015. A two-year spell at Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua followed, before he returned to Boca and left in 2021. He officially retired in June 2022, and went into management with Rosario Central. In August 2023, he took over at Independiente but left in May 2024.
Tomasz Kuszczak, GK (West Brom - €4.3M). Left in June 2012 to join Brighton, then had spells at Wolves and Birmingham City before retiring in May 2019. He is now working in construction back in Poland.
Rodrigo Possebon, CM (SC Inter Youth - €3.5M). Left in August 2010 to join Santos. He played for a number of Brazilian clubs, and one in Vietnam, before retiring. He is now director of football of Athletico Paranaense.
Rafael, RB (Fluminense U17 - €3M). Left in August 2015 to join Lyon. He then moved to Istanbul Başaksehir for a year, before heading to Botafogo. But his time there was ruined by injuries and he retired at the end of 2024.
Manucho, FW (Petro Luanda - €1M). Left in July 2009 to join Real Valladolid, then he moved to Rayo Vallecano and Cornellà before retiring in 2023.
Danny Simpson, RB (Academy promotion). Left in January 2010 to join Newcastle United. He had spells at QPR, Leicester City, Huddersfield Town, Bristol City and Macclesfield, before retiring in July 2024. He has worked as a TV pundit, and also took part in an exhibition boxing match in August 2024.
2006-07
Michael Carrick, CM (Tottenham - €27.2M). Retired in May 2018, then joined Mourinho's coaching staff. He was appointed caretaker manager when Mourinho was sacked in December 2018 and stayed on under new boss Solskjaer. He took charge again when Solskjaer was sacked in November 2021 but left in December. In October 2022, he joined Championship club Middlesbrough but was sacked in June 2025. He returned to Old Trafford in January 2026, but was sacked in November after a poor start to the new season.
Henrik Larsson, ST (Helsingborgs IF - Loan). Left after his loan in March 2007, and returned to Helsingborgs (where he also played competitive floorball from November 2008). He retired in October 2009 but briefly came out of retirement twice, and then went into management. He had spells at Landskrona BoIS and Falkenbergs FF, then returned to take charge at Helsingborgs in 2015-16, and again in 2019. In August 2020 he joined the coaching staff at former club Barcelona, but left when Ronald Koeman was sacked in October 2021.
Fraizer Campbell, FW (Academy promotion). Left in June 2009 to join Sunderland. He played for Cardiff, Crystal Palace, Hull City and Huddersfield Town before retiring after being released in June 2022.
2005-06
Nemanja Vidić, CB (Spartak Moscow - €10.5M). Left in July 2014 to join Inter Milan on a free transfer but retired in January 2016. He is still connected to United in an ambassadorial role and also has real estate investments in Serbia.
Patrice Evra, LB (Monaco - €8M). Left in July 2014 to join Juventus, then moved to Marseille and West Ham before retiring in 2019 after a year without a club. Now found doing fun things on social media, he is a pundit and TV personality, and was set compete in an amateur mixed martial arts bout in 2025 before it was cancelled.
Ji-sung Park, AM (PSV - €7.3M). Left in July 2012 to join QPR and then retired in May 2014 after a loan spell with PSV. A club ambassador at United, Park has also been a commentator and analyst, was technical director at Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, and has worked for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), FIFA, the International Football Association Board and the Korea Football Association (KFA).
Edwin van der Sar, GK (Fulham - €4M). Retired after the defeat against Barcelona in the 2011 UEFA Champions League final, but came out of retirement in one game for former youth club Noordwijk in March 2016. Worked as an analyst, and was then made Ajax's marketing director in November 2012, before landing the role of CEO in 2016. He resigned in May 2023, and suffered a brain haemorrhage a few months later.
Ben Foster, GK (Stoke City - €2M). Left in May 2010 to join Birmingham City. Had spells at West Brom and Watford before retiring at Wrexham in 2013. Now runs YouTube channels and podcasts.