Insane XI of Man Utd players sold by Sir Alex Ferguson ft. Ronaldo and Pique | OneFootball

Sir Alex Ferguson’s legacy at Manchester United remains, arguably, the greatest in Premier League history.

Thirteen league titles, two Champions Leagues and that treble-winning season all help to underline that point.

He built some of the best teams that supporters have ever seen, always refreshing and updating by bringing new faces in and selling some old ones on.

But those changes meant that some big names left during his time as manager.

Occasionally, someone would be allowed to leave Old Trafford and they would go on to shine elsewhere.

In fact, if you take a look at all of United’s departures under Ferguson, you can put together quite a team of players who went on to perform at other clubs.

We are not just including players who were sold here, but also players that were allowed to leave on a free transfer.

So, without further hesitation, here is the incredible team of players that Sir Alex Ferguson let go during his time at Manchester United.

Incredible United XI that was let go by Sir Alex Ferguson

We’re starting with one of the better shot-stoppers in the modern era.

Howard initially joined United during the 2003/04 season but would go on to make just 77 appearances in all competitions for the Red Devils.

The American joined Everton on a season-long loan in 2006 but then joined permanently in 2007.

During his nine-year stay at Goodison Park, Howard would make 414 appearances in all competitions and would keep 132 clean sheets in the Premier League.

Yes, United had quality goalkeepers during that time, such as Edwin van der Sar and then David de Gea later on, but Howard could have still done a job for them.

RB - Phil Neville (Everton)

Neville had made 381 appearances for United by the time he left the club in 2005.

He would not add to the silverware that he managed to win while at Old Trafford but he continued to excel in the 303 games he played for Everton.

Neville later revealed that his brother Gary had played a role in instigating his move away from United by arranging a chat with Ferguson.

The full-back also stated that although the manager wanted him to stay at the club, he pushed him towards signing for the Toffees.

Pique had left Barcelona to join United in 2004, but during his time at the club, the Spanish central defender would only make 23 appearances.

Admittedly, there was a small issue of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, two of the best defenders in the league at that time, being in front of him.

But Wayne Rooney would later reveal that Ferguson decided to sell Pique after a poor showing against Bolton.

“Bolton away more or less finished Gerard Pique’s career at United,” the United icon wrote in The Times.

“He was young and got bullied there and I think that’s when Fergie decided that, physically, he wasn’t right for the Premier League.”

Under Pep Guardiola, Pique would form a key part of one of the best teams that football has ever seen and became one of the world’s best defenders.

During his many years at Barcelona, he would lift four Champions League trophies, nine La Liga titles, and multiple domestic cups as well.

Only four players in Barcelona history made more appearances than Pique’s 616: Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets, Xavi, and Lionel Messi.

Stam joined United from PSV Eindhoven in 1998, and during the three years he spent in England, he would become an integral part of Ferguson’s side.

Three Premier League titles would come during his stay in Manchester, as would a Champions League in 1999.

But in 2001, the defender was sold to Lazio for £16.5 million.

It was reported that Ferguson was angry with extracts of Stam’s book, Head-to-Head, and Stam would later recall how the coach told him he had been sold in a petrol station.

Ferguson admitted after though that it had been a mistake to let the defender go.

“At the time he had just come back from an Achilles injury and we thought he had just lost a bit,” he said, as per Sky Sports.

“We got the offer from Lazio - £16.5 million for a centre-back that was 29. It was an offer I couldn't refuse.”

O’Shea’s sale came right towards the end of Ferguson’s reign in 2011. And while he might not be the biggest name in this team, he was still a United player for over a decade.

Having made his Premier League debut for United back in 2001 against Liverpool, the defender would go on to make a total of 394 appearances under the legendary coach.

He departed for Sunderland after falling behind in the pecking order and would continue to perform admirably in the top-flight until the Black Cats were eventually relegated in 2017.

This one is maybe less of a mistake than the others, but O'Shea would have done a job for United in the years that followed.

RM - David Beckham (Real Madrid)

Beckham broke into the senior team during the 1994/95 season, but he would go on to become crucial in the seasons that followed.

Over the course of his United career, the midfielder would make 394 appearances for the club, become an established England international, and lift multiple bits of silverware.

But his relationship with Ferguson would deteriorate, which of course led to the infamous incident where the manager kicked a boot which then hit Beckham’s head after an FA Cup loss to Arsenal.

Beckham would later insist that it was blown out of proportion, but in 2003, he would sign for Real Madrid.

He would make 159 appearances for Los Blancos, scoring 20 goals and assisting a further 52.

Signed from West Ham for £1 million in 1989, Ince would go on to help United claim a league title in 1993 and then a domestic double in 1994.

But then in 1995, after making 267 appearances for United, Ferguson would sell Ince to Serie A side, Inter Milan.

He would spend two years at the San Siro, before later returning to England and joining United’s rivals, Liverpool.

He would play 81 times for the Reds before joining Middlesbrough, indicating he could have still done a job at a top club.

We’ve been a bit cheeky by including this one, as technically, Pogba chose not to extend his deal at Old Trafford despite Ferguson wanting him to stay.

The Frenchman had broken into the United first team during the 2011/12 season and made seven appearances for the senior team off the bench.

But when Juventus came calling, Pogba swapped life in Manchester for a career in Turin.

Ferguson expressed his disappointment about the whole saga at the time, claiming that a deal between the two parties had been done “a long time ago.”

Pogba would go on to become one of the world’s best midfielders while in Italy, and in 2016, United would spend £89 million to bring him back to the Premier League.

Had Ferguson given him a clearer path to becoming a regular starter though, maybe the club wouldn’t have needed to spend that fortune.

Ronaldo arrived in Manchester in 2003, and the early signs were there that he was going to be something special.

Ferguson admitted that Ronaldo was one of the 'most exciting young players” he had ever seen, with the youngster shining against United for his former side Sporting.

“After we played Sporting last week the lads in the dressing room talked about him constantly, and on the plane back from the game they urged me to sign him - that's how highly they rated him,” Ferguson said, as per BBC Sport.

And the rest was history.

Ronaldo became a star while at United, helping them to lift numerous trophies and scoring goals for fun.

But in 2009, United would sell him to Real Madrid for £80 million, and Ronaldo would go on to cement himself as one of the best players in the world, collecting another four Ballon d'Ors away from the Theatre of Dreams.

United signed the Dutch striker from PSV Eindhoven for £19 million in 2001, and Van Nistelrooy quickly established himself as one of the best finishers in the division.

Aside from the 2004/05 season, he would score no fewer than 20 league goals every campaign for the Premier League side and won the Golden Boot in 2002/03 when United were crowned champions.

But, despite his goalscoring exploits, Van Nistelrooy would be sold to Real Madrid in 2006 after tension had built between the player and Ferguson.

He was named on the bench in the 2006 League Cup final against Wigan Athletic, and his teammate Rio Ferdinand later recalled how the forward lost it when it became clear he would not be playing.

“He was going crazy on the bench, screaming, swearing at the manager,” Ferdinand told The Beautiful Game Podcast. I think the manager was like: 'You know what... ooh, now's the time [to sell him].’"

In Spain, Van Nistelrooy would continue his impressive record of scoring goals, netting 64 times in 96 matches for Los Blancos. He is truly one of the best finishers ever to play the game.

ST - Diego Forlan (Villarreal)

LONDON - NOVEMBER 30: Claude Makelele of Chelsea tries to get away from Diego Forlan of Manchester United during the FA Barclaycard Premiership match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on November 30, 2003 in London. (Photo By Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Forlan arrived from Independiente in 2002, but the Uruguayan would not settle at the Premier League club.

After 97 appearances and just 17 goals, he was sold to Villarreal in 2004.

But he would become sensational while playing his football in La Liga, scoring 59 times for his new side before then joining Atletico Madrid in 2007 and scoring a further 96.

Given Forlan’s failure to excel while at Old Trafford, it might be a step too far to say Ferguson got this one wrong. But United supporters would have certainly wondered why he struggled to perform for them but was so good elsewhere.