The 13 players Manchester United have signed on summer Deadline Day - how did they do? | OneFootball

Manchester United find themselves in an all too familiar position going into the final day of the 2023 summer transfer window, with the Red Devils desperately trying to add to their squad with Erik ten Hag still not happy with the players at his disposal.

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Deadline Day signings are nothing new at Old Trafford, with the club showing over many years that they are never shy in bringing players in at the last minute. 13 players in total have joined United on a summer Deadline Day in the past, according to Planet Football, with varying levels of success.

From club legends to forgettable failures, let’s take a look at the full list and see how they got on during their time with Manchester United.

Antony

No better place to start than the most recent Deadline Day deal completed by United, with the signing of Brazilian winger Antony in August 2022. Erik ten Hag was keen to reunite with his former player, with Antony being a successful part of Ten Hag’s Ajax side. A staggering £85m was spent to bring the 23-year-old to Old Trafford, and after his first year in the red jersey, many are questioning such a hefty price tag. Antony has shown glimpses of the flair and quality he possesses, but still needs time to settle into English football before any harsh judgments are made.

Cristiano Ronaldo

A transfer that captivated the world, Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Man United on Deadline Day in 2021 was a huge moment for the club. However, two years on and it is clear to see the deal did not go how anyone at the club would've wanted. The fairytale return was very quickly tarnished by United’s poor performances, with Ronaldo’s presence becoming a hindrance more than anything else. Portugal’s all-time leading scorer then forced his way out of the club after just one season, with his open critique of United’s hierarchy leaving fans in dismay. Fans got the Ronaldo return they wanted, but the outcome was far from ideal.

Alex Telles

Joining back in 2020, Brazilian full-back Alex Telles was unfortunate to join the club while Luke Shaw was at the peak of his powers. Telles has been a consistent performer at the top-level of European football for many years, with his United move perhaps coming at the wrong time. He only went on to play 30 times for the red side of Manchester, and now finds himself at Al-Nassr alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.

Edinson Cavani

Another signing that potentially happened at the wrong time for both parties is that of Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani, who also joined in 2020 after leaving PSG. Arguably one of the best strikers of his generation, Cavani would have been ideal for United three or four years earlier, with this move coming as the forward turned 33. He went on to score 19 times across two seasons, certainly not a failure, but a move that won't be remembered too fondly by fans.

Facundo Pellistri

Still only 21 years old, it is easy to forget that Facundo Pellistri has already been at Man United for three years. The exciting Uruguayan winger joined in 2020 as an 18-year-old, and has gone on to make 12 appearances for the United first team in that time. There is still so much more to come from this player, with Ten Hag beginning to use him more in the first team squad at the back end of last season. Alongside Alejandro Garnacho, Pellistri could still be the future of the Red Devils attack, with this season being key to his development.

Anthony Martial

United fans and neutrals alike will never forget the iconic debut goal scored by Anthony Martial against Liverpool, with Martin Tyler’s commentary etched into memory. However, since the almighty highs of Martial’s debut, it is safe to say his Man United career has been a disappointing one. Joining from Monaco on Deadline Day 2015 for a fee of £36m, Martial was pipped to be the next best thing in world football. Injuries, inconsistency, and plenty of other factors have led to the Frenchman never really getting going during his time at Old Trafford. Spells of good form and goals would come and go, but at 27, Martial doesn't look like he will live up to expectations.

Regan Poole

A 2015 Deadline Day signing from Newport County, Welsh central defender Regan Poole would go on to make just one appearance for the Man United first team. Signed as a player for the future, Poole would have some successful loan spells in the EFL, but never managed to break into the first team conversations. Poole left United permanently back in 2019, with the Welshman currently playing for Portsmouth in League 1. Maybe seen as a failed signing for the Red Devils, but Poole has gone on to have a highly respectable career, already with over 200 EFL appearances.

Radamel Falcao

This transfer will ultimately go down as a failure, and is eerily similar to signings like Edinson Cavani, where United sign a player a few years too late. At one point in the early 2010s, Radamel Falcao was considered the best striker in Europe, but unfortunately, when United eventually signed the Colombian on loan in 2014, he was on the decline. After 29 appearances and just four goals, Falcao headed straight back to Monaco. A loan back to the Premier League with Chelsea the following the season was even more disastrous, with one goal in 12 matches for the Blues. Falcao will be remembered by English fans for his poor spell in the Premier League, which is a shame considering the heights he reached earlier in his career.

Daley Blind

This move came about on the back of the Netherlands' success at the 2014 World Cup, with Daley Blind following his international manager Louis van Gaal into Old Trafford. Blind was a great servant for the club in his four-year spell, despite United themselves not having too much success on the pitch. The versatile defender made 141 appearances for the Reds, with fans remembering Blind for his stability and consistency rather than memorable moments. Blind returned to Ajax in 2018, with the 33-year-old now playing his football in Spain with Girona.

Marouane Fellaini

Cult hero would be the best way to describe the Belgian midfield maestro. Marouanne Fellaini joined United from Everton on Deadline Day 2013, reuniting with his old boss David Moyes. Fellaini was crucial in the way Moyes played at Everton, which is why he was so desperate to bring the player to Old Trafford. Fellaini was a truly unique player, who went on to play almost 200 games for the Reds. What the Belgian may have lacked in technical ability and glamorous skills, he more than made up for his physical presence and how he made other players flourish. A one of a kind player that is still going strong playing his football in the Chinese Super League for SD Taishan.

Saidy Janko

Swiss defender Saidy Janko was another name for the future that never got his chance at Man United. Now 27, Janko joined the Reds back in 2013 as a teenager, but only went on to make one first team appearance at Old Trafford. Janko has become a bit of a journeyman since his departure from United in 2015, with the defender now back in Switzerland playing for Young Boys. Interestingly enough, Young Boys have been drawn into Manchester City’s Champions League group this season, meaning a return to Manchester for Janko.

Dimitar Berbatov

We have to go back to 2008 for this next transfer, with Bulgarian magician Dimitar Berbatov joining United from Tottenham on summer Deadline Day. Berbatov added to an attack that already included Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez, and Cristiano Ronaldo, with the club also coming off the back of winning the Champions League. Berbatov scored 14 goals in his first season, helping the Reds reach the Champions League final again, only this time losing out to Pep Guardiola’s treble-winning Barcelona side. The Bulgarian was often described as lazy or disinterested due to his relaxed approach to the game, but he was a joy to watch on his day and will be fondly remembered by United fans.

Wayne Rooney

A perfect place to end is with United’s first ever summer Deadline Day signing and by far the most successful. Back in August 2004, an 18-year-old striker named Wayne Rooney joined United from Everton for a fee of almost £30m. A staggering amount of money for that time, but it now looks like pennies when you look at the career of United’s greatest ever goalscorer. Rooney would go on to score a hat-trick on his Champions League debut against Fenerbache, with that being a sign of things to come. Rooney would go on to score 253 goals for United, making him the club's record goalscorer, overtaking Dennis Law's long-standing record of 195 goals. 559 appearances later, Rooney would rejoin his boyhood club Everton in 2017 after winning all there was to win with United, including five Premier Leagues, one FA Cup, three League Cups and a Champions League. Despite the end of his United career being sour for some fans, there is no denying his legacy as one of the greatest modern footballers of all time, and certainly United’s greatest ever deadline day signing.