Manchester United have signed some of the best players to grace the Premier League, the likes of Eric Cantona, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo were all immense successes for the club.
However, not every player that walks through the door at Old Trafford is going to prove as successful. United have had more than their fair share of bad signings.
The club has struggled with recruitment post Sir Alex Ferguson’s reign, but even the legendary United boss was prone to the odd disastrous transfer himself.
Big names have failed to live up to their previous reputations and virtual unknowns have simply failed to make the grade.
With that being said, here are six United signings that went wrong within six months.
Bebe
The Portuguese midfielder joined Manchester United for a reported fee of £7.4m in the summer of 2010.
Little was known about Bebe before he joined the club from Vitoria de Guimaraes.
However, after he was unveiled alongside Javier Hernandez and Chris Smalling, hopes were high that he would at least add to United’s squad depth, if not challenge for a first team place.
Alas, this wasn’t the case as he only made seven appearances for the first team, before he was loaned out to Besiktas, Rio Ave and Pacos de Ferreira.
His time at Old Trafford finally came to an end in 2014 when he joined Benfica on a permanent deal.
Radamel Falcao
Much was expected when the Colombia striker joined United on a season’s loan from Monaco in 2013.
Falcao cost the French side £50m just two years prior after he made the switch from Atletico Madrid.
However, then manager Louis van Gaal often cited fitness issues regarding the Colombian and would frequently leave out the marquee summer signing for academy graduate James Wilson.
In total, he scored four goals in 26 appearances for the club and left United after just one season.
Alexis Sanchez
The Chilean forward dazzled at Arsenal and expectations were high when he joined United in a swap deal involving Henrikh Mkhitaryan in January 2018.
He scored his first goal for the club in a 2-0 FA Cup win over Huddersfield a month later, but he failed to score again that season.
Sanchez laboured in a United shirt and simply failed to replicate his scintillating form with the Gunners during his time at Old Trafford.
In total he scored four goals in 45 appearances before joining Inter Milan on loan in the summer of 2019, before sealing a permanent move to the Serie A side.
Donny van de Beek
The former Ajax star joined the Red Devils in the summer of 2020 for £40m.
However, despite being at the club for a season and a half is still yet to be given a run in the side, starting just four times in the Premier League last season.
To date the Dutchman has only made 48 appearances for the club, and is expected to leave United either this month or in the summer transfer window.
Mame Biram Diouf
Diouf arrived at Old Trafford in January 2010 from Norwegian club Molde but only made six appearances for the Red Devils that season, scoring once.
He joined Blackburn Rovers on a season-long loan the following campaign but only scored six goals in 28 games.
The Senegalese forward returned the following season but barely figured before joining Hannover 96 on a permanent deal in January 2012.
Eric Djemba-Djemba
The Cameroon International joined United from Nantes in a £3.5m deal in the summer of 2003.
However, Djemba-Djemba failed to establish himself in United’s midfield ahead of the likes of Paul Scholes, Roy Keane and Nicky Butt.
In total he made 39 appearances for the club, scoring twice before joining Aston Villa in January 2005.
