10 Players Who Improved the Most After Leaving Manchester United [Ranked]

Long before the porous modern era, Manchester United – especially under the stewardship of Sir Alex Ferguson – were one of the most feared teams in world football. That notion has somewhat diminished since the stubborn Scot left in the summer of 2013, leaving the keys in the hands of David Moyes.

Once upon a time, the side who play their games at the Theatre of Dreams was a place for players to thrive, to become Premier League champions, to fulfil their dreams. It’s no longer that and players often go on to improve once they’ve left for pastures new.

While plenty of the Old Trafford faithful worry that Marcus Rashford, who is now spending the second half of 2024/25 on loan at Aston Villa, could be next, GIVEMESPORT have taken a look at – and ranked – 10 players who improved upon leaving Manchester United.

1

Cristiano Ronaldo

Clubs post-Man Utd: Real Madrid, Juventus, Al-Nassr

Cristiano Ronaldo, a five-time winner of the Ballon d’Or, had already hit superstardom at Manchester United. That night, when the fresh-faced teenager was playing for Sporting CP, lit up the eyes of Ferguson, and he ended up playing for the Red Devils between 2003 and 2009. His second stint, well, was less than impressive.

What can be considered the spell of his career which turned the Portuguese record-setter into a world-beater was at Real Madrid. Multiple accolades, both collective and individual, were issued to the winger-turned-striker. Fundamentally, he became one of the greatest players to grace the beautiful game; that’s why he tops the list.

2

Gerard Pique

Clubs post-Man Utd: Barcelona

Something of a blast from the past, plenty of fans forget that Gerard Pique once earned his corn for Manchester United – and that’s because the Spanish defender turned out just 23 times for the 13-time Premier League champions. Inexperienced at the time, he struggled to dislodge either Rio Ferdinand or Nemanja Vidic and was sold for a meagre £5 million.

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At Barcelona, however, the four-time Champions League winner became one of the most feared central defenders in world football and rarely put a foot wrong. Born and raised in Barcelona, he spent the rest of his career – 15 years, to be precise – at Camp Nou and retired in 2023 with a throng of silverware in his locker.

3

Diego Forlan

Clubs post-Man Utd: Villarreal, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan, Internacional

At Old Trafford, Montevideo-born Diego Forlan failed to become the unforgettable line-leader that he was expected to be upon putting pen to paper in January 2002. A Premier League goal tally of 10 in 63 appearances followed before he moved onto pastures new – permanently for Villarreal.

He became a cult hero for the Yellow Submarine, as he did for Atletico Madrid when he transferred to the Spanish capital in 2007. Throughout a seven-season stint in Spain’s top flight, he notched 128 strikes. He called it quits and hung up his boots in 2019, became a professional tennis player and is all-but remembered for his 98-outing spell at Manchester United.

4

Angel Di Maria

Clubs post-Man Utd: Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, Benfica

Although Angel Di Maria is fondly remembered by the respective fan bases of Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus, the Old Trafford loyal hold an entirely different view – one of discontent and annoyance that the Argentine, now 36 years of age, didn’t perform at the highest level.

Di Maria’s career in England got off to a flying start – an audacious chip over Kasper Schmeichel springs to mind – but things somewhat plateaued after that. He spent a solitary season in England, joining PSG in the process, and became instrumental to their dominance of French football. Internationally, Di Maria played a starring role in Argentina’s 2022 World Cup win.

5

Scott McTominay

Clubs post-Man Utd: Napoli

A potent box-crasher in his latter years at Old Trafford, Antonio Conte now has the pleasure of watching the imposing midfielder doing just that for Serie A outfit Napoli. Having emerged from the depths of Carrington, Scott McTominay – one half of the club’s topsy-turvy McFred double pivot – struggled somewhat to earn a cemented spot in Manchester United’s senior proceedings.

He’s come on leaps and bounds since departing and moving to Italy, potentially by virtue of no longer being under copious amounts of pressure on a week-by-week basis. His talent was never in doubt, of course, but he was often misused by those in charge – and that’s evidenced by his numbers, and performances, in the Italian top flight.

6

Memphis Depay

Clubs post-Man Utd: Olympique Lyonnais, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Corinthians

Among the Old Trafford faithful, there was an effervescent buzz surrounding Memphis Depay’s arrival in the summer of 2015. Doubtlessly talented, the Frenchman – for one reason or another – struggled to pull up trees in Manchester United’s front line, and he scored just two goals in 33 Premier League outings.

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Upon leaving, he joined Olympique Lyonnais in January 2017 and became a force to be reckoned with, turning flashes of brilliance into a string of performances that helped them bag a Champions League spot. Moordrecht born; his four-year stint in France acted as a stepping stone for him to eventually join one of the biggest clubs in world football, Barcelona, who he won the La Liga and Spanish Super Cup with.

7

Angel Gomes

Clubs post-Man Utd: LOSC Lille, Boavista

A name that potentially pales in comparison to the names on this list, midfielder Angel Gomes – another once-exciting academy prospect – has proven exactly why Manchester United shouldn’t have let go of his services in the summer of 2020. Still just 24 years of age, he has plenty of years in the tank to become one of the world’s best engine room patrollers.

Now one of Lille’s regulars across all competitions, the central midfielder’s performances have caught the eye of England’s senior set-up in the form of a call-up, which is quite an achievement given how ponderous his time at Manchester United became. Despite coming through the academy, his exuberance of youth was not relied on enough. A return, however, is on the cards with Amorim interested in bringing him home to Old Trafford.

8

Anthony Elanga

Clubs post-Man Utd: Nottingham Forest

Now plying his trade for Nuno Espirito Santo’s high-flying Nottingham Forest, Sweden international Anthony Elanga – like McTominay – came through the club’s academy ranks before getting a chance to shine on the senior stage. Unable to become a regular under a myriad of different managers, he jumped ship and is now shining.

Tricky and unpredictable when playing at his best, Elanga, widely recognised as one of the fastest wingers in football history, has been performing at the top of his game when Manchester United need a player of his quality. It, for some reason, didn’t work out for either party, but he’s at least enjoying his football – it just happens to be elsewhere.

9

Henrikh Mkhitaryan

Clubs post-Man Utd: Arsenal, AS Roma, Inter Milan

An instrumental part of Manchester United’s Europa League-winning campaign in 2016/17, when the Red Devils were under the stewardship of Jose Mourinho, the midfielder is widely regarded as a Premier League flop by virtue of his ponderous stint at Old Trafford, which supplied 13 goals and ten assists.

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After leaving England’s top tier, Henrikh Mkhitaryan has spent the rest of his career in Italy – first for AS Roma, before moving to Inter Milan in 2022. It’s for the latter that the 95-cap Armenia international has enjoyed his best success, including reaching the Champions League final and becoming an Italian champion in the 2023/24 campaign.

10

Tim Howard

Clubs post-Man Utd: Everton, Colorado Rapids, Memphis 901

A regular inbetween the Old Trafford sticks in the 2003/04 campaign – the season which sandwiched the tenures of Fabian Barthez and Edwin van der Sar – Tim Howard may not have gone on to hit unprecedented heights post-Manchester United, but it was necessary to save his career in 2007. He joined Everton, a club where he’d establish himself as a top goalkeeper in England.

Spending nine years with the Toffees and accruing north of 400 appearances, Howard is something of a cult hero on the blue side of Merseyside. Not only is he among the goalkeepers with the most clean sheets in Premier League history, but he was also a dedicated glovesman for USMNT between 2002 and 2017, racking up a total of 121 caps.