Five of manchester uniteds most panicky panic buys
The infamous Manchester United panic buys! Here are five examples:
- Bebe (2010): A Portuguese winger signed from Benfica for £7.4 million. Bebe's signing was widely criticized, with many questioning the club's due diligence. He made only 28 appearances for the club, scoring 3 goals, before being sold to Pacos de Ferreira in 2014.
- Dimitar Berbatov (2008): A Bulgarian striker signed from Tottenham Hotspur for £30.75 million. While Berbatov had a decent spell at United, his signing was seen as a panic buy to replace Ruud van Nistelrooy, who had left the club earlier that summer. Berbatov's form was inconsistent, and he was eventually sold to Fulham in 2012.
- Radamel Falcao (2014): A Colombian striker signed on a season-long loan from AS Monaco. Falcao's signing was seen as a desperate attempt to solve United's goal-scoring problems, but he struggled to adapt to the Premier League, scoring only 4 goals in 26 appearances. He was eventually sold to Chelsea, who loaned him to Roma.
- Angel Di Maria (2014): An Argentine winger signed from Real Madrid for £59.7 million. Di Maria's signing was seen as a panic buy to replace the departing Cristiano Ronaldo, but he struggled to adapt to the Premier League, scoring only 2 goals in 27 appearances. He was sold to Paris Saint-Germain in 2015.
- Henrikh Mkhitaryan (2016): An Armenian midfielder signed from Borussia Dortmund for £26.3 million. Mkhitaryan's signing was seen as a panic buy to strengthen United's midfield, but he struggled to adapt to the Premier League, scoring only 6 goals in 32 appearances. He was eventually sold to Arsenal in 2018.
These signings are often cited as examples of Manchester United's tendency to make impulsive decisions in the transfer market, which can lead to costly mistakes.