5 Players Who Prospered After Leaving Manchester United

Manchester United is one of the greatest clubs in the world with an unrivalled history in English football. The culture at the club and players that have come through the ranks are a testament to their quest to always be the best.

In the 21st century, United have brought in players who made a significant impact (such as Ruud van Nistelrooy in 2002). But despite achieving relative success at the club, some players thrived further when they sought greener pastures elsewhere.

In their own right, leaving United ultimately proved to be the right career move. Here are five such players.

#5 Memphis Depay

This young talent endured a tough time when it came to adapting to life at United. He was the young star who topped the goalscoring charts in the Dutch Eredivisie with 22 goals prior to his arrival.

The burden of replicating that form after signing for United in June 2015 proved difficult. The fact that he donned the iconic ‘number 7’ jersey did not do him any favours either.

In his one-and-a-half seasons at United, Depay scored only seven goals in 53 appearances. This prompted a move to Olympique Lyon in January 2017.

At Lyon, he found more freedom to express himself on the pitch. As a result, Depay emulated the kind of form that saw him named the Best Young Player in 2015 by France Football Magazine.

In the 2017/18 season, Depay hit top gear with 20 goals in all competitions. The team is placed third in the French Ligue 1 and remain on course to secure a spot in next season’s UEFA Champions League.