Instead of playing better after leaving Manchester United, do these players play better?
Manchester United have arguably been less than stellar in recent seasons. Their domestic results have been some of the worst in recent years. But interestingly enough, many players who have left Manchester United have gone on to play for other teams.
This brings to mind the saying that sometimes a change of scenery can really make a difference. Let’s take a look at the 11 players who were sold or released by Man Utd and how good they are now.
### Goalkeeper: Dean Henderson
Let’s start with the goalkeeper position. Although United have their own first-choice goalkeeper, former loanee Dean Henderson has been in fine form for Crystal Palace. In his time at Crystal Palace, he has been instrumental in helping the team avoid relegation and reach the FA Cup final.
### There’s a lot of familiar faces in the backline.
At left-back we see Terrell Malacia. He hadn’t made many appearances for Manchester United before being loaned to Eindhoven in Holland, where he didn’t expect to play out of his skin. Now Eindhoven are battling it out with Ajax for the league title, with just one point separating them.
At center back, two former Manchester United players were selected – Eric Baj and Willy Kambwala. They both played for Manchester United but didn’t get much of a chance. Now they are playing well for Villarreal (Yellow Submarine) and are a great force in the team’s defense.
At right back is the familiar Aaron Wan-Bissaka. He just joined West Ham United and had a great game against Manchester United, helping his team win 2-0. This game also reminded many of his strengths.
### Midfield: Fred and McTominay hold down the fort
In the midfield, Fred and Scott McTominay are the picks. Both have found their feet after leaving United. Fred went to Fenerbahce in Turkey and has scored 5 goals this season, more than any other striker in the United team.
McTominay, on the other hand, has made a splash in Serie A. He now plays for Napoli. He now plays for Napoli and has scored 11 goals and 4 assists. His performances have directly helped his team move ahead of Inter Milan in the league and are currently at the top of the table. You know, Serie A is one of the most defensive leagues in Europe and it’s not easy for him to put up such numbers.
### Winger: Anthony and Erlanga both shine
On the wing, Anthony and Anthony Erlanga have been selected. Anthony joined Real Betis on loan in Spain in January this year and although he hasn’t been there long, he has already scored a number of key goals to help his team reach the English League Cup final and is expected to play in the Champions League next season.
Things are looking good for Erlanga as well. He now plays for Nottingham Forest and is one of the key players in the team’s push for Champions League qualification. Most impressively, he scored a goal against Manchester United as a little “present” to his old boss.
### Striker line: youth product, also shining
Finally, the striker position. Two players were developed by United themselves, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood.
Rashford impressed for a while at Aston Villa, but unfortunately got injured. Before his injury, he made 17 appearances for the team and scored 10 goals, which was very efficient.
Greenwood now plays for Marseille in France. His performance this season can be described as “explosive”. In Ligue 1, only Dembele has scored more goals than him. Greenwood scored 19 goals and helped Marseille qualify for next season’s Champions League.
### To summarize
As you can see from this list, some of the players United have sold or given up on over the years are actually not that bad. They have found their place in other teams and even reached new heights in their careers.
It just goes to show that whether a player is in good form or not, the right environment is as important as the player’s own efforts. Maybe some players just don’t fit into the United system, and with another team they can shine.
For the fans, it can also be a bit complicated to see these players playing well elsewhere. Either way, their achievements deserve recognition and I hope they continue to play well in the future!
