Edwin Van Der Sar

There have been plenty of pretenders to Peter Schmeichel’s throne since his abdication in 1999. But few have graced the number 1 jersey with such quality and consistency as Edwin van der Sar. The two differ in style. Schmeichel was famed for bellowing at his back four as well as his brilliant saves. Edwin, however, [...]

Sir Alex Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson is the most successful manager in British football history – winning more than 30 trophies during his time in charge of the Reds. Yet despite more than two decades at the United helm he remains focused on increasing that tally, bringing yet more silverware to Old Trafford. The Reds boss enjoyed a [...]

Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney burst onto the Old Trafford stage in September 2004, netting an unforgettable hat-trick against Fenerbahce on his debut. He’d arrived from Everton, his boyhood club, a few weeks earlier, becoming the world’s most expensive teenager in the process. But it wasn’t his performances for the Toffees that had sparked United’s interest, mind you. [...]

Javier Hernandez

Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez completed his move to Old Trafford in July 2010, becoming United’s first Mexican player. The exciting young striker joined from hometown club Chivas de Guadalajara, for whom he had scored 29 goals in 79 games since making his debut as a teenager in 2006. Unusually for a club of United’s stature, the [...]

Michael Owen

His July 2009 arrival at Old Trafford may have raised a few eyebrows, but former Liverpool striker Michael Owen is undoubtedly one of the finest goalscorers in the history of English football. The Chester-born forward notched up more than 200 goals for Liverpool, Real Madrid and Newcastle United, plus 40 goals in 89 England internationals [...]

Dimitar Berbatov

Dimitar Berbatov is a classy and complete centre-forward, pairing the ability to ruthlessly and regularly find the net inside the box with the aptitude to create moments of sheer magic outside it. Sir Alex likes players with plenty of charisma in the way they play, and the Bulgarian’s languid style is instantly recognisable on the [...]

Frederico Macheda

Federico Macheda became an instant Old Trafford hero when he scored a stunning injury-time winner on his debut against Aston Villa in April 2009. Aged just 17, the young Italian told MUTV it was “the best day of my life”. But while that goal heralded Macheda’s arrival on the biggest stage, his prowess in front [...]

Gabriel Obertan

United secured the signature of French starlet Gabriel Obertan on 8 July 2009, with the highly-rated forward/winger joining the Reds from Bordeaux following a four-year spell with Les Girondins. Prior to his arrival at Bordeaux, Obertan began his career with local club Paris-Pantin FC, before making the switch to Paris FC in 2002 and then [...]

Antonio Valencia

Ecuadorian winger Antonio Valencia became United’s first summer signing in 2009 when he joined the Reds from Wigan Athletic on 30 June. The skilful 23-year-old has more than 30 caps for his country, including one in the 1-0 defeat to England in the 2006 World Cup. His performances at the tournament earned him a nomination [...]

Darren Fetcher

Darren Fletcher is a player for the big occasion. While other men might shirk from the responsibility presented to them in the heat of battle, the Scot thrives in such encounters. This attitude was never more visibly displayed than in the 4-0 thrashing of Arsenal [in February 2008] in which he headed two goals. He [...]

Paul Scholes

You must have a rare and special football talent to impress the great Sir Bobby Charlton. The United legend sums up Paul Scholes perfectly: “He’s always so in control and pinpoint accurate with his passing – a beautiful player to watch.” Part of the new wave of talent that ushered in Beckham, Giggs, Butt and [...]

Nani

Portuguese Luís Carlos Almeida da Cunha (or ‘Nani’ as we all know him) is a powerful and pacy winger. He arrived at Old Trafford from Sporting Lisbon in 2007 and, predictably, was given the tag of being ‘the next Cristiano Ronaldo’. It’s perhaps an unfair comparison given the heights Ronaldo has scaled in the last [...]

Michael Carrick

It’s amazing to think Michael Carrick had his detractors at the start of his United career, with some grumblings about his transfer fee – £14m rising to £18.6m with add-ons. Even after his debut 2006/07 season, in which he carved out a formidable partnership with Paul Scholes as the Reds reclaimed the title, some people [...]

Ji Sung Park

Ji-sung Park has become an increasingly important member of Sir Alex Ferguson’s squad since joining the club in the summer of 2005. Born in Seoul, raised in Suwon just outside South Korea’s capital, Park left school at 18 to join Japanese side Kyoto Purple Sanga. His potential to make the leap from Asia to Europe [...]

Ryan Giggs

The only surprise about Ryan Giggs being named PFA Player’s Player of the Year in April 2009 was that it had taken so long for him to win the prestigious award. After all, he’d previously received countless other individual gongs – including the PFA Young Player award twice in his early career – not to [...]

Anderson

He arrived with the billing: the ‘new Ronaldinho’. But upon his arrival at Old Trafford from FC Porto in summer 2007 most Reds were left asking: ‘Anderson who?’ After a wondrous debut season the Brazilian’s talents are well known not just in Manchester, but around the world. The Ronaldinho comparisons are inevitable given both players [...]

Darron Gibson

Republic of Ireland international Darron Gibson is an athletic midfielder who packs a powerful shot. ‘Gibbo’ has been in and around the first team for several seasons but it was in the 2008/09 campaign that he made a real breakthrough. He scored his first goal for the seniors in the FA Cup win at Southampton [...]

Owen Hargreaves

In his own words, it was “possibly the longest-running transfer saga” in football. But after a several months of prolonged pursuit, United finally signed Owen Hargreaves from Bayern Munich in May 2007 for a fee of around £17million. The Canadian-born, England international midfielder’s stock had risen dramatically in the previous year, and by the time [...]

Ritchie De Laet

Belgium-born Ritchie De Laet signed for United in January 2009 after joining from Stoke City. A centre-half by trade, he is also more than comfortable playing at left-back as he showed during an impressive first team debut for the Reds in the 1-0 win at Hull City on the final day of the 2008/09 season. [...]

Jonny Evans

Belfast-born Jonathan Evans is a tall and agile centre-back. An intelligent defender, he combines an uncompromising physical approach with the ability to pass the ball out from the back. Jonny has risen through the United ranks to become an integral part of the first team squad, with Sir Alex Ferguson admitting: “His United future is [...]

John O’Shea

Arguably United’s most versatile player, John O’Shea – who has made over 300 appearances – has played everywhere during his time at Old Trafford. But wherever he plays, United’s no.22 is happy to contribute to the team. What’s more, the Irishman signed a contract in November 2007 that will keep him at the club until [...]

Rafael Da Silva

Rafael was born in Petropolis, Rio de Janeiro, and is very much a modern full-back; he loves to bombard down the right flank – but he’s not all just Brazilian flair, he’s made of tough stuff. Rafael, who like his twin brother Fabio is a Brazilian youth international, was a somewhat surprise inclusion in the [...]

Fabio Da Silva

Fabio da Silva is a right-footed, left-sided defender but, like his twin brother Rafael, loves to get forward. Spotted in 2005 by Les Kershaw, then United’s Academy manager, while playing for Fluminense in a Hong Kong youth tournament, it wasn’t long before the Reds came knocking. Fabio has already proved his potential on the youth [...]

Chris Smalling

Little more than 18 months after arriving at Fulham from non-league Maidstone, defender Chris Smalling agreed to terms that would make him a Manchester United player from 1 July 2010. A quick, clever central defender, Smalling played cameo roles for Roy Hodgson’s Fulham in both domestic and European competitions during 2009/10. Those fleeting performances were [...]

Nemanja Vidic

Nemanja Vidic enjoyed his best season yet in a United shirt during 2008/09, a fact not lost on his team-mates, who voted the towering Serbian defender the players’ player of the year at the Reds’ end-of-season awards. He was also the fans’ choice, picking up the coveted Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award. [...]

Wes Brown

Tough-tackling, strong in the air and fast on the deck, Wes Brown is one of England’s finest defenders. He’s not the most fortunate though. Surely his club and country appearance totals, while impressive, would be far higher had it not been for his awful luck with injuries. Wes enjoyed arguably his best season in 2007/08 [...]

Rio Ferdinand

Armed with elegance, pace and an astute ability to read the game, Rio Ferdinand is one of the finest defenders in world football. The Peckham-born star burst onto the Premiership scene with West Ham United under the guidance of Harry Redknapp before being snapped up by Leeds United for £18million in November 2000. The 2002 [...]

Patrice Evra

United beat off fierce competition from Liverpool, Arsenal and Inter Milan to secure the services of French full-back Patrice Evra on 10 January 2006. The defender’s arrival, just days after Nemanja Vidic’s capture, signalled Sir Alex Ferguson’s intention to shore up his defence, which had suffered in the long-term absence of Gabriel Heinze. Although only [...]

Gary Neville

Gary Neville belongs to an elite group of players who have skippered the Reds to Premier League title glory. Following on from Bryan Robson, Steve Bruce, Eric Cantona and Roy Keane, Neville realised a lifelong dream as he became the fifth United captain to lift the Premier League trophy following the Reds’ record ninth triumph [...]

Tomasz Kuszczak

There aren’t many tougher jobs at United than shadowing Edwin van der Sar. With one of the world’s best ahead of you, chances are limited, which means grasping the opportunities that come your way is essential. By and large, Tomasz Kuszczak has done just that. Remember his United debut in September 2006? The Reds may [...]