While Manchester United often spend astronomical transfer fees on players, they have also been able to enjoy some freebies over the years.
Christian Eriksen has become the latest player to join United on a free transfer, having seen his short-term contract with Brentford expire at the end of last season.
We’ve looked at the 14 players United have previously signed on a free in the Premier League era to see how they fared at Old Trafford.
Edinson Cavani
After joining United on a free transfer in 2020, Cavani quickly developed into a fan favourite due to his exceptional work rate and selfless approach to the game.
The striker also scored 17 goals in 39 appearances in all competitions in his debut season, but couldn’t repeat it the following season and left on a free transfer in the summer of 2022.
Paul Woolston
Woolston was released by Newcastle United in 2018 and joined the Red Devils on a free transfer following a successful trial spell.
But the goalkeeper was sadly forced to retire in March at the age of 23 following a succession of injuries.
“Right now, I am fully focused on the next stage of my career,” Woolston told the club website. “I am ready to use all of my learnings, resilience, drive and determination to make a real success of my life.”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Ibrahimovic joined United as a 34-year-old free agent amid doubts from some whether he could make an impact on the Premier League.
The striker proved his critics wrong, scoring 28 goals in all competitions as the Red Devils won the EFL Cup and the Europa League in 2016-17.
But his debut season was cut short by a knee injury, which he ultimately struggled to recover from before joining LA Galaxy.
“I feel sorry for the fans – if they’d seen me younger, they’d have seen a different lion,” Ibrahimovic told the club’s official website in 2018.
“For the Premier League, it would have been dangerous, as I would have eaten them for breakfast; instead, I took them for lunch. But I came: they wanted me, I gave them me and I took over. Been there and done that.”
Sergio Romero
Romero has been David de Gea’s understudy at Old Trafford since arriving in 2015, making just seven Premier League appearances for United.
The goalkeeper has come up with the goods whenever he has been called upon, however, and kept a clean sheet in the 2017 Europa League final victory over Ajax.
He was released at the end of the 2020-21 season and joined Venezia.
Victor Valdes
After spending…
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