Free Stars Signed by Manchester United

DBasia.news – Finally Manchester United have managed to sign Christian Eriksen for free this summer. But the Danish player was not the first star to be recruited in the same way.

Manchester United are known as one of the biggest clubs in the world. The British giant is also supported by adequate financial strength.

Signing star players in every transfer market is a routine for Manchester United. Not infrequently the Red Devils dare to break transfer records.

But that doesn’t mean Manchester United always squanders money in the transfer market. There are times when they have brought in the star category for free.

Eriksen became the last name that was brought in in a similar way. He was brought in after performing well with Brentford in the second half of last season.

A number of other big stars have also been brought by Manchester United without spending a transfer fee, here are some of them:

1. Laurent Blanc

Manchester United brought Blanc for free in the summer of 2021. At that time the new player parted with Inter Milan.

Manchester United’s decision to bring Blanc had drawn criticism as the defender was 35 years old. Moreover, he is projected to be a core player to replace Jaap Stam.

Blanc had appeared less convincing at the beginning of his career at Old Trafford. But slowly he was able to silence criticism after helping Manchester United win the 2002-2003 Premier League title.

2. Michael Owen

Michael Owen is arguably the second biggest star to be signed for free by Manchester United. That moment happened in the summer of 2009.

Just like Blanc, Owen’s arrival was also filled with controversy. It can not be separated from his background as a former Liverpool star.

Surprisingly, Owen had the honor of wearing the number seven jersey, sacred to the legacy of Cristiano Ronaldo. This had brought him into the spotlight.

Owen ended up playing for Manchester United for three seasons. In a relatively short time, he was able to present three prestigious trophies including the 2010-2011 Premier League.

3. Victor Valdes

Manchester United surprisingly brought Victor Valdes in the winter of 2015. Previously, the former goalkeeper only participated in training while recovering from his injury.

The presence of Valdes is projected to be a competitor to David De Gea. His reputation does not need to be doubted as he was once a mainstay under Barcelona’s rule.

But Valdes in the end spent more time on the bench. De Gea’s slick appearance makes it difficult to be the first choice.

4. Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Zlatan Ibrahimovic caused a stir on social media when announcing his move to Manchester United in the summer of 2016. At that time, he had just ended his contract with Paris Saint-Germain.

The joining of Ibrahimovic could not be separated from the figure of Jose Mourinho, who at that time served as manager. The relationship between the two is well established.

Even though he came for free, Ibrahimovic was able to make a big impact. He successfully guided Manchester United to the Europa League champions ladder in his inaugural season.

Unfortunately, a severe knee injury short-lived Ibrahimovic’s career at Manchester United. He decided to end his contract in the winter of 2018 and continue his career in MLS with LA Galaxy.

5. Edinson Cavani

Edinson Cavani became the last star before Eriksen who was brought in for free by Manchester United. The Uruguayan national bomber arrived in the summer of 2020.

Cavani’s career with Manchester United was hampered by a series of injuries. But he was still able to score important goals to send Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side through to the Europa League final.

This achievement earned Cavani a one-year contract extension. Unfortunately he failed to maintain his performance because he was absent due to injury.