Excellent 'mercenaries' for Manchester United

The term "mercenary" is used to describe players who stay with a club for a brief period of time but still manage to make a notable impact on the fans. Manchester United has had such players in the past who played with passion and commitment for the badge on the left side of their shirt.

Par: Leey

03/04/2023 03:57

1. Henrik Larsson | 2007 (loan from Helsingborgs IF)

Larsson, who is 35 years old, had a loan spell of only 10 weeks at Manchester United, yet he managed to leave a positive impression in the team's dressing room.

Sir Alex Ferguson once said of Larsson:

"When he arrived at United, he seemed to be adored by our players. They mentioned his name with great fear."

Henrik Larsson had one last opportunity to play for a top European club, and he joined Manchester United on loan for two months in January 2007. He immediately made an impact by scoring a goal on his debut in the FA Cup against Aston Villa. He scored by poking the ball home after Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney created space with a one-two at the edge of the penalty area.

Henrik Larsson and Cristiano Ronaldo

Although he only made 13 appearances and scored three goals for United, Larsson's impact was far greater than his modest statistics suggest. Manchester United had hoped to extend Larsson's loan contract, but he had to return to his management team due to prior commitments he made to his family and his club. The former Swedish striker has since stated that his only career regret is that he did not get to play for United for a full season.

2. Carlos Tevez | 2007-2009 (loan from West Ham)

Tevez's transfer to Manchester United generated a lot of attention, as he joined the club on loan from West Ham for two years. Despite being on loan, Tevez was able to establish himself as a key player, winning consecutive Premier League titles and the Champions League with Manchester United in 2007 and 2008. He scored 34 goals in his two seasons with the club and quickly became a fan favorite due to his impressive combination of technical skill and hard work. Alongside Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo, Tevez was part of the most feared attacking trio in Europe at that time, and United fans were desperate for Sir Alex Ferguson to secure his permanent signature.

Carlos Tevez

Before leaving Manchester United, Tevez scored 34 goals in 99 appearances and won a total of six trophies.

“Tevez. I just loved our connection," Rooney said.

3. Odion Ighalo | 2020-2021 (loan from Shanghai Shenhua)

Manchester United fans probably can't forget Odion Ighalo and his series of stories posted on his personal Instagram page after each appearance for the Red Devils. Without a medical check-up and a buy-out clause due to time constraints, the Nigerian striker was perhaps the strangest deal in Manchester football club's history.

In fact, despite playing for many different football teams, Ighalo's love for the Red Devils has never waned. Sharing his thoughts on this, the 1989-born striker admitted that wearing the Manchester United jersey means a lot to him personally.

Odion Ighalo

“People that know me, even back in Nigeria, and even when I was playing at Watford, my team-mates knew that I loved Man United, I support them. When I played against Man United, that emotion is there, because it is my dream. It is a nice reality, so I’m very happy and I’m looking forward to start."

In his first half-season at MU, Ighalo played 19 matches and scored 5 goals. After that, his loan contract was extended until the beginning of 2021. At the end of this period, he signed a two-year deal with Saudi Arabian team, Al Shabab.

4. Wout Weghorst | 2023 (loan from Burnley)

Weghorst may not be as versatile as some of the strikers Manchester United has had in the past, but his relentless fighting spirit is the standout quality that has won over the hearts of the Red Devils' fans.

Wout Weghorst

Wout Weghorst is truly a "pressing monster." In every game he plays, he moves tirelessly to apply pressure on the opposing players, regardless of having crossed the age of 30. The Dutch striker may not score many goals, but his contribution to MU's overall gameplay is undeniable and beyond question.

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Written by: Leey

Leey is the reporter for Betimate. She currently has a series of articles about football. She specializes in researching football data to come up with evaluations about the tournament and predictions about the matches.

Manchester United loaned player

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