What happened to the 14 players Jose Mourinho sold whilst manager of Manchester United?
Jose Mourinho made many signings at United which did not pay off.
What happened to the 14 players Jose Mourinho sold whilst manager of Manchester United?, reports from the Daily Star.
Mourinho managed United from May 2016 through to December 2018 and during that time brought in some trophies but also over saw huge changes to the squad.
Much is made about the signings Mourinho brought to Old Trafford and their success and failures, but what happened to the 14 players the ‘Special One’ decided to let go?
Here’s all 14 players in no particular order.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Will this man ever retire? At 38-years-old, Ibrahimovic is still playing top-level football having signed for AC Milan in December 2019, following some exciting football in the MLS with LA Galaxy.
Bastian Schweinsteiger
Mourinho let the Germany international World Cup winner go and later stated that he ‘regretted’ how he treated the midfielder. He signed for Montreal Impact, but retired from the game in October 2019.
Nick Powell
It never quite happened for Powell at United following his move from Crewe Alexandra. The midfielder joined Wigan Athletic on a permanent move, and now finds himself at Stoke City in the Championship.
Wayne Rooney
United’s greatest ever goalscorer left the club in the summer of 2017, re-joining his boyhood Everton. Despite some amazing performances back in a blue shirt, the club sold Rooney to D.C United in the MLS and he is now player coach at Derby County.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan
It’s not often reported that the Armenian was part of the swap deal which brought Alexis Sanchez to the club from Arsenal. Mkhitaryan is now on loan at AS Roma from the Gunners where he is enjoying a decent season.
Paddy McNair
McNair was sold to Sunderland for £5.5million back in 2016 and has a string of bad luck which included a long-term injury and the club falling to back-to-back relegations. The Northern Ireland international now plays at Middlesborough where he is a key member of the squad.
Daley Blind
Quite an underrated player at United, Blind is about as versatile a player you can find in the modern game. Having joined Ajax in the summer of 2018, he has played a key role in their rise back to the European elite.
Victor Valdes
Valdes actually signed a two-year deal with Middlesborough just two months into Mourinho’s reign at Old Trafford, but retired officially in January 2018.
Morgan Schneiderlin
Schneiderlin signed for Everton for £20million back in 2017, penning a four-year deal. He’s still at the Toffees but struggles to hold down a guaranteed weekly starting place.
Memphis Depay
The former United number 7 was short on confidence by the end of his time at Old Trafford, signing for Ligue 1 outfit Lyon. Depay stars in that side and seems to have re-found his lost form.
Adnan Januzaj
Thought to be the next best thing at United, but it never quite happened for the Belgium international. The winger signed for La Liga side Real Sociedad in 2017 and still plays his football in Spain.
Will Keane
Mourinho would not have seen much of Will Keane, having sold the player in August 2016 to Hull City, following a succession of loan spells. Another horrible knee injury blighted Keane’s time at Hull and he now finds himself at League One Ipswich Town.
Sam Johnstone
Johnstone left United back in 2018 to find regular first-team football, signing for West Bromwich Albion on a four-year deal. The shot-stopper has replaced Ben Foster and has held down a number one spot as the club chase promotion.
Tyler Blackett
Blackett had some opportunities at United, but with so many top defenders ahead of him, he didn’t quite make the grade. Sold to Reading in 2016, then under the stewardship of former Red Jap Stam, Blackett remains at the club.