The return of Jonny Evans to Manchester United has got us thinking, we could’ve got many good years out of him. So – with this, here are four players that should have never been sold in the post-Fergie era…
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Jonny Evans
The man that’s returned, you can’t help but think if Evans could’ve become a genuine Manchester United legend if he hadn’t been sold back in 2015.
Back then, Evans was 27 and was just reaching his prime. At the time, it looked like the right move. We were under the reign of Louis van Gaal and the Northern Irishman was looking like a fourth, maybe fifth choice.
Little did we know the defensive nightmare that would ensue in the next couple of years, with Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Marcos Rojo and Daily Blind in a rotation of nightmares.
Evans could’ve been a prevalent figure at the heart of the defence for many more years, sadly he went to West Brom, then Leicester and smashed it ever since.
Rafael Da Silva
This one is debatable, but we feel the Brazilian deserves a shout for two reasons.
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Number one – his successors. Antonio Valencia morphed into a full-back, which was a good move – but we also bought Matteo Darmian and Guillermo Varela to replace him… who didn’t exactly work out.
Valencia and Rafael would’ve been a great pair to rotate, and with the full-back aged 27 – he definitely had more years in the tank.
Oh and reason number two? He was just so god-damn loveable! He became a cult hero alongside his brother Fabio, who departed even earlier than he did.
Wilfried Zaha
United fans never really saw the true potential of Wilfried Zaha. He had the honour of being Sir Alex Ferguson‘s last-ever signing before David Moyes took charge.
The second Scotsman evidently didn’t think Zaha was good enough, which led to a loan to Cardiff swiftly followed by a permanent move to Crystal Palace – where he’s resided ever since.
Zaha has been one of Palace’s best players over the years and has been linked to some of the world’s biggest clubs. Imagine he’d developed further at United, could his talent have surpassed the level he’s at now?
Sadly – we’ll never know.
Ander Herrera
This one hurts. You know it.
Ander Herrera was a player with complete love for the club, which has been a rarity since Fergie left. The Spaniard wore his heart on his sleeve and this resonated really well with fans.
Not only this, he was a great player. He was a busybody in midfield, who also could link up play and often popped up with a goal.
Herrera didn’t want to leave the club, but amid a contract dispute, the Spaniard had to go. He could’ve played a big part for the Red Devils for at least a couple more seasons.