Players you really wanted here but failed when they joined other clubs

sp_107

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During every transfer window we like our club to sign lot of quality players but not everyone turn out to be a success story when they joined other clubs.

Wondering what players you thought could light up UTD and desperately wanted them to be here before they moved to other clubs and failed.

Jovic / Ndombele / Dembele (barca) / Griezman are few I can think of.
 

LawCharltonBest

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I got excited a couple (3?) years ago when it looked like Morata was joining.

I'd seen him play a few times for Real Madrid and Juventus (with Pogba) and he always looked fantastic.

Awful at Chelsea. Really bad.
 

Eckers99

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Harry Kewell. Looked great at Leeds but underwhelming overall at Liverpool.
 

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When Di Canio seemed like he was going to come to us I got pretty excited about that... but after all that Nazi saluting business, probably better he wasn't on our books

I got excited a couple (3?) years ago when it looked like Morata was joining.

I'd seen him play a few times for Real Madrid and Juventus (with Pogba) and he always looked fantastic.

Awful at Chelsea. Really bad.
Same, was really excited about the idea of Morata joining.... I was watching a lot of Madrid at the time and always thought he looked good for them
 

vodrake

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Not really a failure, more "failed to live up to massive expectations", but I really wanted Lucas Moura here back before he eventually went to PSG. Thought he was going to be the next big thing.

I remember being at Old Trafford for a world cup match where Brazil were playing, and when his name was called out the entire stadium erupted, so sure everyone was that he was coming here.
 

el3mel

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Griezmann, though I think his problem is Barca and not really him. He chose the wrong move.
 

Steven7290

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Andriy Shevchenko is the one I can remember. From Dortmund there were Nuri Sahin and Mario Gotze.

Surely there must be a few others in the 2000's too
 

Samid

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Akinfeev*
Stones - Mangala - Otamendi
El Shaarawy - Sanches - Carvalho - Nasri - Robinho
Pato - Morata​


* Didn't join another club and didn't really 'fail' but didn't live up to the hype either.
 

SAFMUTD

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I was sure Dembele was going to be the next big thing, thank god he is Barca's problem now.

Also Renato Sanches before he joined Bayern. Dodged that bullet.
 

Superunknown

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Out of the ones that I'm trying to remember, William Carvalho seemed like he would finally solve a problem for us in midfield. All the signs seemed to point towards it being a deal that would happen, but it never did. I think even Arsenal were linked with him at one point. It never happened and I don't think we're much worse off for it either.

Another more recent one is Serge Aurier. Looked like a great prospect for us at right back, but he has looked absolutely horrific for Spurs, imo. So glad we didn't go for that one!
 

Fracture90

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Gotta be Clyne for me. Back with Saints he was amongst the best RB's in the league and we brought goddamm Darmian. He hit the ground running at Poo, but overall his stay there has been underwhelming.
 

AltiUn

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Werner, Havertz, Chillwell and Ziyech when they joined Chelsea.
 

Luke1995

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I really wanted Woodward to bring Ronaldo back in 2018. The club didn't even attempt to compete with Juventus.

Look at the numbers he's had over there in these two seasons. We would probably be much closer to catching City/Liverpool
 

Luke1995

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Has the club ever considered making a bid for Kevin Phillips back in the day ? When he won the european golden shoe I mean
 

Offside

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I really wanted Woodward to bring Ronaldo back in 2018. The club didn't even attempt to compete with Juventus.

Look at the numbers he's had over there in these two seasons. We would probably be much closer to catching City/Liverpool
Isn’t that the opposite example of what this thread is asking for?
 

iHicksy

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Joe Cole when he left Chelsea. Was convinced he'd be amazing for us.
 

tenpoless

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Shevchenko at Chelsea
Morata at Chelsea
Ozil at Arsenal
Goetze at Bayern
Kaka at Real Madrid

Lucas Moura (didn't fail but didn't become a world class player I thought he'd be)
 

CM10

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I got quite into the idea of us signing Morata the year Chelsea bought him but I think that was more a thing of not wanting Lukaku.
 

EngimaMK

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I really wanted Woodward to bring Ronaldo back in 2018. The club didn't even attempt to compete with Juventus.

Look at the numbers he's had over there in these two seasons. We would probably be much closer to catching City/Liverpool
Not sure you getting the hang of this game...

:p
 

gormless

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Going back a bit...
Didier Zokora was meant to be the next big defensive midfielder prior to signing for Spurs.

Freddy Adu was meant to be footballs shining star for the next decade and was even on trial here. I was sure it would end with he signing him.

I was annoyed we didn’t go for Damien Duff the year he left Chelsea. Thought he would have been quality for us. He was never the same and was just an average winger by that point.

And finally, Pedro when he was leaving Barca. We were heavily linked. I thought he would be amazing for us. He’s just kinda done OK-ish for Chelsea
 

harms

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When Mourinho was still here I thought that signing Bale would be worth a shot. I figured that he would love to play some football for a change and get fans behind him – and we needed an experienced game-changer. Thank feck we didn't do anything :lol: It looks like he had completely given up on this sport, I've certainly misjudged his motivation.

Goetze is the one that I really wanted, but, to be fair to him, his eventual failure was a result of his health issues; yet, it was still a failure nonetheless.
 

led_scholes

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Hummels.

He didn't fail spectacularly in Bayen, but i dont think he was very successful.
 

Superunknown

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Going back a bit...
Didier Zokora was meant to be the next big defensive midfielder prior to signing for Spurs.

Freddy Adu was meant to be footballs shining star for the next decade and was even on trial here. I was sure it would end with he signing him.

I was annoyed we didn’t go for Damien Duff the year he left Chelsea. Thought he would have been quality for us. He was never the same and was just an average winger by that point.

And finally, Pedro when he was leaving Barca. We were heavily linked. I thought he would be amazing for us. He’s just kinda done OK-ish for Chelsea
Funny enough, I was thinking of Pedro initially for this thread before I remembered that I wasn't ever really keen on him. I was more annoyed than anything that Chelsea got him, rather than us missing out, just on the off-chance that he succeeded there.

On paper, it looked like a potentially good signing for us, but I didn't really fancy it.
 

Nori-

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I remember when we almost got Ronaldinho before he joined Barcelona.

That one has stuck with me. Could you have imagined peak Ronaldinho running at defences at Old Trafford. Madness.
 

RashyForPM

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No idea. Everybody i’ve wanted who hasn’t come has gone on to do good/great things.

If I was forced to choose, maybe Baines or Coleman. Both are practically the dual symbols and legends of Everton though, so they’ve clearly not failed.
 

SlyFiz

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Gotze and Sneijder for me.

Was convinced Gotze would be a future Ballon D'or contender before he went to Bayern; and really wanted Sneijder after his treble season.
 

USREDEVIL

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A lot of players. When you're desperate you start wanting all kinds of players! Biggest one thought was Ozil. I really think he'd not have worked in our team. Most recent is Pepe who went to arsenal and is not all that Not sure if they "failed" per se but they did not live up to the hype at all.
 

MetoTTT

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Joe Cole, Bentley (:D), Diarra (Lyon), Bojan Krkic, A. Diaby, Isaksson, Joaqin, Vicente, Aimar, Riquelme, Adriano.