Where do you stand on re-signing players that have failed?

fastwalker

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This thread is largely inspired by reports that United could be looking to bring back Memphis Depay to United. The Memphis story is well documented. A player who joined United (signed by LVG, another Dutch manager) who was simply unprepared for the demands and expectations of playing for a club the size of United and one who ultimately proved unsuitable.

Since his departure, the boy has rehabilitated himself at Lyon and latterly Barcelona. I doubt that he would have secured a transfer to the Catalan club, without Barcelona's financial upheaval, but notwithstanding, he has certainly rebuilt his reputation.

So where do you stand on re-signing players that have failed? Is it an absolute no-no for you, or would you trust the judgement of the manager, if he felt confident that he could get the best out of the player?
 
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Depends how they have done after leaving the club. If Memphis had proven a starter at Barcelona and been excellent, I'd be all for it.

For example I'd have taken back Forlan after his second season at Atletico.
 

Blood Mage

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Haven't we technically done this already with Pogba? He ultimately wasn't able to break into the team ahead of Giggs or Scholes in his first stint.
 

Superunknown

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There's not a 'one-size-fits-all' sort of answer for this. If a player fits the profile of what we need at the club, and we feel that we can get the best of them and make it work, then why not? It could also depend on if they've left under a cloud or if they are still on good terms with the people at the club, but that could still be worked on.

If a player is good enough to come here and improve us, and wants to work with the club, then I'm for it.
 

Stacks

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This thread is largely inspired by reports that United could be looking to bring back Memphis Depay to United. The Memphis story is well documented. A player who joined United (signed by LVG, another Dutch manager) who was simply unprepared for the demands and expectations of playing for a club the size of United and one who ultimately proved unsuitable.

Since his departure, the boy has rehabilitated himself at Lyon and latterly Barcelona. I doubt that he would have secured a transfer to the Catalan club, without Barcelona's financial upheaval, but notwithstanding, he has certainly rebuilt his reputation.

So where do you stand on re-signing players that have failed? Is it an absolute no-no for you, or would you trust the judgement of the manager, if he felt confident that he could get the best out of the player?
How? He was part of a barca team that earned 73 pts, scored only 68 goals and were dumped out of the CL and Europa. what did you think he did at Barca?
99% of players that get sold who were in the first team, do not go on to make us regret selling them
 

Chief123

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This thread is largely inspired by reports that United could be looking to bring back Memphis Depay to United. The Memphis story is well documented. A player who joined United (signed by LVG, another Dutch manager) who was simply unprepared for the demands and expectations of playing for a club the size of United and one who ultimately proved unsuitable.

Since his departure, the boy has rehabilitated himself at Lyon and latterly Barcelona. I doubt that he would have secured a transfer to the Catalan club, without Barcelona's financial upheaval, but notwithstanding, he has certainly rebuilt his reputation.

So where do you stand on re-signing players that have failed? Is it an absolute no-no for you, or would you trust the judgement of the manager, if he felt confident that he could get the best out of the player?
To be fair, it’s a good point.

Can anyone remember examples of players who have done this? Failed and then come back and been a success.

Matic for Chelsea? I can’t remember if he went on loan though or was sold.
 

Chief123

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Haven't we technically done this already with Pogba? He ultimately wasn't able to break into the team ahead of Giggs or Scholes in his first stint.
Some would argue his second spell wasn’t a success either.
 

Ekeke

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I think its fine if they leave as a young player who needed more experience, but in this specific example I would say theres no need for him
 

AndySmith1990

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I think some players joined at the wrong time and under the wrong manager. But overall we've signed poor players and I wouldn't want most of them back. But players like Depay and Blind could thrive with Ten Hag coaching them.
 

LARulz

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Depends how they do after. I would have taken back Forlan for example after a couple years when he left Villarreal
 

Revaulx

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As I posted yesterday in the Fergies’s Mistakes thread, I don’t think we should have resigned Hughes :)

Memphis is an odd one. He came to United with huge expectations; remember that poster who hyped him massively? Since leaving he’s turned into a solid but unspectacular player. So I don’t think anyone would expect him to be any sort of messiah like Pogba or Ronaldo.

If the fee/wages were reasonable I wouldn’t mind him at all.
 

Chief123

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I’ll always remember Memphis’s Utd career ending when Shaw broke his leg. Them two had something good going on.
 

Brophs

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Depends on the player. If that player is Memphis Depay I'd say that signing a player who isn't good enough once is bad enough but repeating the trick is as dumb as it gets.
 

Unam333

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I’ll always remember Memphis’s Utd career ending when Shaw broke his leg. Them two had something good going on.
Memphis and Shaw both joined United at the same time right? I remember an interview in which they say they hang out together alot.
 

honirelandboy

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I would never take back players who wanted to leave like Pogba and Ronaldo which unfortunately we did. I would take back players who were sold on by the club deemed not good enough or had another undroppable player in there position.
 

Trequarista10

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To be fair, it’s a good point.

Can anyone remember examples of players who have done this? Failed and then come back and been a success.

Matic for Chelsea? I can’t remember if he went on loan though or was sold.
Defoe left Spurs when he was 3rd choice behind Keane and Berbatov, and rejoined them soon after becoming first choice again. Danny Ings was released by Southampton as a kid and later rejoined and became a key player. Peter Crouch was sold by Spurs for peanuts as a youth and returned as an international. There's not many though, but I suspect its more often the player's choice not to return as their are many more examples of players failing, dropping down a level, doing well, and getting a move to a club the same size or bigger than the club they initially failed at. I'm also sure there were a ton of examples in Italian football in the 90s/00s with their whole co-ownership weirdness but I can't think of examples off the top of my head.

Also depends how loose people want to be with the definition of failing, especially with youngsters. Did Pique and Fabregas "fail" at Barca leaving at 16 for a chance of first team football elsewhere? Aaron Ramsdale was sold by Sheff Utd for less than £1m before ever starting a league game, and resigned years later for £20m, but bit of a stretch to say he failed first time round. Tom Heaton left us as a young goalie and returned as a suitable backup keeper, but can't really be described as a success (although I think he will prove to some people what a good keeper he is if he gets some games in Cup competitions this season).
 

Huddsred

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No, move on. If he was that good at Barcelona they wouldn't allow him leave anyway.
 

EngimaMK

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Haven't we technically done this already with Pogba? He ultimately wasn't able to break into the team ahead of Giggs or Scholes in his first stint.
Rightly so. Despite his World Cup triumph, he never came close to licking the boots of Giggs/Scholes at Man Utd.
 

Robertd0803

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Totally depends on the player. Would have taken Pique, Nani and Forlan back instantly at certain times.

Cant say the same for Spector, Diouf and Bebe for example.

As for Memphis I think he admitted in an interview he regrets his application while here and wasnt mature enough. If hes extra motivated because of that then fair enough.
 

rimaldo

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no. once you leave united and play for someone else, you’re dead to me. i don’t even like players coming back to us after international breaks.
 

GazTheLegend

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We re signed Mark Hughes and he went on to do alright. Won us a European trophy, two league titles and three FA cups and scored some bangers.

I wouldn't have Depay back personally but if Ten Hag wants him, well, we do need cover.
 

MileStolar

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As I posted yesterday in the Fergies’s Mistakes thread, I don’t think we should have resigned Hughes :)

Memphis is an odd one. He came to United with huge expectations; remember that poster who hyped him massively? Since leaving he’s turned into a solid but unspectacular player. So I don’t think anyone would expect him to be any sort of messiah like Pogba or Ronaldo.

If the fee/wages were reasonable I wouldn’t mind him at all.
Ah MaxNL or something like that, I remember reading his posts and literally drooling over the prospect of Depay becoming our new Ronaldo. It was after a year under Moyesieball and Memphis had a good world cup, as did LVG... future sure did look bright at the time