Joshua Zirkzee next: Ranking every player Man Utd have signed from Serie A from worst to best

Nathan Egerton 12 Jul 2024 3:17 PM

Paul Pogba, Cristiano Ronaldo and Juan Sebastian Veron at Man Utd

Paul Pogba, Cristiano Ronaldo and Juan Sebastian Veron all joined Man Utd from Serie A clubs

Manchester United have agreed a deal to sign Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna – but how have their previous imports from Serie A fared over the years?

United will pay a reported £35.7million for Zirzkee, who won the Serie A Young Player of the Season award in 2023/24.

We’ve taken a look at the 13 first-team players that United have previously signed from Serie A and ranked them from worst to best.

Note: we’ve not included any youth team players so that rules out the likes of Giuseppe Rossi, Federico Macheda and Davide Petrucci.

13. Massimo Taibi

Peter Schmeichel’s departure and an injury to Mark Bosnich left United needing a new goalkeeper in August 1999 and they signed Taibi from Venezia in a £4.5million deal.

He made just four appearances for United and conceded 11 goals in the process, most notably that famous howler against Southampton’s Matt Le Tissier.

21 years ago today @mattletiss7 hits the most feeble shot of his entire career…

… and poor Massimo Taibi forgets how to use his arms and legs.

The reactions behind the goal say it all. Sometimes life kicks you square in the plums.pic.twitter.com/6Sh9VtvYId

— A Funny Old Game (@sid_lambert) September 25, 2020

12. Matteo Darmian

Darmian was named in the Serie A Team of the Year in 2013/14 and 2014/15 and United spent £12.7million to sign the full-back from Torino.

Despite impressing in the 2017 Europa League final, he failed to establish himself as a first-team regular at Old Trafford and was sold to Parma for just £1.4million in 2019.

11. Juan Sebastian Veron

After starring for Parma and Lazio in Serie A, Veron agreed to join United in 2001 for a then-British record fee of £28.1million.

The former Argentina international showed glimpses of his talent at Old Trafford, but he struggled to adapt to English football and was sold to Chelsea in a £15million deal in 2003.

“Games were intense for 90 minutes,” Veron said. “In Italy, it was more tactical and about closing down the games. In England, the games were more open, the ball came back and forward. It was more physical too.”

10. Sofyan Amrabat

United forked out a considerable loan fee to sign Amrabat from Fiorentina, but he started just 10 Premier League games in the 2023/24 season.

The Morocco international did end his loan spell on a high, playing a crucial role in United’s 2-1 win over Manchester City in the FA Cup final.

Sofyan Amrabat making his first start for Man Utd

9. Jesper Blomqvist

Blomqvist joined United from Parma in a £4.4million deal in the summer of 1998 and helped provide cover for Ryan Giggs on the left wing.

He made 38 appearances in all competitions in his debut season, including a start in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich as United completed the final leg of the treble.

But the former Sweden international spent the following two seasons on the sidelines due to a serious knee injury, and he was released by United in 2001.

8. Laurent Blanc

United sold Jaap Stam to Lazio at the end of the 2000/01 season and replaced him with Blanc, who was available on a free transfer following his departure from Inter Milan.

But the then-35-year-old was in the twilight of his career when he arrived at Old Trafford and struggled to fill the void left by his predecessor.

The centre-back still made 75 appearances for the club and added a Premier League title to his CV before hanging up his boots at the end of the 2002/03 season.

7. Rasmus Hojlund

Hojlund spent just one season at Atalanta before joining United in a deal worth an initial £64million and another £8million in add-ons.

It took the 21-year-old a little while to find his feet in England, but he finished his debut season with 16 goals in all competitions and an FA Cup winner’s medal.

“I think that’s a very good record for a young player,” Erik ten Hag said. “When we decided to go for him, we bought a player for this season and for the future. He has to develop, he has to progress, he needs time. Sometimes it goes up and down.”

Rasmus Hojlund is finally starting to tick at Man Utd

6. Andre Onana

After allowing David de Gea to leave on a free transfer at the end of the 2022/23 season, United signed Onana from Inter Milan in a deal worth £47.2million.

The Cameroon international endured a shaky start to his Old Trafford career and made a string of high-profile errors in the Champions League.

But he started to rediscover his best form in the second half of the 2023/24 season and is now regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League.

5. Amad Diallo

United raised eyebrows in 2021 when they agreed to pay an initial £19million and another £18.2million in potential add-ons for Amad, who had made just four Serie A appearances for Atalanta.

The Ivory Coast international initially had to bide his time at United and was sent out on loan to Rangers and Sunderland.

While he is yet to cement his place in United’s starting XI, the 21-year-old secured cult hero status at Old Trafford by scoring a 121st minute against Liverpool in an FA Cup quarter-final in 2023/24.

A moment of magic 🪄

Introducing your @MitreSports Goal of the #EmiratesFACup Season from @ManUtd‘s, @Amaddiallo_19! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/tRO9PHxlHs

— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) May 30, 2024

4. Cristiano Ronaldo

Ronaldo left Juventus in August 2021 and made a sensational return to Old Trafford, having initially played for United between 2003 and 2009.

The Portugal international scored 24 goals in 38 appearances in all competitions in 2021/22 and was named in PFA Premier League Team of the Year.

But that campaign also saw United register their lowest-ever Premier League points tally and his second spell at the club came to an acrimonious end in November 2022 when his contract was terminated by mutual consent.

3. Sergio Romero

The third goalkeeper on this list, Romero joined United on a free transfer in the summer of 2015 after being released by Sampdoria.

He acted as a back-up to first-choice goalkeeper David de Gea and made just seven Premier League appearances during a six-year stay at Old Trafford.

But the Argentina international impressed in cup competitions and featured throughout the Europa League-winning campaign of 2016/17, keeping a clean sheet in the final victory over Ajax.

2. Paul Pogba

A United academy graduate, Pogba spent four years at Juventus before returning to Old Trafford in an £89million deal in 2016.

The France international enjoyed an impressive debut season in 2016/17, winning the League Cup and scoring the opener in the Europa League final win over Ajax.

His relationship with Jose Mourinho then turned sour, and he showed flashes of brilliance under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer before returning to Juventus on a free transfer in 2022.