The January transfer window is in full swing and both Manchester United and Manchester City fans are expecting their teams to make signings which will help them challenge for trophies in 2014.
United fans are expecting David Moyes to spend big as he goes in search of that much needed midfielder to turn around their faulting season.
While City fans hope Manuel Pellegrini can to add to an already star studded squad as they go in search of all four major honours this season.
However both teams have had their fair share of January transfer flops, from a French trialist to a Mexican loan disaster.
Therefore, Pellegrini and Moyes may want to take a look at MM’s top five City and United January transfer window flops.
Felipe Caicedo (Manchester City) – From Basel (£5.2 million) 2007/08
The Ecuadorians transfer to City from Basel was the highest in Swiss League history as great things were expected from the 20-year-old.
Things got off to a good start for Caicedo as he made his debut from the bench in City’s 2-1 Manchester derby victory at Old Trafford.
However, Caicedo was unable to convince then manager Sven Goran Eriksson to give him a starting place as he only made nine more appearances that season all from the bench.
Mark Hughes though gave him a chance the following season and the Ecuadorian proved him right putting in a number of good performances and scoring eight goals.
Caicedo suffered though as City’s wealth grew and soon found himself down the pecking order and was eventually let go in 2011 after loan spells at Sporting Lisbon, Malaga and Levante.
|
Appearances (Subs) |
Goals |
|
14 (21) |
8 |
Manucho (Manchester United) – from Petro Atletico (Undisclosed) 2007/08
The Angolan who joined United in January 2008 was immediately loaned out to Greek side Panathinaikos due to problems with his work permit.
However Manucho impressed whilst in Greece as he helped Panathinaikos to Champions League qualification.
He returned to Old Trafford but suffered a metatarsal injury during the clubs pre-season tour of South Africa forcing him to miss the start of the season.
On his return he could only manage three substitute appearances the best being in the League against Stoke City where he set up Danny Welbeck for his first United goal.
Unable to gain a starting place Manucho was loaned out to Hull before being sold to Real Valladolid at the end of the season.
|
Appearances (Subs) |
Goals |
|
0 (3) |
0 |
Nery Castillo (Manchester City) – From Shakhtar Donetsk (Loan) 2007/08
Nery Castillo was so desperate to move to the Premier League that he even offered to pay half of his £3.5 million loan fee himself.
The 24-year-old Mexican winger signed on loan from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2008 and was highly rated being linked in the past with United, Chelsea and Juventus.
He made his debut for City in an FA Cup third round tie at West Ham United but his English dream turned into a disaster when he broke his shoulder in the replay at Eastlands.
Castillo though stayed instead of returning to the Ukraine but after failing to impress Eriksson he was offloaded sharpish when Mark Hughes took over in the summer.
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Appearances (Subs) |
Goals |
|
4 (5) |
0 |
William Prunier (Manchester United) – From Bordeaux (Trial) 1995/96
A United defensive crisis which saw injuries to Steve Bruce, Gary Pallister and David May led to the on trial William Prunier being called into action against QPR partnering Gary Neville at centre back in a 2-1 win at Old Trafford.
The Frenchman who was initially meant to only play in the reserves during his trial period even played a part in one of the goals setting up Andy Cole.
However he was found out in the following game away at Tottenham Hotspur where United were humiliated 4-1 at White Hart Lane.
Prunier was made a scapegoat for the performance and never played for United again and went back to France.
He will always be remembered by fans though as he was voted sixth in the top ten worst Manchester United players of all time in a recent Times survey.
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Appearances (Subs) |
Goals |
|
2 |
0 |
Dong Fangzhou (Manchester United) – From Dalian Shide (£500,000) 2003/04
Dong Fangz-who? Was what many United fans said when the Chinese international signed for the Reds back in January 2004 as he became their first ever Asian signing.
Fangzhou was ineligible to play for the senior team when he arrived after he had yet to be granted a work permit.
The Chinese international was forced to go on-loan to United’s feeder team Royal Antwerp and occasional appeared for the Reds on pre-season tours of Asia where many saw him as a gimmick to sell shirts to a growing fanbase.
When he was finally given a work permit in 2007 Dong only made three appearances for United failing to score as he looked completely out of his depth at Old Trafford.
Maybe the Home Office had better knowledge of his footballing ability than Sir Alex Ferguson.
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Appearances (Subs) |
Goals |
|
2 (1) |
0 |
Image courtesy of tvcdeportesnet via YouTube, with thanks.
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