Lukaku, Darmian, Mkhitaryan, McTominay, and Now Antony: Is Manchester United the Real Problem?

Here we go again. Another Manchester United signing flops, moves elsewhere, and suddenly transforms into a footballing demigod. It’s becoming a predictable cycle—like the Fast & Furious movies, but instead of high-speed chases, we get high-speed career resurrections the moment players leave Old Trafford.

Let’s run through the lineup: Romelu Lukaku, Matteo Darmian, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Memphis Depay, Ángel Di María, Donny van de Beek (remember him?), and now Antony. United buys them as top-tier players, turns them into ghosts, then watches them become stars again at their next club. It’s like they have a machine designed specifically to ruin careers.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS are supposed to be the answer. In December 2023, Ratcliffe bought a 27.7% stake and took over football operations. Great! Finally, some structure, right? Well, not quite.

First, Omar Berrada was brought in as CEO. Then Dan Ashworth was poached from Newcastle for the Sporting Director role… only to get sacked five months later after rumored power struggles. 

Oh, and let’s not forget Erik ten Hag getting kicked out after a string of dreadful performances. Manchester United is officially where careers go to die—not just for players but for executives too.

New manager Ruben Amorim inherited a club in disarray. By February 2025, United sat in 15th place in the Premier League, their lowest position since the 1989-90 season. 


The INEOS regime promised change, but so far, it’s just been a higher-budget version of the same old disaster. It’s like getting a fresh coat of paint on a house that’s already on fire.

Let’s talk about Scott McTominay. You remember him—the midfielder United fans always debated like he was the human embodiment of Marmite. He left for Napoli, and guess what? He’s thriving. Not just playing well—scoring goals, dominating midfield battles, and winning Serie A Player of the Month awards. 

Suddenly, McTominay is prime Gennaro Gattuso, and United fans are left wondering how they missed this. Was he always this good? Or did United just drain the talent out of him like a vampire?

Then there’s Antony. The guy who went from being United’s second-most expensive signing ever (£86 million!) to an afterthought. Well, turns out he’s having a career renaissance at Real Betis.

He’s scoring, he’s dribbling, he’s winning Man of the Match awards—basically, he’s playing like the guy United thought they were signing from Ajax. It’s almost like… United was the problem all along? Who could’ve guessed? 

A terrifying realization: United loves buying the best players from their previous clubs… and somehow making them worse. Here’s a short, terrifying list:

🇧🇪Romelu Lukaku: 114 G/A in 166 games at Everton. Joins United, becomes a meme. Leaves, wins Serie A, Coppa Italia, Europa League and Seria A Player of the Year, and finishes 12th in the Ballon d'Or voting.

🇦🇷Ángel Di María: An assist machine at Real Madrid, flops at United, moves to PSG and wins 22 trophies, including the 2022 World Cup.

🇳🇱Memphis Depay: Best player in the Eredivisie, struggles at United (7 goals in 53 games), goes to Lyon and racks up 133 G/A in 178 games.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿Jadon Sancho: Bundesliga phenom, comes to United, disappears like he entered the Bermuda Triangle.

🇮🇹Matteo Darmian: One of the best young right-backs in Serie A. Joins United, warms the bench. Moves to Inter Milan, wins 7 trophies.

🇦🇲Henrikh Mkhitaryan: Dortmund's star, struggles at United, rediscovers his form at Roma and Inter Milan.

🇩🇰Rasmus Hojlund: £72 million signing from Atalanta, still searching for a proper run of form.

At this point, if you’re a rising football star and United comes calling, you should probably fake an injury and let the call go to voicemail. 

1️⃣ A Club Without a Clear Identity 🏟️❓🔄 

 Post-Ferguson, United have cycled through seven different managers with different styles—Moyes, Van Gaal, Mourinho, Solskjær, Rangnick, Ten Hag, and now Ruben Amorim. Unlike clubs like Liverpool or Manchester City, where recruitment aligns with a long-term philosophy, United’s signings often feel random. Players are bought for one system and left stranded when a new manager arrives. 

2️⃣ Toxic Environment & Fan Pressure 🌪️🗣️📢 

The weight of playing for Manchester United is immense. The relentless media scrutiny, impatient fanbase, and expectations often break players mentally. Even world-class talents like Ángel Di María and Alexis Sánchez looked lost at Old Trafford but flourished elsewhere.

3️⃣ Poor Coaching & Squad Management 🏋️‍♂️❌📉 

United’s decline has also been due to outdated training methods and poor player development. When was the last time a player genuinely improved at United? The coaching staff has often failed to get the best out of talented players, while rivals like Arsenal and City continuously develop stars. 

4️⃣ Misguided Recruitment Strategy 🎲💰🎯
 
Unlike well-run clubs that scout players suited to a clear system, United have often made expensive panic buys. The club has spent over €1.5 billion since 2013, yet it has only led to one FA Cup, one Europa League, and two League Cups—a poor return compared to their spending. 

It’s hard to argue otherwise. Managers change, players change, the results stay the same. There’s something fundamentally broken in the way the club integrates talent. Is it bad coaching? Poor tactical setups? A toxic culture? The answer is probably all of the above.

The club’s reputation is in tatters. If things don’t change fast, United won’t just be out of the top four—they’ll be fighting to stay in the top half of the table.

But hey, at least McTominay is enjoying life in Italy. Good for him. Maybe he can send United a postcard from Naples. It’ll probably be the closest they get to Champions League football anytime soon.