Manchester United’s African stars

With goalkeeper Andre Onana set to become the latest African player through the door at Manchester United, we take a look at the history of players from the continent at Old Trafford.

Some were a huge success, others a big letdown, and how Onana goes after replacing David De Gea will be fascinating to watch.

GARY BAILEY

Appearances/goals: 294/0

The goalkeeper was born in Ipswich in England but raised in South Africa, where he held citizenship as his father Roy Bailey coached extensively in the country.

Gary played his early football at Wits University but paid his own way to a trial with Manchester United that resulted in a contract.

He made his debut in November 1978, ironically against Ipswich, and went on to make almost 300 appearances over the next nine years.

He helped United to two FA Cup final wins in 1983 and 1985, and also became a full England international, winning two caps.

As injuries began to bite, he left United in 1987 and returned ‘home’ to South Africa to play for Kaizer Chiefs. He later became a popular analyst on SuperSport.

ERIC BAILLY

Appearances/goals: 113/1

The Ivory Coast centre-back has spent the last seven seasons at United following a move from Villarreal in Spain, but last year was loaned out to Ligue 1 Marseille.

It appears Bailly’s time at Old Trafford is up after he was told not to report for pre-season training ahead of the 2023/24 with the intention that he will be sold.

A solid performer in his first season with the club in 2016/17, he failed to win a regular place after that and has only 113 appearances to show for his time at the club.

The 29-year-old did win the Uefa Europa League with the Red Devils in that maiden season, but that is his only piece of silverware.

BEBE

Appearances/goals: 7/2

Born in Portugal but an international for Cape Verde, it is fair to say things did not really work out for Bebe at United.

He joined from Bongani Zungu’s old club Vitoria Guimaraes in the 2010/11 season but would end up making only seven appearances in all competitions, including two in the Premier League.

What was unusual about the transfer is that Vitoria had only signed him five weeks before that, but he came recommended to Sir Alex Ferguson by former United assistant coach Carlos Queiroz.

The winger was instead loaned out to Besiktas in Turkey, and Rio Ave and Pacos de Ferreira in Portugal, before joining Benfica on a permanent deal in 2014/15. This was one that did not work out.

AMAD DIALLO

Appearances/goals: 9/1

The 21-year-old is highly-rated and spent last season on loan at Sunderland, where he narrowly failed to get them promoted to the Premier League.

Whether he will be part of the first team at Old Trafford this season remains to be seen, there could well be another loan in the offing.

Born in the Ivory Coast, he moved to Italy as a young child and came through the youth ranks at Atalanta before being snapped up by United aged 19 for a fee reported to be rising to €40-million with add-ons.

He made his debut in the 2020/21 season but spent half of the next campaign on loan at Glasgow Rangers, before heading to Sunderland last season.

MAME DIOUF

Appearances/goals: 9/1

Senegal forward Diouf moved to Old Trafford from Norwegian side Molde in 2009, with Ferguson saying at the time they had tracked the powerful forward for two years.

He debuted in the second half of the 2009/10 season but then spent the next campaign on loan at Blackburn Rovers, where he scored six times in 29 appearances.

Diouf made only three League Cup appearances for United in 2011/12 and was sold midway through to German Bundesliga Hannover.

He later returned to England with stoke City but was never prolific and the early promise United saw in him went largely unfulfilled.

ERIC DJEMBA-DJEMBA

Appearances/goals: 37/2

If Jay-Jay Okocha was ‘so good they named him twice’, the same could not be said for Djemba-Djemba.

Signed as a replacement for the legendary Roy Keane, perhaps he was always on a hiding to nothing as those were massive shoes to fill for the Cameroonian midfielder.

He arrived from Nantes in Ligue 1 in 2003 as a 22-year-old and spent two seasons at Old Trafford before being transferred to Aston Villa, and later Burnley, as things did not work out for him in England.

He did once score a late winner against Leeds United in a League Cup tie, perhaps the pinnacle of his time at the club, with Quinton Fortune the man who supplied the cross.

QUINTON FORTUNE

Appearances/goals: 127/10

South African Fortune had been a junior at Tottenham Hotspur earlier in his career but moved to United after a spell with Atletico Madrid in LaLiga.

He will be the first to admit the move to Old Trafford came a littler out of the blue, but over the next seven seasons he became a valued member of the squad, albeit a bit of a ‘jack of all trades’.

He was used as a central midfielder, winger and, in the end, full-back but was always dependable whenever called upon.

Although he was at the club for three Premier League title, he only got a winners’ medal in one in 2002/03, having reached the threshold for matches played.

But he did play a big role in helping the team win the 1999 Intercontinental Cup, the forerunner to what is now the Club World Cup.

After his playing days he returned to the club as a junior coach and has also been an ambassador for the team.

ODION IGHALO

Appearances/goals: 23/5

Nigerian forward Igalho was a surprise signing in the 2019/20 season on loan from Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua but was well versed in the Premier League after a successful spell with Watford.

He is the first Nigerian to play for United and actually took a pay cut to make sure the move went through; such was his desire to turn out for the famous Red Devils.

His time at the club also coincided with the Covid-19 pandemic, which did restrict his impact, and in the end he scored five goals in 23 appearances, though he did not net in the Premier League with all his strikes in cup competitions.

MANUCHO

Appearances/goals: 3/0

Manucho was a star man for Angola as they stunned football with their qualification for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, and 18 months later surprised again with a move to Old Trafford.

It did come after a three-week trial in which he impressed Ferguson, and he was immediately sent on loan to Greek side Panathinaikos for the rest of the 2007/08 season.

He was in the squad for the next campaign though, but it would prove disappointing as he made only three appearances and earned 16 minutes of playing time in the Premier League against Stoke City.

He left halfway through for Hull City on loan and his stay in Manchester ended when he moved to Real Valladolid at the start of the new season.

HANNIBAL MEJBRI

Appearances/goals: 3/0

The young French-born Tunisia international is still on the books of United, though he spent last season on loan at Birmingham City.

Things did not get off to the best start for him when he was involved in a training ground brawl with teammate Alex Telles 12 months ago, but there is some possible redemption, he starred in the friendly win over Leeds United last week.

Quite what the future holds is unknown, and the player himself has said it might be time to move on.

He was a junior at Monaco before joining United in 2019, making three appearances for the club in two seasons before his loan in Birmingham.

WILFRIED ZAHA

Appearances/goals: 4/0

Zaha joined United as a 20-year-old from Crystal Palace in 2013 and was billed as one of the most exciting players in the country. But he would only ever make four appearances for the club in all competitions.

The Ivory Coast international instead had two loan spells back at Palace before joining them permanently again in 2015/16 having also had a loan at Cardiff City.

He has been a steady player for The Eagles, but the fact he has spent the last eight years since his United return at the modest London club suggests he has not reached the level many expected him to.