Top 5 players who struggled after leaving Manchester United

#2 Nemanja Vidic

Vidic didn't adapt to Italy as well as many thought he would

Ferdinand's fabled central-defensive partner, Vidic was perhaps the Premier League's finest natural defender ever. He was a commanding and terrifying presence at the back, a Serbian nightmare for opposition strikers. He arrived from Russian football for just £7 million, a fee which seems so small considering his eventual contributions to the club.

Vidic soon settled into the first team and would go on to be almost ever-present for 8 seasons. He won 5 league titles and 1 UEFA Champions League title; on a personal note, he was named in the PFA's Premier League team of the year on 4 separate occasions. At his best, he was consistently one of Europe's strongest defenders for almost a decade.

The only reason for his departure from Manchester United was, like Ferdinand, his age. At 32, he moved to Serie A to join Inter Milan. Italian football seemed made for Vidic, despite his growing years, as the league was dominated by defences.

He ended up playing only 1 full season at the San Siro, however, and made some key errors in league matches that cost his side. His contract with Inter was ended by mutual consent in 2016 and almost immediately after, Vidic announced his retirement from football.

After so many tough years battling bruising Premier League strikers, Vidic was too tired to last at such a high level of football and should have retired sooner like his old partner Ferdinand.