Manchester United’s top 5 January signings

With the acquisition of Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal to be completed soon, Manchester United would be signing a world class player in his prime and would be hoping that the Chilean helps the Red Devils rake up silverware for the club.

With rarely any big-name players available in the January transfer window, we take a look at 5 times in the history when the English club did their business in January and it turned out to be a fortune.

#5 Rafael Da Silva

A trusted player under Sir Alex Ferguson

The Brazilian right-back joined United in 2007 and went on win a plethora of trophies during his time at the club. Rafael came to Manchester as a 17-year-old and even had to wait 6 months to get a chance to play because he was underage.

But once he did, the Brazilian made the right-back spot his own. He was nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year award just after his first season and his tendency to contribute to the attack got every Old Trafford faithful excited when he was on the ball.

Before joining Lyon in 2015, Rafael won the Premier League 3 times and bagged the FIFA Club World Cup trophy in 2008 in 169 appearances. United also finished runners-up in the UEFA Champions League in 2009 and 2011 with him in the team. With the kind of energy he had on display, Rafael was the perfect Brazilian right back, a combination of flair and the tenacity to venture forward.

#4 Andy Cole

One of the most decorated players in English football

Andy Cole was brought in to Manchester in the January of 1995 for a then British transfer record of £7 million. The former English international was not a success straight away at the club due to immense competition for the striker position but managed to get over his injuries and poor form that plagued his early United career.

Cole went on to score 93 goals in 195 appearances for the Red Devils picking up almost everything on offer at club level. He won 5 Premier League titles in the span of just six years including the Champions League in the 1998-99 season when United completed a historic treble.

The lethal striker formed one of the most feared strike forces in all of Europe alongside Dwight Yorke from the 1998-99 season onwards. Cole went on to become the third-highest goal scorer with 187 goals in Premier League history scoring half of his goals in the red of Manchester.

#3 Patrice Evra

'Uncle Pat' after securing the 2012-13 Premier League title

Patrice Evra or ‘Uncle Pat’ as he is known by most of his teammates and on social media, is one of the most successful players in United’s history. The Frenchman won 5 Premier League titles, 3 League Cups, 5 Community Shields, 1 UEFA Champions League and 1 FIFA Club World Cup in a career spanning 9 years in Manchester.

Evra amassed a whopping 379 appearances for the club and was the first choice left back for almost every season. After joining the club in 2006, Evra went on to earn plaudits from pundits and fans likewise due to his attacking style of play.

The French international might not have been the first-choice captain for the team but Sir Alex Ferguson has talked about the impact that Evra had on the pitch as a leader on multiple occasions. Evra was one of the best full-backs in the world during his prime under Sir Alex and a lot of it comes down to his unexpected transfer in the winter of 2006.

#2 Juan Mata

A creative outlet in this current Jose Mourinho side

Juan ‘Magician’ Mata was brought in at the club at the start of 2014 by David Moyes and the Spaniard is still going strong. Mata was sold by the then Chelsea gaffer, Jose Mourinho to United for £37.1 million and coincidently plays for the same man now.

Mata’s record at United has been exceptional with his creativity and playmaking ability helping United when they need him the most. With 39 goals and 30 assists in 169 appearances, Mata was part of the team that won the UEFA Europa League last year.

Mata might not have been the flashiest of players but his two goals at Anfield in Louis Van Gaal’s second season with one of them being a bicycle kick remains the highlight of the Spanish international’s time at Manchester. With 1 FA Cup, EFL Cup and Community Shield for United as well, the 29-year-old is still going strong.

#1 Nemanja Vidic

One of the legends of the club

The Serbian defender was brought in for £7 million by Sir Alex Ferguson in 2006 and he went on to gain a cult status at Old Trafford with the fans hailing the fearless defender as one of the best they had ever seen. His partnership with Rio Ferdinand was a rock solid pairing which held the record of 14 consecutive clean sheets in the 2008-09 season.

A captain of the team for four years, Vidic resonated a killer attitude and would often throw himself on the striker’s boots just to stop a shot. Fearless as he was, Sir Alex's words are enough to explain his approach to defending.

"He loved the challenge of sticking his head in there. You could tell that the thrill of contesting those 50-50 balls animated him."

The Serb's trophy collection is a collector's delight with 5 Premier League titles out of which 3 were consecutive, 1 UEFA Champions League, 1 FIFA World Club Cup and 3 League Cup medals. Moreover, Vidic was named in four PFA Team of the Year's and is still the only defender to win the Premier League Player of the Season award twice.