In our latest series to celebrate Sir Alex Ferguson's 25 years in charge of Manchester United, we pick out some of the more memorable players who failed to hit the United heights.

1: Juan Sebastien Veron
Criticism of the Argentine playmaker prompted Ferguson to launch into one of his fieriest attacks on the media. But the fact was that the then £28.1m record buy from Lazio failed to live up to his price tag or reputation at Old Trafford. Signed to elevate United in Europe, he played his part in destabilising them at home as Fergie tried to shoehorn him into his system and relinquished the title to Arsenal. There were still moments of class and United were champions again in 2003, but he was sold to Chelsea that summer for a cut price £15m.

2: Massimo Taibi
Signed hastily at the start of the 99-2000 season for £4.5m, United couldn’t get the Italian registered in time to take part in the first stage of the Champions League. They didn’t know how lucky they were. Despite an impressive debut against Liverpool, Taibi went on to concede one the all-time howlers in Premier League history – allowing a Matthew Le Tissier pea-roller through his legs at Old Trafford. A 5-0 defeat at Chelsea turned out to be his fourth and final appearance in a United shirt.

3: Bebe
He surely ranks as one of the most bizarre signings in Ferguson’s 25 years at Old Trafford. The Portuguese forward was so unheard of when joining United for around £7m in 2010 that he didn’t even have a Wikipedia page. In fact, he’d only just signed for Vitoria de Guimaraes from Portuguese minnows Estrela, when Ferguson stepped in. United fans watched and waited to see what their manager had seen, but there was little sign in the seven appearances he made last season before going on loan to Besiktas at the start of this campaign.

4: Kleberson
In a summer when Ronaldinho was at the top of United’s wanted list, they ended up with his compatriot Kleberson. And the same nationality was about the only thing the two had in common. Despite being a World Cup winner in 2002, the midfielder looked woefully out of his depth in the Premier League. Despite costing the best part of £6m, he made only 30 appearances before heading off to Besiktas in 2005 for less than half of what United paid for him. Incredibly, though, he was still part of Brazil’s squad for last year’s World Cup.

5: Eric Djemba Djemba
So bad they named him twice, some wags cruelly suggested. Was supposed to be Roy Keane’s eventual successor, but lasted only 18 months following his £3.5m arrival from Nantes in 2003. As much flack as Fergie deserves for this particular howler, he deserves at least as much credit for managing to convince Aston Villa to pay £1.3m when United off-loaded him in 2005. Declared bankrupt in 2007 and now playing for OB Odense in Denmark.

6: Diego Forlan
The two-time European golden boot winner and player of last year’s World Cup looked nothing of the sort during an ill-fated two years at United. One goal in his first 34 games was impossible to recover from – even if he did earn a cult status with a double at Anfield. Has since gone on to prove Fergie’s initial assessment was right – but was rarely given the opportunity to shine at Old Trafford as Ruud van Nistelrooy’s understudy.

7: William Prunier
Strictly speaking, the French centre back was not a signing – arriving on loan from Bordeaux in December 1995. Earned rave reviews for his silky skills at the back in a 2-1 win over QPR on his debut – but his part in a 4-1 demolition at Tottenham two days later, proved to be his second and final game as a United player.

8: Ralph Milne
It is best to let Ferguson describe the former Bristol City man he signed in November 1988: “My worst signing? Ralph Milne,” he said at a meeting of the League Managers’ Association in 2009. “I only paid £170,000 but I still get condemned for it.” Considering the money spent on Taibi, Kleberson and Djemba-Djemba, Milne might have cause for complaint.

9: David Bellion
At one time likened to Thierry Henry – the critics claimed he was more like Lenny Henry. Blessed with pace, the Frenchman comes under the ‘curse of 2003’ tag, along with Kleberson and Djemba-Djemba as Fergie flops. In fairness, he was a raw talent when signed from Sunderland for £2m – but never looked anything like a United player before eventually released.

10: Zoran Tosic
Zoran who? That was what United fans were asking when the Serbian signed in
the January of 2009. And they’re still asking the same question now. A winger who could supposedly fill Ryan Giggs’ boots on the left, but was hardly likely to do that with just five substitute appearances before being
shown the door less than 18 months later.

11: Liam Miller
Another player burdened with the tag of being Keane’s successor, the Irishman was never truly given the chance to fill his countryman’s boots. Fergie thought he’d landed a coup when willing the midfielder away from Celtic in 2004 as he set about building a new generation, but Miller would make only 22 appearances for United before eventually Keane signed him when manager at Sunderland.

12: Adem Ljajic
Perhaps the experiences of Tosic persuaded Ferguson to pull out of the pre-agreement to sign his club-mate from Partizan Belgrade. United blamed work permit issues on the decision to scrap the deal for a player dubbed the new Kaka in his homeland.

13: Gabriel Obertan
Even his former manager Laurent Blanc appeared to question Ferguson’s decision to sign Bordeaux winger Obertan for £3m in 2009. “They certainly hope to advance him, something that Bordeaux and Lorient have failed to do,” he said at the time. In short, Obertan didn’t advance anything like United hoped and was sold to Newcastle in August.

14: Manucho
The powerful Angolan striker made a name for himself with four goals in as many appearances in the African Nations Cup in 2008 – but never transferred that form to these shores. Made only three substitute appearances for United before loan spells at Panathinaikos and Hull. Is currently playing at Valladolid in Spain.

15: Karel Poborsky
Like Diego Forlan, a player who proved himself once he departed Old Trafford. THAT goal at Euro 96 grabbed the attention of Ferguson, who believed the Czech international could replace Andrei Kanchelskis on the right. Signed for £3.5m, but a combination of indifferent form and the emergence of a certain David Beckham meant his days were numbered at United.

16: Mark Bosnich
The man who was handed Peter Schmeichel’s gloves in 1999, Bosnich’s undoubted natural ability wasn’t enough to see him fill the great Dane’s shoes. The writing was on the wall when Ferguson signed Taibi that same summer – but the nail in the coffin came when he signed Fabien Barthez a year later.

17: Jordi Cruyff
The Dutchman never managed to replicate the form he’d shown at Barcelona after signing for United following Euro 1996. Scored only six goals in 57 appearances as Ferguson struggled to find a role for him as either a winger or deep lying striker.

18: Laurent Blanc
No-one could question the Frenchman’s pedigree when Fergie signed the classy World Cup winner in 2001. But at the age of 35, the decision to show Jaap Stam the door to make way for the former Barcelona, Marseille and Inter Milan defender looks as barmy today as it did 10 years ago. Blanc was well past his best by time he rolled up at Old Trafford – and a side that had won three titles on the trot, finished third in his first season at the club. They were champions again in his second – but by then Rio Ferdinand had been signed for £30m.

19: Ricardo
One of a list of goalkeepers to join the Old Trafford graveyard. The Spaniard is definitely one of United’s forgotten men. He made only five appearances for the club after a £1.5m move from Valladolid. His most memorable moment for the Reds was saving a penalty against Blackburn in 2007 though, in fairness, he had conceded the spot kick and was  lucky to still be on the pitch.

20: Neil Webb
It all started so well for the Nottingham Forest and England midfielder. A stunning goal on his debut saw United beat champions, Arsenal, 4-1 at Old Trafford, but it was downhill from there. An Achilles tendon injury blighted his first season at the club and he never truly rediscovered his form from then on. At £1.5m could have been one of Fergie’s most astute buys, but ended up a sad waste of potential.

21: Jim Leighton
The Scotland international had served Ferguson so well during their time at Aberdeen. But when it came to winning the trophy that would prove to be the springboard for Fergie’s success at United, he’d lost faith in the goalkeeper. Leighton was dropped for the FA Cup final replay with Crystal Palace in 1990, following a jittery display in the first match. Les Sealey was preferred, United went on to win 1-0 and Ferguson’s job was secured.

22: Danny Wallace
Signed in 1989 when Ferguson was rebuilding his United squad. Wallace had been a star at Southampton – but he wouldn’t enjoy such success at Old Trafford. Although he played a part in the sides that won the FA Cup and Cup Winners’ Cup in 1990 and 91, he never looked like the player who had been so devastating at Southampton.

23: Dion Dublin
Dublin could be forgiven for looking back on a career that might have been. Signed from Cambridge for £1m after United missed out on Alan Shearer and David Hirst in 1992, he broke his leg after only two appearances. While he was recovering Ferguson swooped for Eric Cantona, effectively killing off Dublin’s hopes of making it at Old Trafford. A record of three goals in 17 appearances doesn’t suggest he would have provided the firepower United were after.

24: Owen Hargreaves
Shoul have gone on to be a United great. The combative England midfielder was the closest Ferguson has come to replacing Keane, but a double-knee ligament operation decimated his career. Went from winning a Premier League and Champions League double in his first season at the club to making just five appearances in the next three years. At a cost of £17m from Bayern Munich – arguably the most tragic waste of talent during Ferguson’s reign.

25: Dong Fangzhuo
Became the Reds’ first signing from China, arriving in January 2004 from Dalian Shide for an initial fee of £500,000 which could have risen to £3.5m depending on appearances – but it never reached that point. Spent the bulk of his United career farmed out on loan to Belgium playing for Royal Antwerp and by the time he left Old Trafford he had made just three appearances in total.

Who is your favourite player who failed to hit the United Heights? Have your say.

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