da roleta： The Red Devils have a clutch of players out on temporary deals in 2023-24, but who is performing well, and who could be producing more?
da fezbet： David Beckham was the set-piece specialist for almost all of his Manchester United career. But his first free-kick goal as a professional was not for the Red Devils, it was for Preston North End. Beckham also honed his ability for pin-point corners while at Deepdale, where he spent an invaluable year on loan in the 1994-95 season, returning to Old Trafford as a man ready to take on the world.
Beckham is probably the most high-profile United player to benefit from a spell out on loan, but he is in good company. Jonny Evans cut his teeth in senior football on loan at Sunderland, playing for Roy Keane. And if that doesn't prepare you for professional life, then nothing will. “Playing under Roy was fantastic, I loved it,” he recalled. “He was very demanding of his players, but that’s what I was used to. That was such a fantastic period of my career.”
Diogo Dalot reignited his United career after a slow start with the help of a loan spell at AC Milan, while Amad Diallo had a sensational last season with Sunderland, propelling the Black Cats into the play-offs with 17 goals. He was so good that United felt compelled to keep him, but an untimely injury during pre-season tour has contributed to him making just two substitute appearances so far this campaign.
GOAL runs the rule over United's five current players who are out on loan and hoping to benefit from some regular football and time away from the spotlight of Old Trafford…
Getty 10Hannibal Mejbri (Sevilla) – 2/10 🌟
If the aim of a loan move is to get more playing time and improve your reputation, then Hannibal's sojourn with Sevilla is definitely not going as planned. The Tunisia midfielder had a penchant for reckless tackles while at United and did not help his cause by getting booked within a minute of making his debut from the bench in a 5-1 thrashing by Girona.
He was then dropped from the squad amid reports of a fight with team-mate Mariano, with the club releasing a statement saying they had to "give him the necessary space to understand where he is". He has played just eight minutes of football since then, enough time to pick up another yellow card.
AdvertisementGetty9Alvaro Fernandez (Benfica) – 4/10 ⬇️
There were some calls for United to keep Fernandez after a positive season on loan at Preston, but he was sent out again to Granada on deadline day. He had fleeting moments to remember in La Liga, making just five starts and eight appearances off the bench for the struggling Andalusians. The loan deal was cut short by United in January so he could join Benfica on loan, with the option of a permanent move in the summer.
Given United's horrid injury luck with left-backs – Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia are currently out – Fernandez might have been better off staying at Old Trafford as he has played just 27 minutes of league football for Benfica, although he has been getting starts in the domestic cup and the Europa League.
Getty Images8Donny van de Beek (Eintracht Frankfurt) – 4/10 🌟
The Dutch midfielder's time at United was a list of disappointments and defeats, most notably a serious knee injury in January 2023. Frankfurt have given him the opportunity to get his stalling career back on track and he is slowly doing that, making five Bundesliga starts in an unbeaten run. He is yet to pull up any trees and still looks nothing like the player he was at Ajax but at least he is playing football again.
Getty7Dan Gore (Port Vale) – 4/10 🌟
The captain of United's under-21 side had made small inroads into the first team, getting substitutes' appearances in the Carabao Cup against Crystal Palace and in the Premier League against Aston Villa. Port Vale provided him hope of more regular senior football but he has played just one game in League One and has been out since mid-February with an injury.