Man Utd's first 5 signings after Glazer takeover as Ratcliffe eyes transfers
It has been over 18 years since the Glazers took full control of Manchester United.
After the takeover was completed in May 2005, around 300 United fans protested against the Glazer family outside Old Trafford and it's safe to say they were unhappy about the club's new owners. Bobby Charlton issued a public apology to the Glazers for the reception they received.
The Glazers have spent over £2billion on transfers but they are still not well received among the United faithful. A peaceful protest is being planned before Saturday's home game against Luton as the Glazers continue to remain in situ - almost 12 months after they put the club up for sale.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is closing in on a 25 per cent stake in United, and although he has plans to take full control, he will initially be working with the Glazers once the deal goes through. The INEOS owner could be set to strengthen the United squad in January, with three big-money signings set to depart.
However, Ratcliffe will be hoping his maiden arrivals will be as successful as those the Glazers signed when they first took over almost two decades ago. With that in mind, Mirror Football have taken a look back at the Glazers' first five signings and how they fared during their time at United.
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Edwin van der Sar - £2m
After a four-year spell at Fulham, Van der Sar signed for United in June 2005 for a reported fee of £2m, becoming the Glazers' first signing in the process. He hit the ground running immediately at Old Trafford and didn't miss a minute in the Premier League during his maiden campaign, featuring 51 times in all competitions.
Van der Sar won his first English top-flight title in 2006/07, before helping United to even more success in the following campaign. The Dutchman helped secure his second Premier League title on the final day and win the Champions League after saving the final shootout in their victory over Chelsea.
Having won two further Premier League titles, Van der Sar departed the Red Devils in 2011 after six successful years at the club. In total, the ex-Ajax stopper made 266 appearances and was described by Sir Alex Ferguson as the best goalkeeper the club had since the departure of Peter Schmeichel.
Edwin van der Sar won several major honours during his time at Manchester United (Getty Images)Ji-sung Park - £4m
In July 2005, United completed the signing of Park from PSV for £4m, becoming the second East Asian player to sign for the club after Dong Fangzhuo. Despite not scoring as many goals as he may have hoped, Park became a vital part of Ferguson's squad and made 45 appearances during his first season.
Though Park's game time was limited in his second campaign due to injury, he still came away with a Premier League winners' medal, having scored five times in 14 top-flight matches. Park was also part of the United side that won the Champions League in 2008, though he was left out of the squad for the final - one of the hardest decisions Ferguson had to make in his managerial career.
Park endured the most prolific season of his United career in 2010/11, scoring eight goals in 28 matches. He ended up leaving the club at the end of the following season, before joining QPR.
Ji-Sung Park was the Glazers' second Manchester United signing (Getty Images)Ben Foster - £1m
Having impressed Ferguson while playing for Wrexham in the Football League Trophy final, Foster signed for United in July 2005 for £1m. The goalkeeper was shipped out to Watford on loan to gain some more senior experience and he ended up spending two years at Vicarage Road, making 81 appearances in the process.
Foster returned to United in the summer of 2007 and was forced to undergo surgery on a cruciate ligament injury, which kept him out for over six months. Foster made his United debut in March 2008 but didn't play another first-team game for the remainder of that season. After going on to feature 22 more times and winning the League Cup twice. Foster joined Birmingham on a permanent transfer in 2010.
Nemanja Vidic - £7m
It took another six months for the Glazers to sign another first-team player as Vidic ended up signing from Spartak Moscow in a deal worth £7m. United beat competition for Vidic's signature and he made his debut for the club in January 2006 during a League Cup semi-final second-leg clash with Blackburn.
Vidic was in and out of the United side during his first six months at the club, before forming a partnership alongside Rio Ferdinand in central defence at the start of the 2006/07 campaign. That has since become one of the most prominent in world football, with the duo formidable for several years.
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Nemanja Vidic spent eight-and-a-half years at Manchester United (Getty Images)The former Serbia international was a key figure in United's Champions League-winning team and helped win five Premier League titles, including one in Ferguson's final campaign. Vidic left United at the end of the 2013/14 season with 300 appearances and 21 goals under his belt.
Patrice Evra - £5.5m
Following a transfer battle between Inter Milan and United, Evra chose to move to the Red Devils for £5.5m in January 2006. The Frenchman, however, had struggles adapting to the English game and was substituted at half-time on his debut against Manchester City. Despite the initial setback, Evra went on to cement himself in the United side, finishing the 2005/06 season on 14 appearances.
Although Evra wasn't a regular starter in the following campaign, he still had an impact and helped United win a Premier League title. During his time at United, Evra won 10 major honours and played 379 times, including the Champions League, before leaving to join Juventus in 2014.
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