Owen Hargreaves
Owen Hargreaves was once viewed as the man who would replace Roy Keane in the centre of the midfield at Manchester United.
A versatile midfielder who was born in Canada, Hargreaves began his professional career at Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga, where he became known for his tireless work rate and tactical intelligence.
After shining for England at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, his performances caught the eye of Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United, who spent around £17m to sign him in 2007.
Hargreaves’ time at Old Trafford was marked by both success and injury struggles.
He played a crucial role in United’s Premier League and UEFA Champions League-winning campaigns in the 2007-2008 season. However, persistent injuries plagued his United career and he left the club on a free transfer in 2011 after barely playing at all in the final few seasons at Old Trafford.
After speculation linking him with a host of lower league clubs, Hargreaves made the surprising move across town to Manchester City in 2011, where he hoped to revive his career.
Scoring a free kick to open the scoring on his debut, a goal that was followed by a highly passionate celebration from the player, was the highlight of his stay at the Etihad.
It proved to be his one and only game for the club as injuries once again wrecked his career, with Hargreaves retiring from football soon after.
Hargreaves will forever be known as the player that Sir Alex Ferguson labelled his worst ever signing, but many may not remember that he also featured for both sides in Manchester.
