Every Dutch Footballer to Play for Manchester United - Ranked

The Netherlands has produced some of the finest football minds to ever grave the beautiful game.

They've spawned the likes of Johan Cruyff, Marco van Basten, the De Boer brothers and countless other household names from the game...and Ron Vlaar.

They just get football.

Manchester United have had their fair share of Dutch talent head to Old Trafford through the years, with some more successful than others. So with Donny van de Beek set to sign for the club imminently, we decided to rank how all 12 Dutchmen to play for United got on during their time in the north west of England...

12. Memphis Depay

This one hurts, because he could've easily been at the other end of this list.

When Memphis Depay signed for United in 2015 and immediately inherited the number seven shirt, it felt like the Red Devils had finally found the heir to CR7's throne. But the move didn't pay off. AT ALL.

A young Depay failed to settle and was largely misused as a result. Now he looks reborn at Lyon, but is remembered by United fans for rainbow flicking a few FC Midtjylland defenders and that attempted header away to Stoke...

11. Timothy Fosu-Mensah

There's still time for Fosu-Mensah to become a success at United after signing a new deal recently, but at 22, time is quickly running out.

The versatile defender was once highly rated in the Red Devils' youth setup after signing from Ajax in 2014, but injuries and failed loan spells have seen his stock plummet.

He made his first start for the club in over three years when he featured against Crystal Palace last season, but he hasn't done much since.

10. Alexander Buttner

Signed by Alex Ferguson ahead of his final season in charge, the left-back looked to have a lot of upside. He put pen to paper on a five-year deal and made 13 appearances in all competitions for the first team - scoring on his debut - as United won the Premier League.

Following a decent first season, his career didn't take off as expected, however, and he left in June 2014, having made just 28 appearances for the club.

9. Tahith Chong

It's still far too early to cast judgement on young Tahith Chong's career at Manchester United.

He signed from Feyenoord in 2016 and made his senior United debut in October 2018. He's since made a handful of first team appearances, but has been sent out on loan to Werder Bremen for the 2020/21 season.

Watch this space.

8. Jordi Cruyff

Son of the icon - no, not Sting, Johan Cruyff - Jordi signed for United from Barcelona in 1996 and was a regular fixture in the side until he suffered a knee injury in November that year.

It was a sign of things to come during his four years at Old Trafford, where injuries limited him to just 57 games in all competitions. He picked up a Premier league and two Community Shields, but that doesn't tell the whole story.

7. Arnold Muhren

United's first ever Dutch player, Arnold Muhren signed from Ipswich in 1982, having already enjoyed major success in his native Holland with Ajax.

Despite being 31 when he signed, United still saw glimpses of what made the midfielder so good in his prime.

6. Raimond van der Gouw

The ultimate understudy, Van der Gouw is underrated by many.

He deputised for Peter Schmeichel throughout the late 1990s and made 61 appearances during his six years with the club, from 1996 to 2002. Van der Gouw was an important figure at the club, acting as a reliable backup and a goalkeeper coach for the younger heads coming through the ranks.

He was on the books during United's emphatic treble winning season of 1998/99 and picked up a Premier League medal the following campaign, too.

5. Daley Blind

Another severely underrated servant to the club, Daley Blind was a bargain signing for United when he joined for just £13.8m in 2014.

When he provided that assist to Robin van Persie at the 2014 World Cup, it looked like United had the ultimate Dutch connection in their squad. It didn't quite work out that way, but Blind still proved vital.

He made 141 appearances for the club and was always a safe pair of hands wherever he was deployed, and left in 2018 with an FA Cup, League Cup, Europa League and a Community Shield.

4. Jaap Stam

A centre back ahead of his time, Jaap Stam only playing for United for three seasons was a serious misjudgement from the Red Devils.

Stam signed in 1998 and proved to be arguably the best defender in the world in his time with the club. He was vital to United's treble-winning season, missing just one Champions League game in their run to their famous win in Barcelona.

He famously left in 2002 following a row with Sir Alex Ferguson, but could've gone on to so much more at the club had he not been sold.

3. Robin van Persie

The striker only really had one good season with Manchester United, having signed at his absolute peak, but it was a season fans will never forget.

Ferguson signed Van Persie from Arsenal ahead of the 2012/13 season and donned the Dutchman donned the number 20 shirt as he fired the club to their 20th league title. Bagging 30 goals and 15 assists in all competitions, he was unstoppable and sealed the Premier League for the Red Devils in fine fashion.

2. Edwin van der Sar

It seemed to be impossible to replace Peter Schmeichel after he left in 2000, but they finally did so in 2005 with the signing of Van der Sar.

The Dutch shot stopper is one of the most decorated footballers ever and is arguably United's greatest keeper ever. He joined the club age 34 and spent six glorious seasons at Old Trafford, winning four Premier Leagues, a Champions League and countless other trophies.

He went 1,311 minutes without conceding a goal in 2009, which remains the longest a team has gone without conceding in the Premier League to this day.

He's also played a big part in United's signing of Van de Beek, to add the icing on the cake.

1. Ruud van Nistelrooy

It's hard to believe that there was a better Dutch striker to lace their boots up at Old Trafford than Van Persie, but there was.

Ruud van Nistelrooy isn't just United's greatest Dutch player ever, he's one of the Premier League's greatest ever too.

A serial finisher, Van Nistelrooy scored 150 goals in 219 games for United from 2001 to 2006, winning one Premier League, one FA Cup, one League Cup and one Community Shield. Exceptional.