With rumours all but confirmed, Andrey Santos’ move to Old Trafford sees him become the latest in a long line of players to play for Manchester United and Chelsea.
Not all have been successful, with the likes of Mark Bosnich and Jadon Sancho failing to hit the heights and Radamel Falcao having a pair of loan moves to forget. It might be too early to judge Alejandro Garnacho’s time at Stamford Bridge but he performed reasonably for United throughout his three year stint in the first team. George Graham played for both, however, is much better known for his time at Arsenal, both on the pitch and in the dugout. Paul Parker’s four Chelsea appearances don’t warrant a place on our list, unfortunately.
For two highly regarded teams to have so many shared players is unusual, as often teams will see this as potentially strengthening a rival. With that being said, let’s take a look at some of the most well known players to play for both Manchester United and Chelsea.
Most Notable Players to Play for Manchester United and Chelsea
Mason Mount
Former fan favourite, Mason Mount is one of the more recent players to play for Manchester United and Chelsea. Moving in 2023 on a five year deal, Mount cost United £55 million. He took the iconic number seven shirt, however, hasn’t lived up to the legends who have previously worn the shirt.
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At Chelsea, he performed consistently, making 195 appearances in four seasons. Heading into his fourth season at United, he’s mustered up just 72 appearances. He’s suffered several injuries that have kept him out of action at Old Trafford, however, there’s no denying that Mount hasn’t lived up to the Champions League winning midfielder that they signed.
Romelu Lukaku
One of the more notable players to play for Manchester United and Chelsea is striker, Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian had a short stint at Chelsea before moving to Everton. It was at Goodison Park where he caught the eye of United boss, Jose Mourinho and would go on to notch an impressive 16 league goals in his first season. After just two seasons, Lukaku would be sold to Inter Milan, despite scoring 64 goals in 95 appearances for United.
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He would make a sensational return to Chelsea seven years after originally leaving. Costing The Blues a reported £97.5 million, it’s safe to say that the return didn’t work out. He clashed with then boss, Thomas Tuchel and would be loaned back to Inter and then to Roma before a permanent move to Napoli saw him close the Chelsea chapter.
Juan Mata
One of the most underappreciated players on the list of players to play for Manchester United and Chelsea is without a doubt, the Spanish maestro, Juan Mata. Moving from Valencia to Chelsea in 2011, the Spaniard made 135 appearances in blue across just three seasons. He would win the FA Cup, Champions League and Europa League during his short stay at Stamford Bridge and this success would secure his move to Old Trafford in 2013.
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Mata would spend nine seasons at Old Trafford and endure a turbulent time with various different managers and off the pitch struggles behind the scenes. Mata was largely deployed from the right, although was more than comfortable in an attacking midfield position. He would score 51 goals and record 44 assists during his 285 games in red.
Nemanja Matic
Another name who tends to go under the radar is Nemanja Matic. Like Lukaku, Matic had two stints at Chelsea, first signing in 2009 before re-signing in 2013 after a stint in Portugal. He would become a two-time Premier League winner during his time at Chelsea and anchor the midfield alongside Cesc Fabregas.
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He would make the move over to Old Trafford for £40 million, however, wouldn’t have as much success in Manchester as he did in London. He spent five seasons in red but was never truly accepted by the United faithful, arguably due to his Chelsea background.
Juan Sebastian Veron
Arriving in England with plenty of hype, Juan Sebastian Veron came from Lazio with the potential to make a huge splash in the Premier League. What played out, however, was a player that struggled to adapt to the pace of the league. Despite being an Argentine international, Veron couldn’t adapt to the Premier League’s style and the high expectations of Sir Alex Ferguson.
Maybe it was the Manchester weather that Veron didn’t like and a switch down to London would suit him better. Chelsea paid £15 million for him after two seasons. Injuries meant that he mustered up just seven league appearances in Chelsea blue before several loan moves saw him eventually sign for Estudiantes permanently in 2007. A stint in England to forget for Veron, Ferguson and Ranieri and arguably one of the most disappointing players to play for Manchester United and Chelsea.
Mark Hughes
From United, to Barcelona, a stint at Bayern Munich, back to United and then to Chelsea, it’s safe to say Mark Hughes was highly regarded in the 1980s and 1990s. Beginning his career at United in 1980, Hughes would make 121 total appearances during his first stint in Manchester, scoring 47.
After a pair of seasons abroad, the forward would re-sign for United and go on to make a further 352 appearances scoring 116 goals. He sits ninth on United’s all time top goal scorers, in between Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes – Great company to hold. He helped United win the European Super Cup, European Cup Winners’ Cup, League Cup, three FA Cups and two Premier Leagues.
He would make the move to Chelsea in 1995 and go on to make an impressive 123 appearances in Blue. Although he wouldn’t win as much as he did in Red, Hughes helped Chelsea to an FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup Winner’s Cup.
Ray Wilkins
With over 400 combined appearances for both teams, Ray Wilkins is one of the great players to play for Manchester United and Chelsea.
Kicking off his career in 1973 at Chelsea, the midfielder would stick by Chelsea through relegation and promotion. He would make 207 total appearances, scoring 35 goals. He became captain at just 18 years old and would go on to become one of the most well respected players in Chelsea’s history.
He would make the move north to United after Chelsea were relegated in 1979. He would help the reds to win the FA Cup in 1983 and would make a total of 194 appearances for United. His impressive performances for United would see him sign for AC Milan in 1984.
