Manchester United football club has a long-standing tradition of buying and nurturing the best African players. This is due to their rich history of success bought on by none other than the man himself, Sir Alex Ferguson.

When an African player makes a big-money move to a top club in the Premier League or the other competitions that Manchester United plays in, you’ll probably hear about it. You’ll probably know who they are and what they are well capable of on increasing your odds of winning a bet or two at your favourite betting platforms.

Here we will look at African players who have graced the football pitch for Manchester United or, as we call it, Man Utd.

1. Odion Iglaho

The first Nigerian player to represent Manchester United at senior level, Ighalo arrived at Old Trafford on loan in January 2020. The former Watford striker enjoyed a prolific spell with the Hornets, scoring 39 goals in 99 appearances before joining the Chinese Super League side Changchun Yatai.

His performances earned him a loan move back to England with Manchester United. He netted five goals in 19 appearances before returning to China after his loan spell in January 2021.

2. Quinton Fortune

Fortune joined from Athletico Madrid in August 1999 and made his debut in a 5-1 win over Newcastle United and made 126 appearances and netted 11 goals throughout his stay at the Reds.

He was one of the first South Africans to play professionally in Europe when he joined the Spanish side Atletico Madrid at age 18 in 1995. He moved to Manchester United two years later.

Fortune was used primarily as a backup midfielder during his time at Old Trafford and made just six Premier League starts in seven seasons. He spent most of the 2006-07 season on loan at Bolton Wanderers and retired after leaving United in 2007.

Fortune took part in a historic treble of trophies in his second season with United, winning the Premier League title, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League. He also won the league title three more times and was part of the squad that achieved the first-ever English league, cup, league cup treble in 1999.

3. Eric Djemba-Djemba

A former teammate of former Manchester United defender Gabriel Heinze at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), Djemba-Djemba joined the Red Devils from Nantes in 2003 and spent two injury-ravaged seasons at Old Trafford.

Throughout his time at Old Trafford, Eric made 47 appearances and scored four goals before joining Aston Villa in 2005 after spending time on loan with Burnley and Qatar SC.

4. Mame Biriam Diouf

Mame Biram Diouf joined Manchester United from French Club Lens in 2003. The young striker was sent out on loan to Royal Antwerp, where he made an impression with his performances before returning to Old Trafford after his loan spell ended. During his time playing for Man United, he made 39 appearances and scored 2 goals.

He was given a squad number, but he never made a first-team appearance for Manchester United before being sold to German Club Hannover 96 in 2009. He has since played for Stoke City and currently plays for his home country, the Senegal National Team.

5. Eric Bailly

He rose to popularity, won his home country their second-ever Africa Cup of Nations title back in 2015, and later became a key player at his time at Villareal, where he won the club’s first UEFA Europa League title.

Unsurprisingly, the Ivory Coast international then signed for Manchester United from Spanish club Villareal in 2016. He has since made 74 appearances for Manchester United and scored his first and only goal against Swansea City in 2017.

The 25-year-old center-back has had his injury problems with the Red Devils but is now back in shape and ready to fight alongside Ronaldo, Cavani, and Rashford.

Red Devil Players from Africa

We are now entering the twenty-first century, which means that footballers of African origin have had their presence known in Europe for decades.

Although many African players have had to leave their families early, they have come to stand out at some of the most prestigious European clubs. With several trophies and successful careers under their belts, these players have made a name for themselves not only within England and Spain but also in other parts of the world.