Manchester United and Fulham don’t fall in the identical sentence on the pages of English soccer historical past. The Pink Devils have totally dominated the game of their nation, successful 20 top-tier titles. The Cottagers, in the meantime, have but to win the English prime flight, with their 5 league titles coming within the Championship and the third tier. But, there’s a bond that connects them. The 2 golf equipment have shared 13 gamers over time, a lot of whom are thought of legends of the sport.
As we anticipate the 2 groups to kick off the 2024-25 Premier League season with a cracker of a contest on Friday night time, August 16, allow us to have a look at gamers who skilled life from each camps. Proceed studying to satisfy the highest 5 gamers who’ve featured for each Manchester United and Fulham.
#5 Chris Smalling
In fifth place, we’ve Chris Smalling — simply some of the hardworking gamers the Premier League has ever seen. The AS Roma defender started his ascension to the very prime of English soccer in July 2008, when he switched from Maidstone to Fulham. It was not a simple highway for Smalling, however due to his grit, he proved his mettle and earned his hold. In two years at Fulham, he appeared in 19 video games, doing sufficient to safe a switch to English giants Manchester United.
Manchester United didn’t area him in each sport. However he all the time confirmed up, doing his greatest to assist the group. Between 2010 and 2019, Smalling took half in 323 video games for United throughout competitions, scoring 18 occasions. Smalling helped the membership to eight trophies, together with two Premier League titles and one UEFA Europa League trophy.
#4 Louis Saha
In July 2000, Fulham paid a €3.15 million ($3.4 million) charge to signal up-and-coming French striker Louis Saha from FC Metz. He scored 27 objectives in 43 matches within the second division, serving to Fulham earn a spot within the Premier League. Within the following couple of seasons, he scored 21 objectives in 56 Premier League matches. In his Fulham profession, Saha scored 63 objectives in 141 video games.
Manchester United had been mighty impressed along with his performances at Fulham and signed him for €17.5 million ($19.22 million) in January 2004. Saha justified his price ticket by gorgeous performances over the next 4 and a half years. He bagged 42 objectives and claimed 16 assists in 124 matches throughout competitions. His performances propelled United to 2 Premier League titles, one UEFA Champions League, and one League Cup.
#3 Dimitar Berbatov
2 Premier League Titles With Manchester United
One of the vital fashionable strikers the sport has ever seen, Dimitar Berbatov, joined Manchester United from Tottenham Hotspur in a mega €38 million ($41.74 million) deal in September 2008. The ex-Bulgaria worldwide loved an honest debut season at Outdated Trafford, scoring 14 objectives and offering 11 assists in 43 video games in all competitions. He reserved his greatest for the 2010-11 season, throughout which he scored 20 Premier League objectives in 32 video games. Between 2008 and 2012, Berbatov bagged 56 objectives and 26 assists in 149 video games throughout competitions, firing the Mancunians to 2 Premier League titles, two League Cups, one FIFA Membership World Cup, and two FA Group Shields.
After his fruitful spell at Manchester United, Berbatov joined London aspect Fulham. Earlier than becoming a member of AS Monaco on a free in January 2014, he scored 20 objectives in 54 matches.
#2 Andy Cole
Arsenal academy graduate Andy Cole bought his first style of senior-team soccer at Fulham. In September 1991, he joined the Cottagers from the Gunners looking for expertise. Nevertheless, the transfer didn’t fairly work out, with him returning to Arsenal simply a few months later.
After spells at Bristol Metropolis and Newcastle United, Cole joined Manchester United in 1995. Over the next seven years, he loved the very best of the highs at Outdated Trafford, successful 5 Premier League titles, one UEFA Champions League (Treble win in 1998-99), and two FA Cups amongst different honors. The previous English striker left United for Blackburn Rovers in January 2002, having scored 121 objectives in 275 appearances.
In July 2004, Cole signed for Fulham. Nevertheless, it was one other brief keep, as he left for Manchester Metropolis the next winter. In complete, Cole performed 54 video games for Fulham, scoring 17 occasions.
#1 Edwin van der Sar
Top-of-the-line goalkeepers within the historical past of the Premier League, Edwin van der Sar entered England with Fulham in 2001. The Cottagers had been mesmerized by his shot-stopping and reflexes and paid Juventus a good-looking €10.3 million ($11.31 million) charge to signal him. Over the next 4 years, Van der Sar honed his craft. He grew to become one of the best within the division, conserving 52 clear sheets in 154 video games in all competitions. The previous Netherlands worldwide helped Fulham to the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 2002.
Manchester United got here calling for Van der Sar in the summertime of 2005, paying solely €4 million (4.39 million) to prize him away. He grew to become a membership legend over the course of his keep, managing 135 shut-outs in 266 video games. With Van der Sar guarding the web, United received 4 Premier League titles, one UEFA Champions League trophy, and two League Cups, amongst different honors. Van der Sar completed his profession on the Theater of Desires, hanging up his gloves in July 2011.