Manchester United flop hit with huge ban, Sir Alex Ferguson thought he was ‘marvellous’
Ex-Manchester United midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron has been hit with a six-month ban in Argentina.
Veron was one of Sir Alex Ferguson‘s rare flops, a type of signing that has become far more common in recent years.
Antony is among the most notorious Manchester United flops, with the £86million winger moving to Real Betis in the summer after a disappointing spell in the Premier League.
Andre Onana is another signing who flopped at Manchester United, with the goalkeeper now on loan at Trabzonspor.
The Red Devils spent a vast amount of money in the summer, with decision-makers at Old Trafford hoping their latest batch of incomings can fare better.
Juan Sebastian Veron banned after rule change in Argentina
Alejandro Garnacho joined Chelsea in a deal worth around £40m in the summer, with the winger being just one of the eight Argentines to ever play for Manchester United.
The first was Veron, who arrived from Lazio in 2001 for around £28.1m. The midfielder got off to an incredible start in England, earning the Premier League Player of the Month award in September 2001.
| Juan Sebastian Veron | Manchester United |
| Appearances | 82 |
| Goals | 11 |
| Assists | 16 |
But his performances declined significantly, leading to his sale to Chelsea two years later for almost half the price Manchester United had paid for him.
Veron would ultimately make only 14 appearances for the Blues before leaving to join Inter Milan, and later returning to Argentina.
Since 2014, the former midfielder has served as president of Argentine club Estudiantes de La Plata, although the 50-year-old will now spend six months away from football.
Veron has been banned from all football-related activities for six months by the Argentina Football Association, after he and his players refused to form a guard of honour for Rosario Central.
The former Red Devil and Estudiantes were protesting a change in the rules that meant Rosario were crowned ‘League Champions’ after finishing with four more points than Boca Juniors in stage one of the league phase.
Veron’s team turned their backs on the opposition players as they walked onto the pitch before their clash on Sunday, with Estudiantes emerging 1-0 winners.
Sir Alex Ferguson loved Veron
Speaking in 2003, just days before Manchester United would sanction a deal to allow Veron to complete a move to Chelsea, Ferguson waxed lyrical about the midfielder.
“Seba is a marvellous player,” the legendary manager told the media. “He has wonderful imagination, he always wants the ball and has a great engine. He was outstanding tonight.”
But Ferguson would later admit that the Argentine had not lived up to the expectations. “Juan Veron was capable of exceptional football and was talented,” he said.
“But, at times, he found the Premiership a bit difficult. He was a European player and that was where we got our best from him.”
Veron will unfortunately go down as a flop at Manchester United, but, in recent years, the midfielder has not been short of company in that bracket.