Manchester United have had a weird relationship with Brazilian players. For a club that’s spent decades buying talent from every corner of the globe, they’ve somehow only had 11 Brazilians suit up in the Premier League. And let’s be honest, it’s been mostly rough.
Some of these guys lifted trophies. Some of them barely touched the pitch. And at least one of them might go down as one of the worst signings in league history. With rumors swirling again that United might bring in another Brazilian — Andrey Santos is the name floating around — it feels like a good time to look back at every one of them, ranked from absolute nightmare to genuinely decent.
11. Antony
The elephant in the room. Antony cost Manchester United more than £80 million in 2022 after Erik ten Hag pushed for him at Ajax. It never worked. Not even close. The winger showed flashes of skill but mostly just frustrated fans with predictable cuts onto his left foot and very little end product. By 2025 he was on loan at Real Betis, then sold permanently shortly after. United insiders have privately admitted they overpaid massively. He’s a strong candidate for worst Premier League signing ever, not just among Brazilians.
10. Rodrigo Possebon
Possebon arrived in 2008 as a highly rated young midfielder. Then came that tackle from Emmanuel Pogatetz in a League Cup match. Pogatetz basically ended his United career with one horrifying challenge. Possebon never recovered mentally or physically. He made just eight senior appearances in two and a half years before heading back to Brazil with Santos in 2010.
9. Kléberson
This guy was a World Cup winner in 2002. United signed him a year later from Atlético Paranaense, and there was real buzz around the move. Then he got injured in his second appearance. From there it was a steady grind of small injuries, bad luck, and frustration. He managed about 28 more appearances over two seasons before being shipped to Besiktas. Kléberson himself told the Manchester Evening News in 2019 it was a tough time where injuries just piled up and the criticism got heavy fast.
8. Alex Telles
Telles arrived from Porto in October 2020 with a reputation as one of Europe’s best attacking fullbacks. He’d been racking up assists in Portugal and helped Porto push deep into the Champions League. But the timing was brutal. Right when he showed up, Luke Shaw suddenly turned into prime Patrice Evra for a season and a half. Even when Shaw dropped off after the 2021 Euros, Telles couldn’t lock down the left-back spot. He never really got going at Old Trafford.
7. Andreas Pereira
Pereira joined United’s academy at 16 and made his first-team debut in that nightmare 4-0 loss to MK Dons in 2014. He spent time on loan at Granada and Valencia, came back in 2018 and looked like he might finally break through — even earned a Brazil cap that August. But he could never sustain it. Too many inconsistent performances. More loans followed. He’s been a solid pro at Fulham since, but United was never the right fit.
6. Fábio
Fábio came over from Fluminense in 2008 with his twin brother Rafael, and they were supposed to be United’s fullback pairing for a decade. Fábio was actually considered the better prospect of the two. But Patrice Evra was just so consistently good at left-back that Fábio couldn’t get a real run in the team. He still made over 50 appearances and played in the 2011 Champions League final. But he was sold to Cardiff City in 2014. Not a flop, just unlucky with timing.
5. Fred
Fred is the kind of player fans fight about. Some will tell you he was a £52 million waste of space, the living symbol of United’s post-Ferguson mediocrity. Others will argue that after a truly brutal first season, he adapted, worked his tail off, and became a perfectly useful midfielder. There’s truth in both takes. United sold him to Fenerbahce in 2023, and honestly, there were times after he left when they missed his energy and pressing in midfield.
4. Casemiro (mostly fine, actually)
Casemiro’s first season at United gave everyone hope. He looked like the same guy who won everything at Real Madrid. Then the second year hit and it was clear Father Time had arrived. He’s still one of the great holding midfielders of his generation, no debate there. But his final season at Old Trafford was actually pretty decent once Michael Carrick figured out that pairing him with Kobbie Mainoo solved a lot of his mobility issues. Not a disaster, not a legend.
3. Matheus Cunha
Cunha came over from Wolves last summer for serious money. He hasn’t been consistently brilliant but he’s shown real flashes. Ten goals in the 2025-26 season and a key part of United’s return to the Champions League. He’ll need to improve that number next year to justify the fee, but so far it’s been a solid start.
2. Anderson
Anderson’s debut season was electric. He became a cult hero instantly when he stepped up and scored a penalty in the 2008 Champions League final shootout against Chelsea. That was really the high point. Injuries kept him from ever reaching the level everyone expected. But let’s be fair — he still won four Premier League titles and a Champions League in eight years at the club. Could’ve been way worse.
1. Rafael
Rafael was the real success story. He locked down right-back after Gary Neville retired, played with genuine fire and passion, and became a fan favorite. Three Premier League titles. That aggressive streak that sometimes got him in trouble was exactly what United fans loved about him. Then Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, David Moyes and Louis van Gaal didn’t rate him the same way, and he was sold to Lyon in 2015. But for a few years there, he was exactly what United needed.
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