At first glance, Diego Forlan's career at Manchester United doesn't seem like much to write home about. Scoring 17 goals in 97 games might be considered an impressive feat for a center back, but for a striker, that number is not even close to being acceptable.
The chapter of Forlan's career at Old Trafford nearly did not get off the ground at all. After making a name for himself in Argentina with Independiente, the then 22-year-old striker caught the attention of Middlesbrough, who had conducted extensive scouting of the player prior to the transfer window that opened in January of 2002.
Boro, on the other hand, did not delude themselves. After their initial discussion with Forlan's representatives, they were aware that attempting to sign South America's up-and-coming best talent would be a challenging endeavor on their part.
"When we first initiated negotiations with Independiente for the player we did realize that there was an awful lot of competition throughout Europe for his services," Steve McClaren, the manager of Middlesbrough at the time and now a key part of Erik ten Hag's backroom staff at United, explained. "When we first initiated negotiations with Independiente for the player we did realize that there was an awful lot of competition throughout Europe for his services." "Nothing is over until everyone has signed on the dotted line," said the narrator of the movie.
Forlan's eventual destination would be fueled by money, it would turn out, as this would prove to be the case.
The offer was bigger for the club, for Independiente, and for me," an excited Forlan declared after his plane touched down in Manchester. "I was planning on going to Middlesbrough, but Manchester offered more opportunities," the speaker said.
The Teesside club took a significant financial hit as a result of United's decision to spend £6.9 million to acquire the Uruguayan player, but the move was deemed to be essential. Both Teddy Sheringham and Andy Cole had just recently parted ways with United, each joining a rival club in Tottenham or Blackburn.
It was clear that there was a need for a striker who could help lighten the load that Ruud van Nistelrooy was carrying, and Forlan seemed to be the perfect fit. It was not a trivial accomplishment for him to score 37 goals in 80 league games in Argentina, and the potential benefits outweighed the potential drawbacks.
Forlan's first appearance with the team came as a substitute, which is typical for newer, younger players. After coming on as a substitute for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who had just scored a hat trick against Bolton Wanderers in the previous 75 minutes, the new player in Manchester did a good job of making an impression on his first appearance.
Even though he was held scoreless on that particular day, another new striker in Manchester gave Forlan his stamp of approval. Van Nistelrooy remarked that in Diego, the team had acquired a player who was both young and talented.
"Even though he only played for the final 15 minutes of the game, it was clear that he has a great deal of potential. He moves extremely quickly, possesses excellent feet, and at the age of 22, I believe he has a bright future ahead of him."
Van Nistelrooy had no idea how talented Forlan would turn out to be in the future. The Uruguayan, however, was only given a limited number of opportunities to demonstrate this ability while playing for the first team.
Because Solskjaer and Van Nistelrooy were both playing exceptionally well, and because Forlan's chances of breaking into the first team were limited, the 2001–2002 season would end with him not having scored a single goal. His performance during his first half-season in English football, in which he made 18 appearances, earned him a little bit more than a consolation prize: a call-up to the Uruguay squad for the 2002 World Cup.
On the other hand, just before the championship tournament, a younger version of Forlan was still irritated that the Reds had not scored. "I'm a little bit upset with myself that I have not scored yet for Manchester United," he admitted after reflecting on the fact that he had not yet scored for the team. "I have put in a lot of effort, but there have been times when I've just been unlucky, and there have also been times when I could have performed better. It would be amazing if I could score a goal in the World Cup. I really want to do that."
The goals that Forlan set for his time spent in Japan and South Korea will be accomplished. A chance for his country to win the group stage match against Senegal, which was played to a score of 3-3, was missed by the 22-year-old forward.
On his return to Manchester, hopes were high that he would kick on at United. Forlan scored goals in games that were not part of a competition against Shelbourne and Chesterfield, but it took him until his 27th appearance for the club before he scored his first goal for the club in a game that was part of a competition.
His penalty in a Champions League tie against Maccabi Haifa sent Old Trafford into raptures and earned Forlan praise from Sir Alex Ferguson, who declared: "If you put that amount of effort in you should get something. Hopefully he will settle down now and get lots more."
Forlan's time in Manchester would come to an end without him scoring "lots more," but he would finish the season of 2002–2003 with nine goals to his name. Two of those goals cemented his place in the hearts of Reds supporters for all time.
Forlan made the most of an opportunity to play at Anfield and cemented his place among the club's all-time greats. Liverpool, who were unbeaten at home in a year, were vanquished by United 2-1 with the Uruguayan bagging a brace for the Reds.
The performance won him a chant that is still sung from the terraces to this day and established him as a cult hero. Forlan's career at United would never again see him reach the heights he reached on Merseyside on that particular afternoon.
In the 2003–2004 season, he was only able to score eight goals, and at the conclusion of that year's campaign, it was decided that Forlan should be transferred to Villarreal. Of course, the striker would go on to show United exactly what he could do in La Liga.
In his first season in Spain, he amassed a total of 25 goals, and then, three years later, he made the move to Atletico Madrid, where he became a legendary player.
Forlan continues to have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for United despite the fact that things did not turn out exactly how he had hoped they would. When United wanted David de Gea in 2011, the forward worked as an ambassador for his old club, persuading the goalkeeper to move to the Theatre of Dreams. At the time, United wanted de Gea. On Sunday, De Gea will play against Newcastle, which will be the 500th game he has played for United.
Earlier in the year, Forlan gave an interview to MUTV in which he explained, "Yes, I remember we were playing together at Atletico Madrid." "There were some rumors that he was going to sign with Manchester United, and I said to him, 'You need to go there, it's a very beautiful place; the club, the team, and the fans.'"
""The only thing [is] it's not the best weather, but it's difficult for you to have everything in life, but you will enjoy it." — "The only thing [is] it's not the best weather." It's one of the best cities in the world, and the people and everything about it make it one of the best clubs in the world."
It is extremely uncommon for a player who has a poor statistical performance to become a fan favorite in the stands. Nevertheless, Forlan's journey in Manchester is evidence that hard work will be valued just as highly as ability under the appropriate circumstances.
Igetei Preye 2 yrs
He did not play much in united