The first impression is always vital when a new player arrives at a club, especially for a side like Manchester United.
When anyone joins the Red Devils, whether it be a player or a manager, the expectation is to bring success and perform almost instantly.
In recent years, only a handful of signings have consistently performed at Old Trafford, with the likes of Antony and Jadon Sancho being examples of individuals who have been unable to star in the Premier League thus far.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at another player who once promised to be a world-beater but instead failed to live up to their apparent potential.
Meet the star who was meant to be the next Cristiano Ronaldo
In 2011, a promising Belgian talent named Adnan Januzaj joined Man United from Anderlecht as a 16-year-old, where he instantly impressed.
On October 5th, 2013, the number 44 was announced in the starting lineup for the first time under David Moyes as Man United faced Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
The then-18-year-old was absolutely electric, netting a brace that handed the Red Devils a 2-1 win, which was certainly the perfect way to introduce yourself to the footballing world.
After the game, Januzaj received plenty of praise and encouragement, with Moyes comparing his quality to Wayne Rooney and United youth coach Eric Harrison stating: “Januzaj is outstanding and I think he is similar to Cristiano Ronaldo".
However, the following season saw the arrival of Louis van Gaal, which the winger later claimed to be the reason why he never lived up to his potential at United, despite being an "unbelievable" talent, as per football creator Liam Canning.
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During the Dutch manager’s first campaign at the club, Januzaj’s minutes and opportunities took a huge hit, starting just seven times in the 2014/15 Premier League.
A year later, the Belgium international only made just two league starts across the campaign, which was due to two separate injuries and a short loan spell at Borussia Dortmund.
With the left-footed ace failing to progress much further, in 2016, he joined Sunderland on a season-long loan in an attempt to revive his career, but over 25 matches, he failed to score a single goal.
In 2017, Januzaj eventually left Old Trafford after a troubled few seasons, joining Real Sociedad in a deal worth £9.8m, a club he would go on to score 23 goals in 168 appearances for.
Five years later, the former Red Devil moved to another La Liga side, this time joining Sevilla on a free transfer, which is where he plays his football today.
Man United
63
11
Borussia Dortmund
12
2
Sunderland
28
4
Real Sociedad
168
44
Istanbul Basaksehir
17
6
Sevilla
17
1
Despite being at the club for two seasons, Januzaj has only made 17 appearances, with a failed loan spell at Istanbul Basaksehir in between, where he scored three times in 17 games.
Fast-forward to this season, and the former wonderkid has featured just eight times, even though he has not suffered from any injuries. Januzaj has averaged just 24 minutes per game, and he truly cannot get a game, starting zero times.
At just 29 years of age, the number 25’s career has become completely stagnant, and there have been no signs of him turning it around, especially not at Sevilla.
In truth, it is extremely sad and disappointing to see how Januzaj’s career has unfolded, especially considering just how fantastic he was in his first season under Moyes, after being compared to the legendary Ronaldo in his early days at Old Trafford.