Erik ten Hag got rid of a lot of deadweight after his first season in charge of Manchester United. Some have definitely been missed more than others.
The likes of Anthony Elanga, Fred, Marcel Sabitzer, Teden Mengi and many more are all now thriving away from Old Trafford.
To say they’d be playing week in and week out for United would not exactly be true. They did need to leave Carrington in order to unleash their true potential.
One player who did just that has had the finest resurgence of all the players to leave Manchester United in the summer of 2023.
Jack Butland at Manchester United
Manchester United signed Jack Butland in January 2023 after completing a temporary switch from parent club Crystal Palace.
The shot-stopper did not make an appearance for the Red Devils during his tenure around Old Trafford but was a welcome addition to our goalkeeping department, adding a wealth of experience around the dressing room.
A boyhood Manchester United fan, he lived the dream of being a Red Devils player. And it’s a time he looks back on very fondly. He told club media: “It isn’t until you get here and see the whole scale, seeing a matchday from a home perspective as a Man United player, that you really get a true glimpse of what Man United’s about.
“It doesn’t really hit home until you actually put on the United shirt or the kit for the first time. The excitement was high, obviously, for a while,” Butland added.
“It was more than what I expected. You don’t want to be disappointed when you come in and I certainly wasn’t. It was what I expected and more. I’ve loved every minute.”
However, he wasn’t kept around. He moved to Rangers on a free on the 1st of July 2023 and has certainly not looked back since.
Jack Butland and his phenomenal season
Despite an Old Firm loss on Saturday dampening his spirits, Butland can look back on this season as a massive success.
From zero games for the Red Devils to a whopping 55 in a season so far for Rangers – Butland has now become an integral part of the Scottish side.
The English shot-stopper has played in the Champions League Qualifiers and the Europa League alongside the Scottish Premiership – and has performed excellently all round. Take a look at his stats.
| Competition | Games Played | Goals | Yellow Cards | Yellow Cards | Goals Conceded | Clean Sheets | Minutes Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premiership | 33 | – | – | – | 23 | 18 | 2.970′ | |
| Europa League | 8 | – | 1 | – | 9 | 2 | 720′ | |
| Champions League Qualifiers | 4 | – | – | – | 9 | – | 360′ | |
| League Cup | 4 | – | – | – | 2 | 2 | 360′ | |
| Scottish Premiership Top Six Split | 3 | – | 1 | – | 4 | – | 270′ | |
| SFA Cup | 3 | – | – | – | – | 3 | 270′ | |
| Total 23/24: | 55 | – | 2 | – | 47 | 25 | 4.950′ | |
His ‘outstanding‘ performances have surprised many and delighted Rangers fans. It even got him in the running for a potential England call-up, that sadly didn’t come to fruition. Fair play to Jack. That is some resurgence since leaving Manchester United.