Sports
Escape from Old Trafford: Højlund, Rashford latest stars to shine since leaving Man United
Though they may not quite be the all-conquering force they once were, there is still a sense of honor that comes with being a Manchester United player, coupled with an intense pressure to meet the high standards demanded by fans.
While certain players flourish in those conditions, many have wilted under the stresses, fallen out of favor or simply been unable to muscle into the starting XI only to find themselves occupying the sub’s bench week in, week out.
However, while some have seen their careers come to an abrupt standstill at United, there is a noted phenomenon in football circles known as the “post-United bounce,” where a number of players have successfully escaped their Old Trafford purgatory and almost immediately rediscovered their form elsewhere.
While the grass isn’t always necessarily greener, this season alone we’ve seen the likes of Marcus Rashford, Rasmus Højlund and André Onana join the ranks of players who have departed the Premier League giants at a low ebb before enjoying an instant upturn in fortunes after a fresh start.
Those three aren’t the only big names to benefit from the post-United bounce either, with an ever-lengthening list of players experiencing a similar turnaround in the relatively fallow seasons that have elapsed since Sir Alex Ferguson retired as manager.
– Every time Man United’s Ruben Amorim has talked about his job
– Man United fan grows hair for a year due to Amorim’s team’s results
– Dawson: Sunderland win eases Amorim pressure, but for how long?
2025-26
Marcus Rashford
Patchy form and a dip in morale saw Rashford made available for loan by his boyhood club at the start of the year, with Aston Villa first taking the plunge for the second half of last term before Barcelona weighed in by taking the England forward on a seasonlong deal in the summer.
The 27-year-old already looks like a weight has been lifted from his shoulders and the swagger is visibly returning. He has made a decent start to life in Catalonia, with three goals and four assists in his first 10 games for Barça, including an impressive two-goal salvo against Newcastle United in the Champions League which earned him a standing ovation from the home faithful.
1:03
Amorim: The pressure of playing for Man Utd was difficult for Onana
Ruben Amorim talks about the pressure of playing for Manchester United following confirmation of Andre Onana’s loan move to Trabzonspor.
André Onana
A figure of derision under Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim, goalkeeper Onana was responsible for a string of handling and positioning errors in big games that eventually saw him lose his first-choice designation before ultimately being allowed to leave the club.
The Cameroon international signed for Trabzonspor on loan for the 2025-26 campaign and kicked things off by being named the man of the match on debut for the Turkish club despite them falling to a 1-0 loss. He then upped the ante by registering an assist in his second outing by laying on the equaliser in a 1-1 draw against Gaziantep FK.
Rasmus Højlund
A dearth of goals last season saw Højlund left out of the United squad altogether at the start of the 2025-26 campaign until Napoli came to his rescue in September with the offer of a return to Italy.
After mustering four Premier League goals last season, the 22-year-old Denmark striker took just 14 minutes to score his first for the Partenopei and has now produced four goals in his first six games for the club, including a brace in a 2-1 Champions League victory over Sporting CP and the winner against Genoa just before the October international break.
2024-25
Scott McTominay
McTominay sealed a surprise move to Napoli in the summer of 2024 after finding his game time limited under Ten Hag the previous season.
The Scotland midfielder then proceeded to win the Serie A title and be crowned the league MVP in his debut season in Italy while becoming a cult hero among Napoli fans by virtue of his tireless work rate, intense physical play, and of course his knack of scoring important goals in clutch situations.
2:11
Why Antony felt disrespected at Manchester United
Real Betis winger Antony reflects on the end of his tough time at Manchester United.
Antony
Signed by Ten Hag from former club Ajax in an £82 million deal that made him United’s third-most expensive player of all time, Antony unfortunately misfired in England and quickly became a target for derision after routinely failing to make any impact in games while desperately running through his repertoire of superfluous skills.
After two largely unproductive seasons at Old Trafford, the Brazil winger joined Real Betis on loan for the latter half of the 2024-25 season and was immediately reborn, with nine goals in 26 games and a nomination for the LaLiga player of the month award after just a few weeks in Spain, and he has now moved to Seville on a permanent basis.
2023-24
Dean Henderson
A product of the United academy, Henderson was on the books at his boyhood club between 2015 and 2023 but managed just 13 games in all competitions. Following a succession of loans up and down the Football League, the goalkeeper signed for Crystal Palace on a permanent deal in August 2023 before going on to win the FA Cup and make his England senior debut during his second season at Selhurst Park.
David De Gea
The second goalkeeper to leave United in 2023-24, former stalwart De Gea saw his 12-year stint come to an underwhelming end when his contract was allowed to expire and he was released without much in the way of fanfare. The former Spain No. 1 then remained a free agent for the entire campaign before ending his extended sabbatical by joining Fiorentina in August 2024. With penalties saved and clean sheets kept, the 34-year-old then played an important role in helping La Viola qualify for Europe (via the Conference League) in his maiden season.
2019-20 and 2020-21
The Inter Milan Exodus
Thanks to a tricky regime change at United, a sizeable number of high-earning and/or underperforming players were cleared out to make room for fresh blood in the squad.
This considerable exodus saw a number of players join Inter Milan just in time to fuel the Nerazzurri’s charge to the 2020-21 Serie A title with a good number of said players still in situ when they won the Italian top flight again in 2023-24.
Indeed, Romelu Lukaku (2020-21), Ashley Young (2020-21), Alexis Sánchez (2020-21, 2023-24), Matteo Darmian (2021-22, 2023-24) and Henrikh Mkhitaryan (2023-24) all claimed major honors with Inter after leaving Old Trafford, and also played in Champions League and Europa League finals for the club too.
After having his ability to lead the line for United repeatedly brought into question, Lukaku was voted Serie A MVP in 2020-21 and finished second behind Cristiano Ronaldo in the scoring charts. Lukaku then won his second Italian league title at Napoli last season.
Chris Smalling
Smalling also left United for Italy around that time, initially on loan to Roma for the 2019-20 season before the deal was made permanent the following summer.
The center back was an instant success at the Giallorossi and even emerged as a European champion when they won the Conference League in 2021-22 under José Mourinho’s guidance. Smalling was voted man of the match in that final against Feyenoord and was included in the UEFA team of the tournament — a feat he then repeated the following year when Roma finished runners-up in the Europa League.
2018-19
Daley Blind
A fairly reliable and versatile defensive option for United, Blind enjoyed success during his four years at Old Trafford by winning an FA Cup in 2015-16 and then the Carabao Cup and Europa League in 2016-17.
However, despite being seen as something of a fading force on his United exit, the Netherlands international kicked on by returning to boyhood club Ajax to claim three more Eredivisie titles and two KNVB Cups before spending a single season with Bayern Munich and lifting the Bundesliga shield in 2022-23. The 35-year-old veteran is still going too, and is currently in his third season with Spanish side Girona.
2016-17
Memphis Depay
It’s fair to say that Depay failed to fully ignite at United under Louis van Gaal, with an underwhelming 18-month spell at Old Trafford coming to an end in January 2017 when he signed for Lyon in a permanent deal.
Still only 22 at the time, the Dutch forward’s career soon began to gather momentum and he technically won LaLiga with Barcelona in 2022-23 (though left the club halfway through the season after making just four appearances) to join Atlético Madrid. However, Depay has been a bona fide league winner in recent months, taking the Brazilian Serie A title with Corinthians in 2025.
2015-16
Ángel Di María
With stints at Benfica and Real Madrid already under his belt, Di María was recognized as one of the most skillful playmaking wingers in the world when he signed for United in August 2014 in a huge deal worth almost £60 million — the highest transfer fee ever paid by a British club at the time.
Unfortunately despite early promise, a failure to settle in England, untimely injuries and a dramatic oscillation in form saw Di María regularly squeezed out of the first team under Van Gaal and it all came to an end after 12 months when Paris Saint-Germain offered to rectify the situation in the summer of 2025. The nimble Argentina star duly went on to win a domestic quadruple in his debut season before adding a further 15 major honors to his collection during the seven years he spent in Paris — also winning the FIFA World Cup and two Copa Américas with Argentina.
At the grand old age of 37, Di María is still playing in Argentina with his boyhood club, Rosario Central.
2014-15
Wilfried Zaha
Something of a poster boy for the false start of the post-Alex Ferguson era at United, Crystal Palace star Zaha was actually signed by Fergie in January 2013 but had his move delayed until the following summer, by which time the legendary Scot had retired and been replaced at the helm by protégé David Moyes.
Zaha made just two appearances under Moyes, who sent the young winger out on loan to Cardiff City for the second half of the 2013-14 campaign. Without making a single league start for United, the 22-year-old then returned to Palace in 2014-15, initially on a season-long loan and soon found his ridiculously quick feet again, immediately re-establishing his “fan favourite” status at Selhurst Park while subsequently hitting the best form of his career in the Premier League, carrying the Eagles for several seasons and winning the club player of the year award in 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18.
SYDNEY:
Australia is in a “tight” race to get injured captain Pat Cummins ready for the first Ashes Test in November, coach Andrew McDonald admitted Friday, while insisting he was “still optimistic”.
Pace spearhead Cummins has not played since picking up a lower back injury in a Test against the West Indies in July.
McDonald said there was “a lot more positivity” surrounding the skipper’s chances of playing in the opening Test match in Perth starting November 21.
“But the reality is, we’re starting to get tight in terms of the times,” McDonald said.
“We’re still optimistic, hopeful, but this time next week, I think we’ll be in a position to get a better gauge on where he’s at.”
Cummins would need at least “four, four-and-a-half weeks” of bowling practice to condition his body for the rigours of Ashes cricket, McDonald said.
“One of the benefits with Patty is that he has had the ability to prepare for Test matches off shortened preparations.
“So if it was to be shrunken down, we’d be very confident that he would still be able to perform in the first Test.”
McDonald said he would weigh up whether Cummins could be included in the side even if he was a “little bit underdone”.
Australia retained the Ashes in England in 2023 after the series ended in a 2-2 draw.
They enjoyed a 4-0 sweep of England at home in 2021-22.
Cummins was the leading wicket-taker with 21 scalps at an average of 18.
NEW YORK — Angel Reese is getting a pair of wings.
The Chicago Sky star announced on Instagram Thursday that she will be walking in the upcoming Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show on Oct. 15 in New York City. It will be the first time a professional athlete will walk the runway in the iconic fashion show.
“Stepping into a dream: From Angel to a Victoria Secret ANGEL,” the 23-year-old Reese posted on Instagram. “I’m finally getting my wings — I’ll be walking the Victoria’s Secret 2025 runway show for the first time, and it feels like destiny. Wings on, heels ready … Catch me on the runway.”
The retailer posted a video on Instagram of the announcement showing the WNBA player in a pink robe, black lingerie and white feather wings.
“Angel Reese, welcome to the runway. The first professional athlete angel…major is an understatement,” the post reads.
The lingerie show began in 2001 and took place annually for nearly two decades. Victoria’s Secret canceled the show in 2019, but brought it back last year, with Reese attending.
Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, the beloved, longtime chaplain of the Loyola-Chicago men’s basketball team who became a folk hero during its Cinderella run to the Final Four in 2018, died Thursday, the school said.
She was 106.
“In many roles at Loyola over the course of more than 60 years, Sister Jean was an invaluable source of wisdom and grace for generations of students, faculty, and staff,” Loyola president Mark C. Reed said. “While we feel grief and a sense of loss, there is great joy in her legacy. Her presence was a profound blessing for our entire community, and her spirit abides in thousands of lives. In her honor, we can aspire to share with others the love and compassion Sister Jean shared with us.”
Sister Jean — born Dolores Bertha Schmidt on Aug. 21, 1919, then taking the name Sister Jean Dolores in 1937 — joined the staff at Loyola-Chicago in 1991. Three years later, she became part of the basketball team, first as an academic adviser before transitioning to chaplain. Health issues caused her to step down from her role in August.
She was the Ramblers’ No. 1 fan, and that was on display during the 2018 NCAA tournament when, as the No. 11 seeds, they went on an improbable run to the Final Four, ultimately losing to Michigan. Sister Jean, 98 at the time, was with them every step of the way, praying for the team — and its opponents — before each game and encouraging the Ramblers to play hard, play together and play smart.
And if they lost? She told them regularly not to sweat it; it just wasn’t meant to be.
“She’s an incredible person,” star Loyola-Chicago guard Clayton Custer said at the time.
Fans throughout college basketball, and beyond, agreed.
She became an international celebrity during the Ramblers’ run. Sister Jean bobbleheads and athletic apparel sold fast. She was the subject of countless national TV interviews. And there were even news conferences for her ahead of games. During the loss to Michigan at the Alamodome in San Antonio, T-shirts read “Win One for the Nun!” and a sign in the crowd encouraged the Wolverines to give obedience to “Jean’s Plan.”
Her fame didn’t wane in the years to come.
When she turned 100, Loyola-Chicago announced a scholarship fund and endowment in her honor to support students, and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker proclaimed Aug. 21, 2019, “Sister Jean Day” across the state. When she turned 103, the Chicago train station plaza at the Loyola campus was renamed in her honor, with a large sign that read “Home of the World Famous Sister Jean!” to greet visitors there. And when she turned 105, she received a proclamation from President Joe Biden — who sent her flowers on at least one previous occasion.
Biden’s message, in part, told Sister Jean: “You have shown us all that yours is a life well lived.”
She remained close to the team, as well.
When Loyola-Chicago qualified for the NCAA tournament in 2021, a vaccinated Sister Jean was cleared to travel to Indianapolis, and before the Ramblers’ second-round game against top-seeded Illinois, she gave them a prayer and a scouting report.
“We have a great opportunity to convert rebounds as this team makes about 50% of layups and 30% of its 3 [pointers]. Our defense can take care of that,” she told the team.
It worked, as Loyola-Chicago upset the Illini to reach the Sweet 16.
“She still sends me an email after every single game,” former Loyola-Chicago coach Porter Moser once said. “There is no human like her.”
Born in San Francisco in 1919, Sister Jean grew up in a devoutly Catholic family. Her religious calling, she said, came at the age of 8. She was in third grade when she met a kind, joyful teacher who belonged to the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Brimming with admiration, she would pray every day: “Dear God, help me understand what I should do, but please tell me I should become a BVM sister,” she recounted in her 2023 memoir.
“I guess God listened to me on that one,” she wrote.
She followed her calling to the order’s motherhouse in Dubuque, Iowa, where she made her vows. She went on to teach at Catholic schools in Chicago and Southern California, where she also coached girls’ basketball, before she ended at Mundelein College — on the Chicago lakefront — in the 1960s. The school became affiliated with Loyola in 1991, and Sister Jean was hired to help students with the transition.
In 1994, she was asked to help student basketball players boost their grades — “the booster shooter” she called herself — and later that year, she was named chaplain of the men’s team. The role, she wrote in her memoir, became “the most transformational and transcendent position” of her life.
“Sports are very important because they help develop life skills,” she said. “And during those life skills, you’re also talking about faith and purpose.”
The university said Sister Jean is survived by her sister-in-law, Jeanne Tidwell, and her niece, Jan Schmidt.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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