Snap shot: United's 2017 UEFA Europa League winners
Monday, May 24, 2021
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Only three of the starters from José Mourinho's triumphant side remain at the club. Where have the rest gone?
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Manchester United ended a nine-year wait for European silverware when they beat Ajax 2-0 in the UEFA Europa League final in Stockholm and became the fifth side to have won all three of UEFA's major club trophies, joining Ajax, Bayern München, Chelsea and Juventus.
As they return to the final in 2021, taking on Villarreal, plenty has changed for the Red Devils. Mourinho moved in December 2018, with the bulk of his players having gone elsewhere since. Only three of United’s starters in the 2017 final remain at the club, plus one substitute – striker Anthony Martial. UEFA.com tracks all of the players' subsequent moves.
1 Marouane Fellaini
The Belgian midfielder could not always be certain of a first-team start, but persisted at Old Trafford from 2013 to 2019, and played every minute of the 2017 final. He left United not long after José Mourinho, in January 2019, and is now in China with Shangdong Luneng.
2 Chris Smalling
The centre-back won titles under Sir Alex Ferguson after joining United from Fulham in 2010, but left the club for Roma – initially on loan – in 2019. He faced United in this season's UEFA Europa League semi-finals, and will be coached by José Mourinho again next season.
3 Marcus Rashford
Rashford played second fiddle to Zlatan Ibrahimović for much of the 2016/17 campaign, but – with the Swedish striker injured – featured in the final. Now an established first-team player at 23, Rashford's campaign against food poverty in the UK made him a hero for many during lockdown.
4 Daley Blind
A defensive-minded player, like his father and fellow ex-Ajax man Danny Blind, Daley Blind faced his old side in the 2017 UEFA Europa League final. After spending four seasons in the Premier League, he rejoined Ajax in 2018, and has now won six Dutch titles with the club.
5 Paul Pogba
First brought to Old Trafford by Sir Alex, Pogba returned to United in 2016 after a fine spell at Juventus, and scored the first goal in the 2017 final against Ajax. However, though he was a key part of France's 2018 FIFA World Cup triumph, the classy midfielder has not won a trophy with United since.
6 Sergio Romero
While David de Gea was No1 in the Premier League, Argentinian keeper Romero was United's first-choice for the 2016/17 UEFA Europa League, playing 12 of their 15 games. He remains at Old Trafford, but has played in just seven Premier League games in six seasons.
7 Juan Mata
A UEFA Champions League winner with Chelsea in 2012, the playmaker left Stamford Bridge for Old Trafford in 2014 before being reunited with José Mourinho at United in 2016. Has now played well over 250 games for the club.
8 Matteo Darmian
The full-back joined United in 2015 after making his name with Torino in his native Italy, and though he was in and out of the team in 2016/17, he played every minute of the final at left-back. Returned home with Parma in 2019, and has just won the Serie A title on loan at Inter Milan.
9 Antonio Valencia
Signed from near neighbours Wigan in 2009, the Ecuadorian right-back started the 2017 Europa League final as captain but passed the armband to Wayne Rooney when the striker came on late. Valencia returned to Ecuador in 2019, but now plays in Mexico for Querétaro.
10 Ander Herrera
Man of the Match in the 2017 UEFA Europa League final – and United's player of the year for 2016/17 – the midfielder left Old Trafford in 2019, but returned this season with his current side, Paris Saint-Germain, featuring in a 3-1 UEFA Champions League group stage win.
11 Henrikh Mkhitaryan
The midfield marauder scored United's second against Ajax in the 2017 UEFA Europa League final to become the first Armenian to win a major UEFA trophy, but left the club for Arsenal in January 2018. Now at Roma with Smalling, Mourinho will be his coach next season.
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