Gary Neville’s traffic-light system for categorizing Manchester United’s post-Ferguson signings was one of the most inventive pieces of punditry in recent seasons.

Neville’s post-Ferguson United signings ranking, announced on August 16, 2022.

There was no Radamel Falcao or Lee Grant on the list of permanent significant outfield signings. Only two players were in green, seven were in amber, and the rest were in red, according to Neville’s assessment.

Neville was ranked in August 2022, two days after United was thrashed 4-0 by Brentford. That scorching afternoon in west London finished with several in the away end making flaming hand signals to players who received only minimal applause.

Neville’s choices were somewhat subjective. Harry Maguire, on the verge of being released after a walking catastrophe of a season, was in amber, while Juan Mata, a signing Neville and his Class of ’92 entourage never warmed to, was in red.

Other contentious decisions included the uncommitted Edinson Cavani in amber and the committed Marouane Fellaini in red, who should have been in opposing camps. Luke Shaw was an unintentional amber addition at the moment.

The experiment’s Achilles’ heel was United’s inexcusably low recruitment. Thirty-three players were mentioned, with two considered successful. That equates to a 6.061% hit rate.

Neville gave the go-ahead to Bruno Fernandes and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Fernandes is United’s best signing since Robin van Persie in August 2012, and Ibrahimovic was a smash hit until he tore his anterior cruciate ligament. United have essentially erased his failed second season from history.

Cristiano Ronaldo was an individual triumph in a perilous season at Manchester United before abandoning professional football tenets. There is a case to be made for downgrading Ronaldo to red, but his efforts in the 2021-22 season were significant, and he kept Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in charge for longer than he deserved.

Erik ten Hag’s 12 permanent signings cannot all be green. Lisandro Martinez’s initial round of surgery on a metatarsal fracture may not have gone as planned, but he will have lost four months by the time he is slated to return.

Jonny Evans, 36 now, is debatable if he belongs in the upper tier. He has been an odd success story in the Premier League this season, and he is one of United’s few respectable performances. Evans was brought in as a fifth-choice center half and has been helpless to change the team’s fortunes.

Evans has been one of a few solid players for Manchester United this season.

Casemiro, who was huge last season, was a green six months ago but is now an amber. If his season continues where it left off, he will enter the red zone.

Tyrell Malacia, Antony, Mason Mount, Andre Onana, and Rasmus Hojlund are all red, as is Christian Eriksen. Hojlund still has time on his side and is far from out. Antony is one of them.

United have entered the loan market six times under Ten Hag’s leadership, having welcomed six loanees in the previous 25 years. Wout Weghorst was a flop, as was Sergio Reguilon, who played for United for only four months.

Sofyan Amrabat is unlikely to move from renting to buying a home in Cheshire, and Jack Butland has never played for the reserves, let alone the first squad. Marcel Sabitzer, on the other hand, is a proactive individual.

Wise purchases: so far this season, none of United’s team-focused summer signings have been a success.

Shaw is a safe amber following a fantastic 2022-23 season, and his importance has been felt during his layoffs this season. Raphael Varane was instrumental in United’s greatest season since Jose Mourinho’s debut in 2016-17, but there is a case to be made for him to stay in red.

Adding 10 Hag’s 10 permanent signings to Neville’s 33 at the start of last season brings the total to 43. Now that Facundo Pellistri has played for United, the total number of signings is 44.

Martinez joining the exclusive pantheon alongside Fernandes and Ibrahimovic raises the hit rate to 6.818%. It is 4.545% without him.

Whatever it is, it falls far short of Ed Woodward’s projected success rate. It was 70%.