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

On August 16, 2022, Neville’s post-Ferguson United signings rating will be released.

Radamel Falcao and Lee Grant were not among the permanent big outfield acquisitions. According to Neville’s evaluation, only two players were in green, seven were in amber, and the rest were in red.

In August 2022, two days after United was crushed 4-0 by Brentford, Neville was rated. That hot afternoon in west London ended with numerous fans in the away end making flaming hand signals to players who received only a few applause.

Neville’s decisions were quite arbitrary. Harry Maguire was in amber, on the verge of being dismissed after a walking disaster of a season, while Juan Mata was in red, a signing Neville and his Class of ’92 entourage never warmed to.

The uncommitted Edinson Cavani in amber and the committed Marouane Fellaini in red, who should have been in opposing camps, were also difficult judgments. At the time, Luke Shaw was an unintentional unexpected addition.

United’s inexcusably low recruitment was the experiment’s Achilles’ heel. Thirty-three players were mentioned, two of whom were deemed successful. This translates to a 6.061% hit rate.

Bruno Fernandes and Zlatan Ibrahimovic were given the go light by Neville. Fernandes is United’s best signing since Robin van Persie in August 2012, and Ibrahimovic was a smash hit before rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament. United have effectively erased the memory of his unsuccessful second season.

Before departing professional football tenets, Cristiano Ronaldo was an exceptional triumph in a hazardous season at Manchester United. There is an argument to be made that Ronaldo should be demoted to red, but his contributions in the 2021-22 season were important, and he kept Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in command for longer than he deserved.

Erik ten Hag’s twelve permanent signings cannot be all green. Lisandro Martinez’s first round of surgery for a metatarsal fracture did not go as expected, but he will have missed four months by the time he is scheduled to return.

Jonny Evans, aged 36, is disputed if he belongs in the top echelon. This season, he has been an unlikely success story in the Premier League, and he is one of United’s few good performances. Evans was brought in as a fifth-string center half and has done little to enhance the team’s fortunes.

Evans has been one of Manchester United’s most consistent performers this season.

Casemiro, who was a green six months ago but is now an amber, had a tremendous last season. If his season continues at its current pace, he will enter the red zone.

Christian Eriksen, Tyrell Malacia, Antony, Mason Mount, Andre Onana, and Rasmus Hojlund are all red. Hojlund still has time on his side and is not out of the game. Antony is among them.

Under Ten Hag’s leadership, United has entered the loan market six times, having previously welcomed six loanees. Wout Weghorst was a bust, as was Sergio Reguilon, who was only with United for four months.

Sofyan Amrabat is unlikely to make the switch from renting to purchasing a home in Cheshire, and Jack Butland has never played for the reserves, let alone the first team. Marcel Sabitzer, on the other hand, is a self-starter.

So far this season, none of United’s team-focused summer signings have proven to be a success.

Following a strong 2022-23 season, Shaw is a safe amber, and his impact has been felt during his layoffs this season. Raphael Varane played a key role in Manchester United’s best season since Jose Mourinho’s arrival in 2016-17, but there is a case to be made for him to continue in red.

By adding Hag’s ten permanent acquisitions to Neville’s 33 at the start of last season, the total rises to 43. With the addition of Facundo Pellistri, United’s total number of signings now stands at 44.

Martinez joins Fernandes and Ibrahimovic in the select pantheon, raising the hit rate to 6.818%. Without him, it is 4.545%.

Whatever it is, it is far from Ed Woodward’s predicted success rate. It was 70%.