While the rivalry between Manchester United and Chelsea was rife at the beginning of the century, with the little-known Jose Mourinho arriving at Stamford Bridge and going toe-to-toe with Sir Alex Ferguson’s juggernaut, it has fizzled out somewhat in recent years.
That is perhaps due to the lack of competition between the two sides in the Premier League. The Red Devils haven’t won the top flight since the Scot departed Old Trafford in 2013, while the Blues haven’t come close to winning the title since their last success under Antonio Conte in 2017.
Nonetheless, fixtures between the two members of the so-called ‘Big Six’ remain competitive each season—attracting a lot of attention from the neutrals—and it’s often difficult to pick a winner in the Man U vs Chelsea odds.
With the first fixture between United and Chelsea set to take place at Old Trafford on November 3, let’s take a look at four players who have switched their alliance from the Blues to the Red Devils in recent years.
Mason Mount
Mason Mount’s departure came as something of a shock in 2023. The midfielder was a homegrown talent, joining the west London side when he was just five.
The general consensus was that Mount would go on to become a legend at Stamford Bridge, especially after playing a leading role in the club’s second Champions League success.
However, new owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital saw him surplus to requirements after their first 12 months in charge and shipped him off the books for £55 million.
Mount has struggled at Old Trafford thus far. Injuries hampered his first season in the North West, while he’s fallen out of favour under Erik ten Hag and isn’t getting many minutes this campaign.
Juan Mata
Another fan favourite at the Bridge, Juan Mata enjoyed trophy-laden spells in England with Chelsea and Manchester United.
The Spaniard joined the Blues from Valencia in 2011 for £23.5 million and contributed with 86 goals and assists in 135 games while winning the FA Cup, Champions League, and Europa League.
After just three seasons, he departed for Old Trafford for £37m, going on to win another FA Cup and Europe League, as well as a League Cup, in nine years at the club.
Nemanja Matic
Nemanja Matic’s first stint at Chelsea was largely forgettable. In fact, when he returned in 2014, many supporters did not even realise the Serbian had played for the club previously.
However, the defensive midfielder became a cornerstone of Chelsea’s success in the mid-2010s, helping them win two Premier League titles and a League Cup under Mourinho and Conte.
‘The Special One’ reunited with Matic in 2017, bringing the Serbian up north for roughly £40m. He made almost 200 appearances for the Red Devils.
Although Matic didn’t win a trophy, he played a key role in Man United almost winning the league in his first season at the club—which would have been a massive shock to those who bet on football.
Romelu Lukaku
The only player on our list who didn’t move directly between the two clubs, Romelu Lukaku’s first stint at Chelsea in 2011 sparked excitement at Stamford Bridge.
The big Belgian arrived from Anderlecht but made just a handful of appearances and switched to Everton after loans at West Brom and the Toffees.
68 goals in 141 top-flight appearances for Everton, including a 25-goal campaign, convinced Man United to go after his services.
Lukuka lasted just two seasons at Old Trafford, scoring 28 times in 66 Premier League games, before moving to Inter Milan.
He revitalised his career in the Serie A, earning a £97m return to Chelsea. But it was another disastrous stint, and he left for Napoli in the summer after loans back at Inter and Roma.
Colombian Radamel Falcao had lacklustre loan spells with Manchester United and Chelsea in the 2014-15 and 2015-16 campaigns.
