Forgotten Man Utd flop signed to replace Cristiano Ronaldo scores beauty in MLS aged 34 as commentator hails his ‘class’

FORMER Manchester United winger Gabriel Obertan scored a banger while playing in the third tier of American football yesterday.

His team, Charlotte Independence ply their trade in the USL League One, two divisions below the MLS.

twitter @uslleagueoneObertan scored a 25 yard banger[/caption]

twitter @uslleagueoneHe is currently playing in the third tier of American football[/caption]

The former United winger rolled back the years as he spun on a sixpence 25 yards from goal before curling the ball home with a left-footed shot into the bottom corner.

Reacting to the goal, the American commentator said: “Oh! That’s the class of a man that used to play for Manchester United.”

And fans on Twitter also reacted to the former United man rolling back the years.

One wrote: “When are Man Utd going to buy him back?”

Another wrote: “Lethal strike!”

And a third wrote: “Left footed goal, thanks Gabby!”

Obertan, 34, joined the third-tier American side in 2021 from Turkish side Erzurumspor.

It’s the latest move in a journeyman career for the winger since leaving United.

Obertan was signed from Bordeaux in 2009 by Sir Alex Ferguson to help shoulder the burden of replacing Cristiano Ronaldo – who had just joined Real Madrid.

But the winger’s two year stint in Manchester proved to be miserable as he scored just one goal in 28 appearances for The Red Devils.

He was then sold to Newcastle in 2011 where he made 75 appearances, scoring three goals and registering 10 assists during that time.

Moves to Anzhi Makhachkala and Wigan Athletic followed before joining Bulgarian side Levski Sofia and then Erzurumspor.

Sir Alex Ferguson had high-hopes when he signed Obertan at the age of just 17.

United had to fend off interest from Arsenal and AC Milan to make the signing in 2009, and Ferguson said after securing his signature: “Gabriel is a player we have tracked for a few years now … there is a goal in Gabby, there is no question of that.”

Ferguson wasn’t exactly far off with that, with Obertan scoring a singular goal during his stint with the Red Devils