‘It Felt Strange’: Louis Saha Reveals What Surprised Him After Moving to Everton from Man Utd

Over the years, several players have moved between Everton and Manchester United.

Wayne Rooney, Marouane Fellaini, and Romelu Lukaku all made the switch from Goodison Park to Old Trafford, while Leighton Baines came close to joining United at one point.

On the flip side, players like Morgan Schneiderlin, Donny van de Beek, James Garner, and Tim Howard made the journey in the opposite direction.

Everton were even linked with Victor Lindelof as recently as last year.

Louis Saha is another name on the list of players who represented both clubs.

The former striker recently opened up about his move from Manchester United to Everton during an appearance on The Lineup.

Saha reflected on the transition and shared his initial thoughts about the move, as well as the differences he experienced.

The French forward explained that his early impression of Everton was that the gap between the two clubs wasn’t as wide as many might assume.

He felt that the atmosphere, fan connection, and competitive spirit under then-manager David Moyes were strong foundations for success.

However, he acknowledged that adapting to a different level of quality was necessary after leaving a trophy-laden United side.

“You come from Manchester United where you’re winning everything—leagues, cups—then you come to Everton.

How does that affect a player?” Saha was asked.

He replied, “At first, it was strange. I had this impression that there wasn’t a big gap.

The connection with the fans, the atmosphere, and the competitive desire under David Moyes—all of it felt right for me.

But I had to adjust because the qualities were different. It wasn’t difficult though; I adapted quickly.

I believed we could win trophies—we came very close.”

Saha, once considered one of the most clinical forwards in the Premier League, first rose to prominence at Fulham, where he was a contender for the Golden Boot.

That form earned him a move to Manchester United. Unfortunately, injuries plagued his time at Old Trafford, preventing him from fully realizing his potential.

Despite losing some of his pace due to those injuries, Saha remained a capable striker at Everton.

He had a productive second season at the club, netting 13 Premier League goals.

He also etched his name in the record books by scoring the fastest goal in FA Cup final history in 2009—an achievement that stood until Ilkay Gundogan surpassed it in 2023.

Ultimately, Saha adjusted well to life at Everton, evolving into a reliable and effective centre-forward for the Toffees.