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Players who played for both Manchester City and Manchester United
5 famous players have played for both Manchester City and Manchester United, including Carlos Tevez, Peter Schmeichel, Denis Law and Owen Hargreaves. 1 of them played for Manchester City first; 4 started at Manchester United.
Did you know?
- Denis LawEarliest on this list to play for both: Manchester City (1960–1961, 1973–1974), then Manchester United from 1962.
- Owen HargreavesLatest on this list: Manchester United first, then Manchester City from 2011.
- Denis LawMost separate spells: 3 across the two clubs (Manchester City 1960–1961, 1973–1974; Manchester United 1962–1973).
All 5 players, most famous first
Carlos Tevez
Argentina · Forward · born 1984- Manchester City
- 2009–2013
- Manchester United
- 2007–2009
- Manchester City
- 2002–2003
- Manchester United
- 1991–1999
- Manchester City
- 1960–1961, 1973–1974
- Manchester United
- 1962–1973
- Owen Hargreaves
England · Midfielder · born 1981- Manchester City
- 2011–2012
- Manchester United
- 2007–2011
- Andy ColeEngland · Forward · born 1971
- Manchester City
- 2005–2006
- Manchester United
- 1995–2001
Years are club stints from Wikidata (snapshot 2026-09-28); a loan that runs straight into a transfer is shown as one stint. “from YEAR” means no end year is recorded — it is not a claim about a current club.
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Questions
How many famous players have played for both Manchester City and Manchester United?
5 in our data, including Carlos Tevez, Peter Schmeichel, Denis Law and Owen Hargreaves. The list covers famous footballers only — players covered by at least 45 language editions of Wikipedia — so it is not every player who ever wore both shirts.
Who was the first player on this list to play for both clubs?
In our data, Denis Law: Manchester City (1960–1961, 1973–1974), then Manchester United (1962–1973).
Where does this list come from?
Club careers from Wikidata, the open database behind Wikipedia (public domain, CC0), snapshot 2026-09-28. Senior spells count, loans included when Wikidata records them; youth and reserve teams do not. Found a mistake? Tell us via the About page.