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Plenty of Manchester United supporters can recall the final signing of the Sir Alex Ferguson era - Wilfried Zaha, for those needing a reminder - but a lot less will remember who kicked off the post-Ferguson period. That distinction belongs to Guillermo Varela, a largely overlooked arrival who could feature against England this Friday.

Brought in from Penarol in 2013, the Uruguayan full-back barely left a mark at Old Trafford. Loan moves characterised his stint at United and he made just four Premier League appearances before ultimately heading back to his previous club.

In numerous respects, Varela was regarded as Ferguson's 'parting gift.' The legendary Scot personally drove through the transfer after observing him on trial.

Yet Varela found it difficult to leave the same impression with Ferguson's successors, with David Moyes, Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho all passing him over.

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Matters took a more serious turn during a 2017 loan period at Eintracht Frankfurt. Varela was in the running to feature in the DFB-Pokal Final against Borussia Dortmund but was ruled out amid controversy - extensively reported as an arm infection stemming from a fresh tattoo, a claim the player has refuted.

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The circumstances dated back to the night before the 2016 FA Cup Final, when Varela and several United teammates got tattoos before proceeding to defeat Crystal Palace 2-1 at Wembley. Viewing it as a lucky charm, he repeated the practice ahead of Frankfurt's cup final - with a vastly different outcome.

His alleged arm infection enraged Frankfurt's leadership. The club suspended him and abandoned any intentions to extend his loan, sending him back to Manchester with his career prospects damaged.

Frankfurt's sporting director said at the time: "The club cannot tolerate that a player would defy instructions. He hurt the team. There was redness around where he had the tattoo, and blisters formed meaning he was unable to train. We'd been thinking about a loan extension. But that won't happen. He'll be suspended with immediate effect."

Several years later, Varela sought to rectify the situation.

"I got a tattoo at the top of my back on my neck," he said. "It was during my injury, while I was not playing, about three months before the final in May.

"[Manager] Niko Kovac said to me, 'I don't want you to get any more tattoos.' I said, 'Why? I'm injured'. He said, 'Yes, I know but you have to respect the players and the staff.'

"I said, 'Okay, I understand but I am injured.' Then when I started to play again I got this one done on my arm.

"He said to me, 'No, no, no. You stop here because we have the final in one week and I told you before you have to finish with your tattoos so now you are out.' I didn't get infected, that's not true. It was just because I got it."

Following his departure from United in 2017, Varela reconstructed his career throughout Europe and further afield, representing Copenhagen and Dynamo Moscow before signing for Brazilian side Flamengo in 2023.

After leaving England, he discovered consistency and international acclaim, collecting 26 caps for the Uruguay national side.

Currently working under Marcelo Bielsa, he may appear against Thomas Tuchel's England at Wembley this Friday, in what would represent a suitably surprising return to the spotlight.