Manchester United are one of the most famous and successful teams in world football and have often prided themselves on producing brilliant home grown talent. However, that has not stopped them spending huge sums of money in the transfer market.
Whether it’s luring players to Old Trafford from Premier League rivals or signing big-name stars from abroad, the Red Devils haven’t been afraid to open the chequebook to acquire their desired transfer targets.
The vast majority of their signings have failed to live up to their huge fees but there have been a few success stories over the last ten years.
Here at SportsLens, we take a look back at Manchester United’s biggest signings, their record signing and current transfer targets ahead of the 2024 January transfer window.
Man Utd’s Biggest Signings
Manchester United’s biggest signings have seen them purchase players who are fully fledged internationals for the likes of England, Brazil, Portugal, Argentina, Belgium and France. Manchester United‘s record signing was for Paul Pogba in the summer of 2016. Pogba’s transfer fee to Manchester United set the Red Devils back a staggering £89m.
Les Bleus international Pogba’s transfer fee hasn’t been surpassed by United yet but the club have almost matched the sum they paid for the former Juventus star in recent years. Antony’s transfer fee was £82m in the summer of 2022, Harry Maguire‘s transfer fee was a cool £80m in the summer of 2019 and Romelu Lukaku cost the Red Devils £75m in 2017.
📅 On this day, four years ago, Manchester United paid Leicester City a world record fee for a defender when they bought Harry Maguire for £80M. 🤑
Rate his time at the club out of 10? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/EICGn9klpl
— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) August 5, 2023
Man Utd’s 10 Biggest Transfers
- Paul Pogba from Juventus – £89m in 2016
- Antony from Ajax – £82m in 2022
- Harry Maguire from Leicester – £80m in 2019
- Romelu Lukaku from Everton – £75m in 2017
- Jadon Sancho from Dortmund – £73m in 2021
- Casemiro from Real Madrid – £60m in 2022
- Angel Di Maria from Real Madrid – £59.7m in 2014
- Fred from Shakhtar – £47m in 2018
- Bruno Fernandes from Sporting CP – £46.5m in 2020
- Anthony Martial from Monaco – £36m in 2015
Man Utd Transfer Targets
As the 2024 January transfer window approaches, there are a couple of Manchester United transfer targets who could be touching down at Old Trafford in the new year. Since boss Erik ten Hag was appointed manager in 2022, the Dutchman has spent approximately £400m but new additions are on the horizon as another stale season beckons.
Stuttgart and Bundesliga star Serhou Guirassy has been touted as a potential Manchester United January transfer window signing. The 27-year-old forward has 18 goals in all competitions this season and with a rumoured release clause of just £15m, wouldn’t represent a vast financial risk. Newcastle United are also thought to be interested in the Guinean.
Other Manchester United January transfer targets include Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo and Manchester City‘s Kalvin Phillips. A move for the England international is perhaps unlikely, not just owing to his allegiance to City but to boyhood club Leeds United. Araujo would be difficult to snare as well, the defender has just got back in to favour with the La Liga giants so he would likely cost a substantial amount to obtain in January.
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