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Manchester United’s transfer record under its American ownership has often been criticised, with several high-profile signings failing to meet expectations. Over the years, the club has spent heavily on players who, for various reasons, did not deliver consistently on the pitch.
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Against the backdrop of continued changes in the squad, managerial shifts, and ongoing discussions about the club’s future direction, we’ve compiled a look at some of Manchester United’s most notable transfer missteps in recent years.
17. Anderson
The Brazilian midfielder joined Manchester United in the summer of 2007 for $33 million, with Sir Alex Ferguson confident he had signed a future star. When in form, Anderson showed remarkable technique and flashes of brilliance.
Unfortunately, those moments became increasingly rare, and off-field distractions didn’t help. His inconsistency ultimately meant that his time at Old Trafford never lived up to the hype, and he departed the club in 2015.
16. Henrikh Mkhitaryan
The Armenian midfielder moved from Shakhtar Donetsk to Borussia Dortmund after a standout season, impressing in Germany. Manchester United signed him in 2016 for $33 million, expecting similar success in England.
Mkhitaryan had memorable moments at Old Trafford—his spectacular ‘scorpion kick’ against Sunderland and a goal in the Europa League final stood out. Over two seasons, he showed flashes of brilliance, but struggled to perform consistently in big matches. A loss of confidence from José Mourinho ultimately led to his transfer to Arsenal. It wasn’t until his move to Inter that he fully regained his best form.
15. Owen Hargreaves
Owen Hargreaves joined Manchester United in 2007, with the club paying $22 million to Bayern Munich. Unfortunately, his transfer came despite a serious injury that had sidelined him for most of the previous season.
In moments when he was fit, Hargreaves demonstrated his quality, notably shining in the Champions League final against Chelsea. However, injuries dominated his time at Old Trafford, limiting him to just six appearances. One of those games was even for Manchester City after his departure, making this transfer a frustrating chapter in United’s history.
14. Gabriel Obertan
Gabriel Obertan’s move from Bordeaux to Manchester United in 2009 for £3 million raised a few eyebrows. At Bordeaux, he hadn’t shown anything that suggested he could thrive at a club of United’s stature.
Sadly, his struggles continued at Old Trafford. Over 28 appearances, Obertan managed just a single goal, failing to make a lasting impact. By 2011, he had moved to Newcastle, where he again struggled to impress, cementing his place on United’s list of transfer disappointments.
13. Victor Valdes
Victor Valdés arrived at Manchester United in the winter of 2015, bringing with him the reputation of a Barcelona legend. However, he was coming off six months of knee injury rehabilitation and signed an 18-month contract that promised more than it delivered.
Valdés only managed to feature in two matches for United before being loaned to Middlesbrough. The situation worsened when manager Louis van Gaal revealed that Valdés had refused to play in a reserve match. This led to him being excluded from the 2015/16 team photo and even losing his locker in the dressing room—a symbolic end to a frustrating and unproductive spell at Old Trafford.
12. Morgan Schneiderlin
Manchester United invested $39 million in Morgan Schneiderlin in 2015, lured by his consistency in the Premier League. His debut season showed promise—he made 38 appearances across all competitions and helped the team lift the FA Cup.
However, a change in management disrupted his progress. Under José Mourinho, Schneiderlin was largely relegated to the bench and struggled to make an impact. By the 2016/17 season, he featured in just two Premier League matches before moving on to Everton, leaving his time at Old Trafford largely unfulfilled.
11. Bebe
Bebe arrived at Manchester United in 2010 as an unknown talent. Even Sir Alex Ferguson admitted he had little information on the player and acted quickly to secure him before Real Madrid and Benfica could.
Unfortunately, the winger struggled to make an impact. He played only seven matches in his first season before being loaned out. In 2014, Benfica completed a permanent transfer, marking the end of Bebe’s brief and largely forgotten stint at Old Trafford.
10. Donny van de Beek
Donny van de Beek’s £45 million move from Ajax in 2020 quickly looked like a misstep. Part of the problem was that Manchester United already had plenty of players in his position, and even the arrival of Erik ten Hag—his former Ajax coach—didn’t change his fortunes.
Over the past three years, the talented midfielder has spent more time on the treatment table than on the pitch. Given this struggle for minutes, it would be surprising if van de Beek remains a key figure at Old Trafford in the upcoming season.
9. Wilfried Zaha
Wilfried Zaha’s £19 million move to Manchester United in 2013 came after a personal recommendation from Sir Alex Ferguson, who had tracked the Crystal Palace winger for three years.
However, by the time Zaha arrived at Old Trafford, Ferguson had retired, and David Moyes didn’t see him as a central part of the squad. The winger managed just 167 minutes across all competitions before returning to Crystal Palace, where he continues to play today.
8. Radamel Falcao
Radamel Falcao’s 2014 loan move from Monaco looked like a major coup. The Colombian had scored 11 goals in just 20 matches in France and was widely regarded as one of the world’s top strikers. Manchester United invested around $20 million for the season, including his wages.
Unfortunately, injuries and age caught up with Falcao, and he managed only four goals in 29 appearances. United ultimately decided not to make the move permanent—a choice that seemed wise, as Falcao continued to struggle during his subsequent spell at Chelsea.
7. Memphis Depay
In 2015, Manchester United paid £40 million for 21-year-old Memphis Depay, who had been PSV’s top scorer in the Eredivisie with 22 goals. Expectations were high, but it soon became clear that the Dutch forward struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League.
Depay managed just seven goals in 53 appearances and was sold to Lyon in January 2017. He has since revived his career in France, which raises the question: was it the player, the league, or simply a mismatch at United?
6. Harry Maguire
In 2019, Manchester United signed Harry Maguire from Leicester for $102 million, making him the world’s most expensive defender at the time. However, he struggled to assert himself as the leader of the backline and increasingly found himself on the bench.
During the 2022-23 season, the England international featured in only eight Premier League matches, losing his starting spot to Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane. At 30, Maguire has yet to live up to the expectations associated with his record transfer.
5. Jadon Sancho
Jadon Sancho joined Manchester United in 2021 for £93 million, following two years of prolonged negotiations with Borussia Dortmund. The hype and investment around him created huge expectations.
However, over 79 appearances, the winger managed just 12 goals and six assists—numbers far below what was anticipated for a player of his talent and price tag.
4. Paul Pogba
In 2016, Paul Pogba returned to Manchester United for a record $114 million. Over six years at the club, he made more than 200 appearances but rarely delivered consistently. While he had flashes of brilliance, in many matches he seemed to disappear.
Injuries also hampered his progress, and despite the huge investment, Pogba’s only trophies with United were the Europa League and the League Cup. By the time he left in the summer of 2022, many fans had grown frustrated with his inconsistency.
3. Romelu Lukaku
Romelu Lukaku joined Manchester United in 2017 after three highly successful seasons at Everton, where he scored 68 goals, 25 of them in his final season. The £96 million transfer fee seemed justified at the time.
In his first season at Old Trafford, Lukaku netted 28 times across all competitions. However, he struggled to perform in crucial matches, and issues with finishing and technique became apparent. His output declined in the following season, and ultimately, this led to his transfer to Inter Milan.
2. Angel Di Maria
Angel Di Maria arrived at Manchester United in 2014 for £77 million. Despite his undeniable talent, he struggled to adapt to Louis van Gaal's rigid system and was unable to make a lasting impact. After just one season, Di Maria was sold to PSG, where he regained form and began performing at the level expected of him.
1. Alexis Sanchez
Alexis Sanchez came with high expectations and a £14 million-a-year salary, but his time at Manchester United was disappointing. In a season and a half, he scored only three goals. His dribbling, long-range shooting, and creativity—the very qualities United signed him for—rarely appeared on the pitch. Poor form and off-field issues eventually forced the club to loan him out and later sell him permanently to Inter Milan. |
