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Manchester United’s 30 most expensive transfers in history

Originally posted on HITC | By Dan Coombs | Last updated Jan 1, 2026 5:09 AM ET

A look at the biggest deals ever completed by the club, from record-breakers to controversial gambles.

Manchester United have long been one of football’s most powerful forces in the transfer market, regularly shaping eras of the Premier League with headline-making signings. Across different managers and generations, Old Trafford has seen some of the game’s largest fees paid in the pursuit of silverware and global dominance.

While the club’s academy remains one of the strongest in world football, sustained success at the top level has often required major investment. Some of these high-profile acquisitions have become icons of the club, while others struggled to justify their price tags. The arrival of Benjamin Sesko in 2025 has only reinforced United’s reputation as one of football’s biggest spenders.

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Manchester United’s most expensive transfers of all time

Top 30 list (main transfer fees only):

Note: the ranking reflects primary fees, excluding incentive-based add-ons from the headline figure.

Big Investments: Successes and Disappointments

United’s record in the market has produced both triumphs and frustrations. The club never fully extracted the expected long-term value from the £89m spent on Paul Pogba, while Ángel Di María departed after a single season and Romelu Lukaku after just two.

In contrast, Bruno Fernandes has already justified his fee many times over, emerging as one of the most influential players of the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era. There is similar optimism surrounding Matheus Cunha’s future impact.

Lower on the list, historic British signings such as Rio Ferdinand delivered exceptional returns across long careers at the club, underlining that while massive spending grabs headlines, sustained value often tells the real story of Manchester United’s most important transfers.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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