We’re taking a look at the ten most expensive Old Trafford arrivals in history, ranging from some of the Premier League’s biggest flops, to key components in Manchester United’s rich history of success.
10: Rio Ferdinand – £41.4m from Leeds United (2002)
Rio Ferdinand became Britain’s most expensive player at just 23-years-old, making the switch from Elland Road to play under Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.
In his Old Trafford career, Ferdinand won six Premier League titles, one Champions League, three League Cups, four Community Shields and one Club World Cup making him one of the most decorated defenders in football.
Ferdinand has since become a successful pundit on BT Sport and is still widely known as a huge Manchester United fan, regularly cheering on the Red Devils on TV and social media.
9: Aaron Wan-Bissaka – £50m from Crystal Palace (2019)
Aaron Wan-Bissaka quickly became a fan favourite at Manchester United during his first season in the 2019/20 campaign, with his spider-like attributes and boundless work-rate putting the Old Trafford crowd on their feet.
There is no doubt that the 24-year-old is still one of the best one-on-one defenders in world football, however glaring weaknesses have become apparent in recent times that have led to United reportedly willing to listen to offers for Wan-Bissaka this summer.
The right-back’s indecisiveness on the ball and poor distribution led to both Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick opting to start Diogo Dalot ahead of him at times during the 2021/22 season, and Wan-Bissska’s time at Old Trafford looks to be up after just three seasons.
8: Fred – £53m from Shakhtar Donetsk (2018)
Fred joined Manchester United in a £53m deal during the summer of 2018, pipping noisy neighbours Manchester City to the Brazilian’s signature from Ukrainian outfit Shakhtar Donetsk.
The 29-year-old’s Old Trafford career has been full of ups and downs, with multiple patches throughout where supporters have been led to believe he’s been the missing piece on United’s midfield – and others where he could be seen as an alarming problem.
Signed in the Jose Mourinho era, Fred is still yet to win silverware at the club and his starting spot for the 2022/23 season is under threat with United closing in on the signing of Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong.
7: Anthony Martial – £54m from Monaco (2015)
