Manchester United‘s transfer business always comes under intense scrutiny – but how has their most expensive signing from every year of the past decade and a bit fared?
Since Sir Alex Ferguson retired and chief executive David Gill left his role in 2013, Ed Woodward has been heavily criticised for his approach in the transfer market with the Red Devils.
We’ve taken a closer look at the most expensive signing to arrive at Old Trafford in each season since 2010-11.
2010: Chris Smalling
United’s first campaign of the decade was fairly low-key, yet the club still managed to win the Premier League title and reach the Champions League final.
In a window that also saw the relatively budget arrivals of Javier Hernandez (good), Marnick Vermijl (a kid) and Bebe (lol), Smalling was the most expensive signing at around £12million from Fulham.
The deal was agreed in January 2010, but the centre-back remained at Craven Cottage until the end of the campaign, capping a remarkable rise from Maidstone to Old Trafford within two years.
A solid servant for the club, Smalling won eight trophies with United – shining under Louis van Gaal in particular – but found himself surplus to requirements under Jose Mourinho and now finds himself at Roma… under Jose Mourinho.
Still, the change of scenery has helped revitalise his career.
2011: David de Gea
The man we deemed United’s best signing of the 2010s in 2019 joined as a 21-year-old in a £22million deal from Atletico Madrid under considerable pressure to prove himself capable of dealing with the rigours of English football.
De Gea endured some tough times during a shaky start, and he had another shoddy spell at the back end of last decade, but for long stretches he was the only world-class performer at the club and recovered top form in 2021-22.
2012: Robin van Persie
In 2012-13, United signed Shinji Kagawa, Nick Powell, Alexander Buttner, Angelo Henriquez, Wilfried Zaha and Robin van Persie.
Something (26 goals, the Golden Boot and the Premier League title) tells us Van Persie was worth the extra outlay.
READ: Robin van Persie: Would I have joined Man Utd if I knew Fergie was retiring?
2013: Juan Mata
United signing Mata for £37.1million in January of 2013-14 keeps Marouane Fellaini off this list, which feels like some kind of glitch in the David Moyes ‘era’.
But the Spaniard provided some memorable moments in his nine years (nine!) at Old Trafford, most notably his overhead kick winner against…
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