Manchester United has a storied legacy attributed to many factors, including its rich historical success, global fan following and iconic players such as Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo. As three-time winners of the UEFA Champions League and with 20 top-flight league titles – the most out of any Premier League team – the team’s status speaks for itself.
Swooping up fans throughout the years with their electrifying presence, the Red Devils garner massive revenues from commercial sources and match days, much like slots with maximum returns. With those kinds of financial resources available, it’s easy to see why they’ve been responsible for some of the biggest and boldest deals in football history. Here are some of the most expensive contracts that have come out of Man United.
Jack Grealish (£100 million from Aston Villa)
At a whopping 100 million pounds, Grealish tops the list with his six-year contract. He’s ranked seventh among the most expensive football transfers ever as of February 2024. This young prospect held a lot of potential despite his slow maturation with Aston Villa, and he continued to experience ups and downs during his debut season at Manchester City.
However, the eye-popping contract ended up being a big win for United after Grealish’s performances in the 2022 – 2023 Champions League. He had finally settled into his position at the club and shown analysts and fans why he was worth every cent of that transfer fee.
Paul Pogba (£93 million from Juventus)
Paul Pogba’s return to Man United was a moment of victory for most of the club’s fans, considering his high potential and promise after his initial transfer in 2009. In 2012, he left Man U for Juventus, where he made a name for himself as one of the world’s top midfielders. Media outlets praise him for just about every aspect of his ability – his explosive play style, finesse on the field, high stamina and creativity, to name a few.
With his newfound stardom and recognition, Manchester United wanted to fulfil his former ambitions with the club and capitalise on his talent. 2016 marked his return to the club as one of the highest-paid players ever.
Antony (£82 million from Ajax)
Brazilian footballer Antony Matheus dos Santos is a young right winger whose raw talent and skills were noticed early in his short career. This bright prospect played in tournaments and matches in Brazil until he signed with Dutch club Ajax in 2020. He quickly established himself as integral to the team, helping them win both the KNVB Cup and the Eredivisie. With him on the team, Ajax also won all six Champions League group games for the first time in history as a Dutch club.
Eventually, Manchester United recruited him on a five-year contract in 2022. Wearing Edinson Cavani’s number 21, he became the first player in the club’s history to score in their first three back-to-back Premier League games.
Harry Maguire (£80 million from Leicester City)
Harry Maguire is an English footballer through and through, with stints in Sheffield United, Hull City and Leicester City before landing his £80 million contract with Manchester United. Starting in the youth system at his hometown club, Sheffield United, he was promoted to the first-team squad in 2011 and won man of the match in his debut game. He continued on to win many awards in his career and became a solid and steady centre-back overall.
His reliable status earned him the title of club captain just six months into his time with Man United, and he held this role for three years before passing on the responsibility to Bruno Fernandes.
Jadon Sancho (£73 million from Borussia Dortmund)
If you’re looking for a true rags-to-riches story, Jadon Sancho is the epitome of that tale. From humble beginnings in South London, he aspired to become a footballer, just like many British youth. He looked up to players like Lampard, Drogba and Ronaldinho and joined Watford at just seven years of age. Sancho impressed many influential coaches with his skills and determination, which is what led him to move to Manchester City for a potential fee of £500,000 as a 14-year-old player.
In 2017, he debuted with Borussia Dortmund as an instant addition to the first-team squad and enjoyed a fruitful career with the club. In 2021, he transferred over to Manchester United.
Romelu Lukaku (£75 million from Everton)
Lukaku is one player that has commanded plenty of respect, whether it’s for his titles as a top goalscorer, imposing presence or record-setting transfers. He’s known for having played on numerous teams in his senior career, covering some of the most prestigious leagues in the football world. His breakthrough was with the Belgian squad Anderlecht, but he then joined the English Premier League with Chelsea. He also played for Everton, Inter Milan, Chelsea and, of course, Manchester United from 2017 to 2019.
With Man United, he scored many game-changing goals, helping the team secure plenty of victories. In his debut match, he scored two goals in a 4-0 win, and later on, he scored his 100th Premier League Goal.
Casemiro (£70 million from Real Madrid)
Like Antony, Carlos Casimiro (known as Casemiro) began his football career with São Paulo – one of Brazil’s most respected academies. There, his mastery of the midfield was recognised, along with his mobility and aggressiveness, which made him stand out amongst other players. He eventually signed with Real Madrid and solidified a successful career with the club for 9 years, up until his transfer to Manchester United in 2022.
Apart from his appearances and prolific success in the Premier League, Casemiro is also a staple on the Brazilian national team. He scored the winning goal in the 2022 World Cup against Switzerland before Brazil was unfortunately eliminated in the quarter-finals.
