Ranking the 10 Worst Manchester United Transfers in the Last 5 Years
After enduring their worst Premier League season in history—and worst top-flight campaign since 1973-74—Manchester United suffered one final humiliation before mercifully drawing the curtains on 2024-2025.
Tottenham Hotspur defeated the Red Devils in the Europa League final 1-0, with the Lilywhites securing their first title since 2008 and first European trophy since 1984.
While the trophy drought isn't as bad for United, who won the FA Cup last season, losing out on the European stage rubs salt, chilli seeds, vinegar and lemon juice into an already raw wound.
The problems at the club are numerous, with drastic changes in day-to-day operations under a new ownership group, the shadow of the Glazers still hanging over Old Trafford, a crumbling stadium, and a fanbase growing increasingly discontent with how things are going both on and off the pitch.
But minimal success in the transfer window in the last five years has certainly had a part to play in United's tumble from relevance in the English game. Money has been spent, there's no doubt about that, but not always in the most sensible of places.
Read on for a ranking of the 10 worst incomings at Manchester United since the 2020-21 campaign.
Transfer fees and stats sourced from Transfermarkt unless otherwise stated. Player stats accurate before 2025 Europa League final.
10. Alex Telles (2020), €15.00 million
1 of 10
The arrival of left-back Alex Telles from Porto ahead of the 2020-21 season seemed like smart business.
Luke Shaw holds a lifetime membership to the Manchester United treatment room, and a solid backup in the position for little outlay was, on paper, a sensible move.
But the Brazilian never truly convinced at Old Trafford, playing 50 games in all competitions across two seasons before heading out on loan to Sevilla and then transferring to Al-Nassr in 2023.
He scored one goal and laid on eight assists during his time in red, which was undoubtedly disappointing after he notched 26 goals and created 57 more in a fraction over four seasons with Porto.
But considering the low cost of transfer, Telles was a worthwhile gamble that wasn't quite as disastrous as other signings.
9. Tyrell Malacia (2022), €15.00 million
2 of 10
Another addition in United's left-back carousel, Tyrell Malacia arrived in 2022 from Feyenoord after catching the eye of countryman Erik ten Hag in the Eredivisie.
He featured 35 times in his debut season in all contests, but a knee injury ahead of the 2023-24 campaign kept him sidelined for over a year.
After playing a handful of games upon his recovery in 2024-25, he was shipped out to PSV Eindhoven in February to return the 25-year-old to the kind of form that convinced the Red Devils to sign him in the first place.
He'll be back in England's north-west ahead of next season, when he'll try to convince new boss Ruben Amorim he has a future at the club.
Malacia ranks slightly higher than Telles because there is still a chance for him to turn things around at United. But given his luck in the last few years and the arrival of Patrick Dorgu in his position, that doesn't appear likely.
8. Joshua Zirkzee (2024), €42.5 million
3 of 10
Joshua Zirkzee's eye-catching performances for Bologna in Serie A, for whom he scored 12 goals and created seven more in all contests in 2023-24, convinced Ten Hag to drop €42.5 million on the then-23-year-old.
It looked like an inspired decision, with the Dutchman scoring on his United debut against Fulham, coming off the bench to notch an 87th-minute winner.
But the goals soon dried up after that. Zirkzee bagged just two more Premier League goals for the rest of the season, adding only four more across three other competitions.
United haven't nailed down a competent starting striker since Robin van Persie's exit in 2015, and Zirkzee is another example of the club opting for promise over a No. 9 in their prime with a proven history of 15-plus-goal seasons (more on that later).
He has time on his side, and this could work out in the long term, but Zirkzee has disappointed in his first season in England, and he'll need to do much more to win over management and the fans.
7. Andre Onana (2023), €50.2 million
4 of 10
With Ten Hag unconvinced by long-time No. 1 David de Gea and unsubtly pushing him out of Old Trafford's exit door, the Dutchman turned to a stopper he could trust.
Andre Onana had earned plenty of plaudits under Ten Hag at Ajax before Internazionale swooped and signed the Cameroonian on a free transfer in 2022.
He continued to impress in Serie A, helping the Nerazzurri win the Supercoppa Italiana and the Coppa Italia, and reach the 2023 Champions League final. His high-risk style and comfort with the ball at his feet played a big part in his rise in the global 'keeper ranks, and United were keen to bring him on board.
But that level of freedom in his play has not translated so well in the English game, with the 29-year-old guilty of high-profile errors that have often been costly. In fact, according to the Premier League, Onana made three mistakes in 2024-25 that led directly to a goal, the joint-fifth most in the league.
He was also dropped from the starting XI by Amorim in April after a disastrous showing in the first leg of the Europa League quarterfinal against Lyon.
It was a pretty hefty outlay for a player in a key position, and that there are already murmurs he could be on his way out of the club is a big admission that the signing just hasn't worked out as expected.
6. Casemiro (2022), €70.65 million
5 of 10
Signing Casemiro from Real Madrid in 2022 was a huge statement of intent from the Red Devils, with the Brazilian one of the best defensive midfielders on the planet at the time of his arrival.
Eyebrows were raised at the fee spent on a player who had just turned 30, with a decline in performance expected in the not-too-distant future.
However, he was immense in his debut campaign, bringing steel to the United engine-room and bagging some crucial goals.
But then things went south. He was one of United's worst performers the following season and was culpable for some dreadful mistakes. The nadir came early in the 2024-2025 campaign, when his errors led to two goals for Liverpool before half time in an eventual 3-0 defeat at Old Trafford. He was substituted before the second 45 got underway.
One season does not a successful signing make, and while the Brazilian has been reliable in terms of availability and effort, that transfer fee is looking increasingly eye-watering as he enters the final year of his contract.
5. Rasmus Højlund (2023), €77.8 million
6 of 10
To replicate the transfer success of their Manchester neighbors, United spent big on a promising Scandinavian striker in 2023.
Denmark international Rasmus Højlund didn't come with quite the same resume as Norwegian Erling Haaland, but he did fit a similar archetype.
Unfortunately for the Red Devils, he has proved to be the Shein version of the deadly City goal-machine.
In 93 appearances for the club, Højlund has notched 26 goals and provided six assists. After scoring 10 and assisting four for Atalanta in 2022-23, United would have expected a lot more.
Like Zirkzee, Højlund was signed for his promise, not for his established scoring record. It seems like an increasingly foolhardy strategy for a club that has the pulling power to bring in top players, despite their recent woes.
Again, like his Dutch teammate, there is still time for things to turn around for Højlund. But as it stands, it's more money down the drain than United apparently can't afford to waste.
4. Mason Mount (2023), €64.2 million
7 of 10
Mason Mount progressed through Chelsea's lauded academy to become a much-loved homegrown talent at Stamford Bridge, before a contract standoff with the London club hastened his exit. United were more than happy to swoop in and bring him to the north.
However, it's fair to say he's not quite earned the adoration of the United faithful after two years with the club. Injuries haven't helped Mount gain a foothold at Old Trafford, with the 26-year-old making just 44 appearances across two seasons with the Red Devils.
He's scored just four goals and provided one assist during that time, which is a far cry from the 33 goals and 37 helpers he earned in 195 appearances with the Blues.
It's difficult to know quite where to play Mount, and that awkward tactical fit hasn't been easier to solve with two different managers calling the shots during his time at the club.
There are green shoots of promise under Amorim, though. He's becoming a useful option off the bench for the Portuguese, even scoring twice against Athletic Club as a substitute in the Europa League semifinal second leg.
Still, a supersub who's played just 1,570 minutes across all contests since arriving (the equivalent of just over 17 games) is not what United would have wanted for a near €65 million fee.
3. Donny van de Beek (2020), €39 million
8 of 10
Perhaps the most confusing United signing of the last half-decade is Donny van de Beek, who arrived in the summer of 2020.
The then-23-year-old was quickly establishing himself as one of the next great talents from Ajax's production line, and his arrival signaled the start of something special that could propel United for a generation.
But things didn't go quite to plan. Van de Beek suited up just 62 times for United in four years at the club (which was interrupted by injury and loan moves to Everton and Eintracht Frankfurt). He notched just two goals and provided two assists before a low-key exit to Girona ahead of the 2024-25 season.
It's not entirely clear why Van de Beek failed at Old Trafford. He seemed to have the backing of a manager who had utilized him to great effect in prior seasons, and he had the talent to make a name for himself in the English top flight.
Alas, it wasn't to be. Luckily for him, Van de Beek was spared a higher spot on this list mostly by being a relatively low-cost signing compared to others.
2. Jadon Sancho (2021), €85 million
9 of 10
In 2021, Jadon Sancho had the world at his feet. The Englishman was one of the most prized young wingers on the planet after four seasons with Borussia Dortmund, during which time he scored 50 goals and created 64 more.
Then he went to United, where young talent apparently goes to die.
His time back in Manchester (he was once on Manchester City's books) has been an unmitigated disaster. In 83 appearances, he's bagged just 12 goals and only laid on six assists.
He also had a very public falling out with Ten Hag that saw him banished from the squad for nearly a year.
Technically, he is still a Red Devil, although a loan move to Chelsea does contain an obligation to buy clause. However, with just four goals and 10 assists for the Blues, it's possible that the London side could trigger a £5 million clause that would get them out of signing him permanently, as the BBC observed.
At 25 years old, time is on Sancho's side. But considering where it was expected he'd be in his career at this point, it's so disappointing to see how things have gone.
For United, it's another huge transfer fee that has led to buyer's remorse.
1. Antony (2022), €95 million
10 of 10
Where to begin?
Antony arrived from Ajax as the second-most-expensive transfer in Manchester United history.
The then-22-year-old had worked under Ten Hag at Ajax, where he gained admiring glances for his flair and penchant for a scintillating strike.
But even then, a close to €100 million outlay seemed excessive for a winger who hadn't exactly set the world on fire.
In hindsight, that fee looks even more inflated.
The Brazilian has just 12 goals and five assists in 96 games for United. His poor work rate, lackluster attitude and wasted final balls are among the most glaring issues that have irked fans and made pundits pull their hair out.
Despite all of his pirouettes, there simply doesn't look like there is a way for him to turn it around in Manchester.
While on loan at Real Betis, he has shown signs of ability, scoring eight and assisting five in just five months and 24 games for the Liga side, which is close to his output for United across two-and-a-half seasons.
But, if anything, that should only mildly inflate the transfer fee that any club willing to take him will have to pay.
In short, Antony has been a disaster for United, and the 25-year-old is a symbol of the club's misfortunes in the last decade-plus.
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