Manchester United have not been shy about splashing the cash in the last decade. In fact, since no side has a higher net spend in the last ten seasons than the Red Devils.
Despite a net expenditure of almost £1,000,000,000 since the 2015/16 summer window, the last decade has largely been a turbulent one at Old Trafford.
Many of the Red Devils' expensive additions have not gone to plan, but under their new INEOS leadership, they are hoping this summer's confirmed signings are more successful.
Manchester United most expensive signings: the top five
Eight years on from his homecoming from Juventus, Paul Pogba's £89m move is still atop Manchester United's priciest acquisitions. United have made three of the ten most expensive Premier League signings ever, the joint most.
| Manchester United most expensive signings | Joined from | Fee | Goals (Apps) | Honours with club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇫🇷Paul Pogba (CM) | Juventus | £89m | 29 (157) | UEFA Europa League (2017) EFL Cup (2010, 2017) |
| 🇧🇷Antony (RW) | Ajax | £81m | 5 (54) | FA Cup (2024) EFL Cup (2023) |
| 🏴Harry Maguire (CB) | Leicester City | £74m | 6 (140) | FA Cup (2024) EFL Cup (2023) |
| 🏴Jadon Sancho (RW) | Borussia Dortmund | £72m | 9 (58) | EFL Cup 2023 |
| 🇧🇪Romelu Lukaku (ST) | Everton | £72m | 28 (66) | None |
1) Paul Pogba £89m
Paul Pogba kicks off our list. After leaving United in 2012 for more playing time, Pogba joined Juventus and developed into a world-class player.
A truly complete midfielder, United paid the Turin giants £89m to bring Pogba back to Old Trafford.
Pogba was better at United than he is often given credit for, but he could not bring the big successes back to the Red Devils, and made high-profile errors.
Injury issues began to nag at Pogba's form in his final season, and he moved to Juventus for a second time on a free transfer.
2) Antony £81m
Antony's Manchester United debut was dreamlike, as he scored an ice-cold opener against old enemy Arsenal at Old Trafford.
But since then, it has largely been downhill for the Brazilian winger.
Antony was regarded as a talented player at Ajax, but United massively overpaid to reunite him with former boss Erik ten Hag at £81m, plus some hefty add-ons.
The 24-year-old has become a figure of ridicule online and held up as a symbol of the club's malaise.
Antony will be hoping to bounce back in 2024/25.
3) Harry Maguire £74m
Like Paul Pogba, Harry Maguire has been better for Manchester United than he is often given credit for.
The England regular and former United captain is a powerful and intelligent defender at his best, capable of great ball-carrying.
He has also been a rare stalwart in a United defence that has been chopped and changed myriad times since his £74m move from Leicester in 2019.
But his lack of pace and high-profile errors have also made the 31-year-old an easy target for enraged supporters, as well as costing United in big moments.
4) Jadon Sancho £72m
Manchester United expended great time, effort and, ultimately, money, on bringing Jadon Sancho to Old Trafford.
Sancho had become a bona fide footballing sensation since leaving rivals Manchester City for Borussia Dortmund at 17.
The winger scored 50 and assisted 58 in 137 appearances for Die Schwarzgelben.
But when United got Sancho in 2021, they didn't seem to know what to do with him, and the youngster struggled.
Sancho had a high-profile falling out with Erik ten Hag in 2023, and was exiled back to Dortmund on loan, though the two have since reconciled.
United fans will be hoping to see Sancho's prodigious talent finally flourish this season.
5) Romelu Lukaku £72m
Also one of Chelsea's priciest additions, Romelu Lukaku has had an awful lot of money spent on him.
United spent big to bring the Belgian striker from Everton, where he had just scored 26 and assisted six in 39 appearances in 2016/17.
Lukaku did not play poorly for United, averaging over a goal every other game, but he never seemed to fit in and was ultimately unhappy at the club.
He left for Inter for £63m in the summer of 2019.
