The history of the Red Devils has recorded a series of successful contracts beyond expectations. Here are the 10 most impressive “shopping” times of the Old Trafford team.

 

10 – Summer 2001

Man United do not stand still after winning 3 consecutive Premier League titles. Coach Sir Alex Ferguson brought assassin Ruud van Nistelrooy to Old Trafford with a contract worth £ 19 million.

The Dutch killer arrived at Man United. 

In addition, Man United also added midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron. Veron arrived at the Red Devils with a record amount of £ 28 million. In the opposite direction, Sir Alex made the mistake of getting rid of Jaap Stam and replacing it with 35-year-old general Laurent Blanc.

Van Nistelrooy proves Sir Alex has an impressive human eye. The Dutch assassin contributed 150 goals after 5 years of association. On the side of Veron, the former Argentine player has a faint impression.

9 – Summer 1996

Man United missed Alan Shearer when the former British player refused to dock at Old Trafford. The Red Devils own Karel Poborsky and Jordi Cruyff. Unfortunately, the two do not contribute much to the overall gameplay.

The two most successful signings of Man United in the summer of 1996 named Ronny Johnsen and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Johnsen created a pair of cards to coincide with Stam in defence, while Ole left his mark with the decisive goal in the Champions League final in 1999.

8 – Summer 1995

Man United decided to get rid of Andrei Kanchelskis and Paul Ince in the summer of 1995. The Red Devils had a bad start to the 1995/1996 season when they lost 1-3 to Aston Villa.

However, Man United made an impressive comeback later when Eric Cantona returned to the field after suspension. Besides, the homegrown generation of Neville brothers, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt…. tremendous progress. At the end of the season, Man United won the Premier League and FA Cup domestic double.

7 – Winter 2006

Evra signed for Manchester United. 

Man United recruited the duo Edwin van der Sar and Park Ji-sung in the summer of 2005. The Red Devils continued to replenish their forces in the winter of 2006 when they brought in the duo Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra. The rest goes down in history.

Vidic and Evra contributed to building a solid defense throughout the next 8 years of Man United. Vidic combined with Rio Ferdinand to form a famous central defender duo in the Premier League and Europe.

6 – Summer 2012

Man United need to add some 9 levels in the context of a thin attacking force (Javier Hernandez, Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck). Sir Alex decided to ‘steal’ Robin Van Persie back to Old Trafford with a £24 million contract.

Van Persie is a successful signing of Man United. 

Reality proves that Sir Alex has a wise decision. Van Persie contributed greatly to helping Man United win the EPL 2012/2013 with 24 goals, and also won the title of top scorer in the tournament. Besides the Dutch striker, Man United also signed Shinji Kagawa.

5 – Summer 2022

Last summer, Man United brought in five new players: Christian Eriksen, Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez, Tyrell Malacia and Antony. Three of them immediately claim value.

Casemiro is a quality addition to Man United. 

Despite the height restriction, Martinez gradually became the mainstay of the defense. The duo Casemiro – Eriksen added the ability to regulate the game, distribute the ball, and press for the midfield. Malacia has not been able to compete for a main kick, while blockbuster Antony needs to improve a lot in terms of gameplay.

4 – Summer 2002

Man United parted ways with some faces like Denis Irwin, Ronny Johnsen and Dwight Yorke. In the opposite direction, the Red Devils added a quality rookie: Rio Ferdinand.

Ferdinand had an outstanding performance with England at the World Cup. He is seen as an upgraded version of Laurent Blanc. The rest goes down in history. Ferdinand became one of the best midfielders in the fog, winning 6 EPL titles, 1 Champions League after 14 seasons with Man United.

3 – Summer 2004

Busy summer for Man United. The Reds signed Wayne Rooney, Gabriel Heinze, Alan Smith and Gerard Pique. In particular, Rooney is the most successful signature in the history of Man United.

Rooney is a legend of Man United. 

The former Three Lions player won 16 different titles during his 13 years with the Red Devils. R10 goes down in history as the greatest goalscorer in history with 253 goals.

2 – Summer 2007

Losing to AC Milan in the Champions League made Man United realize the squad lacked depth. Immediately, the Red Devils splashed money on the market. Anderson, Nani, Owen Hargreaves, Carlos Tevez landed at Old Trafford. All four faces left their mark on the journey of Man United winning the 2008 Champions League.

1 – Summer 1998

Sir Alex and Yorke. 

Man United spent the summer of 1998 successfully bringing in 3 signings Jaap Stam, Dwight Yorke and Jesper Blomqvist. Stam, Yorke left a bold mark on the Red Devils’ journey to win the historic treble in the 1998/1999 season.

Stam becomes an important piece in the defense system. Blomqvist is seen as a quality plan B for Ryan Giggs. Yorke adds strength to the attack.