Edwin Van Der Sar was a bargain at £2m from Fulham.
The greatest United value for money signings ever
- Thread starter vidic blood & sand
- Start date
Rooney
Roy Keane for £3.75m. British Record at time. Turned out to be a bargain. Blackburn had £4m bid accepted but didn't have correct paperwork on Friday and had verbal agreement to sign him on the Monday. Sir Alex went in on Saturday and signed him. That's how to do transfer business. 
Absolutely! I'd say 2005-06 was one of Ferguson's best transfer windows ever.
Cantona £1.2 million.
Fecking bargain of the century!
Fecking bargain of the century!
Lee Sharpe for £200,000 was phenomenal for a few seasons. Won the Young player of the year in 1990.
Career nosedived in the end due to lack 9f focus and desire.
Career nosedived in the end due to lack 9f focus and desire.
Ole - £1.5m? If it was only THAT goal, it's a bargain but he actually scored a shedload.
Kanchelskis - £650k.
McClair - £850k and well over 100 goals for us.
Schmeicel
Irwin
Bruce
Vidic
Evra
Ronaldo
Park
Robson
Kanchelskis
Cantona
McClair
Sub : Ole
Peanuts.
Kanchelskis - £650k.
McClair - £850k and well over 100 goals for us.
Schmeicel
Irwin
Bruce
Vidic
Evra
Ronaldo
Park
Robson
Kanchelskis
Cantona
McClair
Sub : Ole
Peanuts.
Just to show how much things have changed financially, back in 2012 there were people claiming we overpayed for a player who was a year away from the end of his contract.
In 2008 Berbatov arrived for £30.75m. Four years later, in comparison to this, RvP looks like a steal of the century.
This was an incredible run of business at a time when Chelsea had begun to blow everyone out of the water in the transfer market.
Keane without Keane I doubt we would have win half the trophies we did
Keane
Big Pete
Irwin
Cantona
Solskjaer
All excellent value for money
Big Pete
Irwin
Cantona
Solskjaer
All excellent value for money
Alex Stepney, £55,000 from Chelsea.
Martin Buchan, a (then) club record for £120,000 from Aberdeen.
Robbo, for a British record of £1.5 million from WBA.
Robbo's fee was considered astronomical at the time but he was worth every penny. His replacement, Roy Keane, only cost £3.5 million 12 years later.
Martin Buchan, a (then) club record for £120,000 from Aberdeen.
Robbo, for a British record of £1.5 million from WBA.
Robbo's fee was considered astronomical at the time but he was worth every penny. His replacement, Roy Keane, only cost £3.5 million 12 years later.
By a country fecking mile. He created the winning mentality/culture along with Sir Alex.
Is the correct answer.
Stole the words out of my mouth pal, if I could give likes I’d give two for this.
Surely wins this thread.
Dennis Irwin
Solskjær was pretty cheap, no? Scored a lot of important goals (CL final decider, and an injury time winner vs Liverpool in the FA cup quarter, only in 99). Also scored 4 goals in two different games, which I thought was fun (remember when we still used to absolutely spank PL opposition? 
).
).Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona and Cristiano Ronaldo
Players signed for less than £10m that had significant careers at MUFC in my lifetime :- Bryan Robson, Brian McClair, Peter Schmeichel, Gary Pallister, Paul Ince, Eric Cantona, Roy Keane, Denis Irwin, Henning Berg, Ronny Johnsen, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Teddy Sheringham, Andy Cole, Mikael Silvestre, Patrice Evra, Nemanja Vidic, Ji Sung Park, Chicharito… all spring to mind
Irwin, Big Pete, Cantona, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, VDS, Carrick were all bargains
Disappointing flops: Sanchez, Di Maria, Veron, Falcao, Bastian, Barthez, Depay, Anderson Hargreaves to name a few who came here with big reputations...
What this shows me is we have to get much better at moving on players who don’t perform or fit in and always be willing to take chances on fresh players if our scouts / managers believe in them, there certainly is still value out there if we can catch players early enough and give them enough chances to impress.
Disappointing flops: Sanchez, Di Maria, Veron, Falcao, Bastian, Barthez, Depay, Anderson Hargreaves to name a few who came here with big reputations...
What this shows me is we have to get much better at moving on players who don’t perform or fit in and always be willing to take chances on fresh players if our scouts / managers believe in them, there certainly is still value out there if we can catch players early enough and give them enough chances to impress.
Ibra, by far was our best value signing. For those that actually cost money, CR7.
Keane and Cantona just stand out.
But lets not forget Robson.
Pure Gold Atkinson said at the time.
He was right.
But lets not forget Robson.
Pure Gold Atkinson said at the time.
He was right.
Shirt sales. Commercial reach. Sponsorships.
Its hard to compare with signings on different era, the market is just totally different.
But based on its context, I’d say the followings are bargain of decade type of signings:
- Cantona 1.2m (we paid Newcastle 7m for Andy Cole at that era, and Cantona end up being the King of Old Trafford, by comparison Cantona transfer was bargain of century)
- Schmeichel 500k? (Best keeper in the world at that time, end being one of all time greats, should have cost at least 2-3m, or more)
- Ronaldo 12m (he won everything with us, and end up being GOAT and sold for 80m, it’s fecking steal, although we should have sold him for more...on hindsight signing him for 80m is also a fecking steal for Real Madrid...)
But based on its context, I’d say the followings are bargain of decade type of signings:
- Cantona 1.2m (we paid Newcastle 7m for Andy Cole at that era, and Cantona end up being the King of Old Trafford, by comparison Cantona transfer was bargain of century)
- Schmeichel 500k? (Best keeper in the world at that time, end being one of all time greats, should have cost at least 2-3m, or more)
- Ronaldo 12m (he won everything with us, and end up being GOAT and sold for 80m, it’s fecking steal, although we should have sold him for more...on hindsight signing him for 80m is also a fecking steal for Real Madrid...)
We bought the league for £20m when We signed Van Persie for free.
Bargains: Irwin, Big Pete, Cantona, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, VDS, Carrick, Ibra
big money signings that turned out bargains in hindsight:
Rooney, Rio, Keane, RVP, Stam, RVN, DDG, Robson, Pallister
Disappointing big money flops: Sanchez, Di Maria, Veron, Falcao & Bastian (wages), Barthez, Depay, Kleberson, Anderson, Mata, Martial so far
Too many flops at bargain level to list
What this shows me is that we need to keep turning over players that aren’t performing and working hard. price tag Doesn’t always have a significant bearing on whether a player will succeed here, plenty of hyped players have and will fail. That’s one huge thing we’ve really failed to do post Fergie. Another is to start buying really well within the league again as our foundation to success
big money signings that turned out bargains in hindsight:
Rooney, Rio, Keane, RVP, Stam, RVN, DDG, Robson, Pallister
Disappointing big money flops: Sanchez, Di Maria, Veron, Falcao & Bastian (wages), Barthez, Depay, Kleberson, Anderson, Mata, Martial so far
Too many flops at bargain level to list
What this shows me is that we need to keep turning over players that aren’t performing and working hard. price tag Doesn’t always have a significant bearing on whether a player will succeed here, plenty of hyped players have and will fail. That’s one huge thing we’ve really failed to do post Fergie. Another is to start buying really well within the league again as our foundation to success
My United best value for Money team:
1. Schmeichel at £600.000 - almost 10 years of service at the highest level in the World for a keeper signed for £600.000 at a time when Chris Waddle left Spurs for £4m was a steal
2. Irwin at £625.000 - the most reliable fullback in Man Uniteds history. 12 years and 529 matches means United actually paid just over £1000 pr match for the irishman. (he just edged out Evra)
3. Buchan at £120.000 - the transfer record in England had passed £350.000 when United signed Buchan from Aberdeen. For that amount United arguably got their best player until the signing of Bryan Robson in 1981. Stayed at United for 11 years.
4. McGrath at £30.000 - when the transfer record in England was £1.5 million, United picked up a Young irishman called Paul McGrath for £30.000 from St.Patricks. Struggled with injuries but was Uniteds best and most consistent defender for the next 6-7 seasons (edged out Bruce and Vidic)
5. Dunne at £5.000 - United signed Tony Dunne from Shelbourne for £5.000 a year after John Charles was sold to Juventus for £65.000. Dunne would play 13 seasons and 414 League matches.
6. Ji Sung Park at £4 million - an almost ridiculously low fee for 24 year old Park. Could run all day, never had a poor game and contributed with important goals in important games. Maybe the most underrated player at United over the last 20 years.
7. Cantona at £1 million - comments not really necessary. But as a comparison, Gazza went to Lazio for £5.5 million a few months earlier. Maybe the most iconic figure at Old Traford ever.
8. Robson at £1.5 million - yes it was a transfer record, but it was still one of the best signings United ever made. Maybe the best midfielder in United-history. If only we had a few players anywhere near that level in the 80s
9. McClair at £850.000 - Always reliable, never injured. Started as a goalscorer, ended as a clever midfielder. 11 years of service and almost 500 matches.
10. Ronaldo at £12 million - after a few inconsistent years, he turned into one of the best players in the World and single-handedly won United trophies. Was sold to Real for 6.5 times what we signed him for.
11. Sharpe at £180.000 - came to United as a 17 year old. Stayed for 8 seasons and was a key-player for 3-4 seasons until his career faded. Sold to Leeds for almost 30 times the amount United paid for him.
1. Schmeichel at £600.000 - almost 10 years of service at the highest level in the World for a keeper signed for £600.000 at a time when Chris Waddle left Spurs for £4m was a steal
2. Irwin at £625.000 - the most reliable fullback in Man Uniteds history. 12 years and 529 matches means United actually paid just over £1000 pr match for the irishman. (he just edged out Evra)
3. Buchan at £120.000 - the transfer record in England had passed £350.000 when United signed Buchan from Aberdeen. For that amount United arguably got their best player until the signing of Bryan Robson in 1981. Stayed at United for 11 years.
4. McGrath at £30.000 - when the transfer record in England was £1.5 million, United picked up a Young irishman called Paul McGrath for £30.000 from St.Patricks. Struggled with injuries but was Uniteds best and most consistent defender for the next 6-7 seasons (edged out Bruce and Vidic)
5. Dunne at £5.000 - United signed Tony Dunne from Shelbourne for £5.000 a year after John Charles was sold to Juventus for £65.000. Dunne would play 13 seasons and 414 League matches.
6. Ji Sung Park at £4 million - an almost ridiculously low fee for 24 year old Park. Could run all day, never had a poor game and contributed with important goals in important games. Maybe the most underrated player at United over the last 20 years.
7. Cantona at £1 million - comments not really necessary. But as a comparison, Gazza went to Lazio for £5.5 million a few months earlier. Maybe the most iconic figure at Old Traford ever.
8. Robson at £1.5 million - yes it was a transfer record, but it was still one of the best signings United ever made. Maybe the best midfielder in United-history. If only we had a few players anywhere near that level in the 80s
9. McClair at £850.000 - Always reliable, never injured. Started as a goalscorer, ended as a clever midfielder. 11 years of service and almost 500 matches.
10. Ronaldo at £12 million - after a few inconsistent years, he turned into one of the best players in the World and single-handedly won United trophies. Was sold to Real for 6.5 times what we signed him for.
11. Sharpe at £180.000 - came to United as a 17 year old. Stayed for 8 seasons and was a key-player for 3-4 seasons until his career faded. Sold to Leeds for almost 30 times the amount United paid for him.
Robson, Keane and Cantona were hugely pricey back in the day so whilst they were arguably good value in the long run given what they helped the club achieve I'm not sure you can really highlight them as "bargain buys" - they were just expensive players who ended up proving to be worth it.
I would say the two genuine bargains that jump out to me where Vidic and Evra. Both proved to be world class and helped us win a mountain of trophies. A combined £12m for the two in 2005 would represent about £45m in today's market so definitely bargains
I would say the two genuine bargains that jump out to me where Vidic and Evra. Both proved to be world class and helped us win a mountain of trophies. A combined £12m for the two in 2005 would represent about £45m in today's market so definitely bargains
I personally think Van Persie. He was bought to win the league and let’s face it he won us the league on his own. So basically, sir Alex won the league for 24m. Whereas City have spent 100s of millions to win the league. Pep would never have been able to win the league unless he spent big. Which is why I feel Sir Alex is the best ever.
Peter Schmeichel cost just over £500,000 (can you imagine what he'd go for today?)
28 year old GK playing in Danish league, CAF would have moaned about this transfer every day, forget day, every hour moaning how low we have fallen, signing 28 year old GK from Danish club.
Eric.
I think any player in the 98/99 or 07/08 teams would need to be considered a bargain given what they delivered.
RVP
...appalled that no one has mentioned him...
...appalled that no one has mentioned him...
It is in today's money, but at the time Rooney and Ferdinand were near record/record fees for players of their age (and considered very expensive, I recall people mocking us for getting "ripped off" for Rio in particular). I'm not sure they should be considered "bargins" though in hindsight and given the decade plus of success they heralded maybe it was.
add Kanchelskis for 650k - was another great deal
Plenty of people have mentioned him.
He also has no place in this thread though: he gave us one good season for 24M. Decent, sure, but there have been so many brilliant signings during the Fergie era who accomplished far, far more at Manchester United.
He had 1 awesome season and we paid good money for a player with only 1 year left on contract. We have so many players who were better value for money.
Joe Jordan £350.000
Gordon McQueen £495.000
Gordon McQueen £495.000
Has to be Cantona for 1m. Catalyst for everything good that happened for Utd from the 90's. The most influential player to ever play for Utd.