Our transfers rated - since 2013

Big Ben Foster

Correctly predicted Portugal to win Euro 2016
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It’s certainly incredibly damning on our recruitment and transfer strategy. We have burnt through £1bn in transfer fees and to end up with 75% failed signings.

This is the problem Utd fans have with the glazers which opposing fans don’t get.

An owner giving you money to blow is not the sign of a good owner. The inability of the owners to appoint someone who can use the money effectively is what is damning. You would expect after at least 2-3 years of really bad spending they would learn, but it’s 10 years and they learnt nothing.
Agreed. I'd argue a lot of United fans don't get it either. We've seen so many posts over the years saying "(manager) was backed, just look at all the money they were given for transfers" - as if that's more important than having a supporting structure and proper recruitment strategy in place.
 

kunal18

Full Member
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Mar 5, 2011
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462
Location
Bengaluru
The gist of this is that only two successful signings in 10 years which is mind boggling.
And there are still question marks over Bruno and Zlatan played only one season.
So essentially not a single signing has worked out for a considerable duration in a period of 10 years.
 

tomaldinho1

Full Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2015
Messages
17,367
Some of the cheaper deals worked out well, you can’t just say everyone was shit when they were bought as back up or weren’t expensive and then have Cavani and Maguire in amber.

Herrera should be green in my opinion, he was largely good for us. If they are factoring in the fees, I’d whack Darmian, James, Lindelof, probably Varane and Sancho into Amber as it’s a bit early for those two. Why is Amad even on there?

Cavani, Maguire, Shaw all should be red.
 

Andycoleno9

matchday malcontent
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Croatia
Neville is so biased towards English players and his mates that it is becoming pathetic now.
 

el3mel

Full Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2016
Messages
43,735
Location
Egypt
Green :
Zlatan

Amber :
Herrera
Fellaini
Mata
Blind
Ronaldo
Cavani
Matic
Fred
Bruno
Mikhi
Lindelof
Romero

Red :
Maguire
Shaw
Rojo
Schneiderlin
Bastian
Martial
Pogba
Sanchez
Lukaku
Dalot
Darmian
Depay
Di Maria
Bailly
James
AWB
Telles
Sancho
Varane
VDB

Here..that one looks better to me.
 

Skills

Snitch
Joined
Jan 17, 2012
Messages
42,010
Green (i'd happily go back and sign every single these players for the fees we paid)
Fernandes
Zlatan
Herrera
Cavani
Shaw
Martial
Fred
Pogba
Mata
Blind

Amber (we probably should've done better, especially for the fee/wage we paid)
Ronaldo (jury is open)
Sancho (jury is open)
Fellaini
Matic
Lindelof
Bailly (unlucky with injuries)
Lukaku
Mkhitaryan
Dalot (jury's open)
Dan James
Varane (jury's open)
Amad (jury's open)

Red (we definitely should have done better with hindsight, especially with the money paid)
Di Maria
Marcos Rojo
Darmian (though was worth a punt)
Schweinsteiger (though was worth a punt)
Depay
Schneiderlin
Sanchez
Aaron Wan Bissaka
Donny Van De Beek
Alex Telles
Harry Maguire (horrific fee, we definitely should've done better)
 

Offside

Euro 2016 sweepstake winner
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Jun 9, 2012
Messages
26,627
Location
London
The only signing who I think really fulfilled what they were bought for was Blind. Ibra not far behind.
 

JB7

Full Member
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Jun 18, 2008
Messages
8,826
The only signing who I think really fulfilled what they were bought for was Blind. Ibra not far behind.
He was signed on a free and scored 28 goals by mid-April, what more could you want from him?
 

AndySmith1990

Full Member
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Oct 2, 2021
Messages
5,892
When you add up all the money spent each window for those lot, if you were to hand it to the fans and let them pick the players we signed based on polls, I wonder what our squad would look like now and what position we'd be in. It seems impossible to spend the money any worse unless you were purposely attempting to sabotage the club
 

Offside

Euro 2016 sweepstake winner
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He was signed on a free and scored 28 goals by mid-April, what more could you want from him?
Had his issues in front of goal for us though, after the mid-April period you’ve mentioned he was never seen again. Could definitely have wanted more? Maybe a second season of goals? Lukaku scored 27 for us in his first season and even he got double figures the following year.
 

Rex Banner

New Member
Newbie
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Oct 17, 2021
Messages
444
Harsh on Fellaini and Mata, both contributed far more in their time here than either Ronaldo or Cavani. No way Ronaldo should be in the Amber category.
 

Buster15

Go on Didier
Joined
Aug 28, 2018
Messages
13,291
Location
Bristol
Supports
Bristol Rovers
Green (i'd happily go back and sign every single these players for the fees we paid)
Fernandes
Zlatan
Herrera
Cavani
Shaw
Martial
Fred
Pogba
Mata
Blind

Amber (we probably should've done better, especially for the fee/wage we paid)
Ronaldo (jury is open)
Sancho (jury is open)
Fellaini
Matic
Lindelof
Bailly (unlucky with injuries)
Lukaku
Mkhitaryan
Dalot (jury's open)
Dan James
Varane (jury's open)
Amad (jury's open)

Red (we definitely should have done better with hindsight, especially with the money paid)
Di Maria
Marcos Rojo
Darmian (though was worth a punt)
Schweinsteiger (though was worth a punt)
Depay
Schneiderlin
Sanchez
Aaron Wan Bissaka
Donny Van De Beek
Alex Telles
Harry Maguire (horrific fee, we definitely should've done better)
When was the last time that: Bruno, Martial and Shaw played well for more than just a few games?
I find it difficult to name anyone other than Zatan.
 

JB7

Full Member
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Jun 18, 2008
Messages
8,826
Had his issues in front of goal for us though, after the mid-April period you’ve mentioned he was never seen again. Could definitely have wanted more? Maybe a second season of goals? Lukaku scored 27 for us in his first season and even he got double figures the following year.
He literally did his cruciate ligament and we spent £90m on a replacement. We renewed his deal while he was injured, gave him a few games and the knee injury flared up again IIRC and he agreed to terminate his contract. Not entirely sure what else we could reasonably have expected him to do?
 

Jeppers7

Pogfamily Mafia
Joined
Feb 25, 2014
Messages
7,287
Having Maguire in Amber with Pogba in red is pretty hilarious. Swap those two

Id have Martial and Blind in amber as well. Martial had two great seasons for us which is more than the majority of these players.
Bruno should be amber.
Exactly
 

Offside

Euro 2016 sweepstake winner
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Messages
26,627
Location
London
He literally did his cruciate ligament and we spent £90m on a replacement. We renewed his deal while he was injured, gave him a few games and the knee injury flared up again IIRC and he agreed to terminate his contract. Not entirely sure what else we could reasonably have expected him to do?
Are injuries not a factor in determining how good a signing was then?
 

Skills

Snitch
Joined
Jan 17, 2012
Messages
42,010
When was the last time that: Bruno, Martial and Shaw played well for more than just a few games?
I find it difficult to name anyone other than Zatan.
That's a strange way of looking at it. Is every player who eventually falls off a failure?

Should we just sell all our players as soon as they have a good season, just in case they may live up to those heights?
 

FatTails

New Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2021
Messages
1,859
Why anyone pays attention to English pundits is beyond me. Neville is particularly prone to overrating English players but he’s not alone. Micah and co were saying a few months ago how bad Madrid are and how Benzema is not on Kane’s level. Their views are so PL-centric that they’re generally laughable to anyone who ventures and watches any game not including an English side.

On the plus side, good to seem him finally rating Zlatan now after he’s proven himself by scoring goals against shit PL sides.
 

JB7

Full Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2008
Messages
8,826
Are injuries not a factor in determining how good a signing was then?
I guess you'd have to split it into two signings given we released him and then re-signed him while he was injured.

As an initial signing, he's an inarguable green. Re-signing him at his age (after paying a huge fee for a replacement) while still out with a serious knee injury was completely insane given that we didn't appear to have the patience to actually let him recover.
 

Revaulx

Full Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2014
Messages
6,031
Location
Saddleworth
This can safely be ignored as a crock of old shite for the simple reason that it fails to included the Greenest of the Green: Sergio Romero.

Agreed. I'd argue a lot of United fans don't get it either. We've seen so many posts over the years saying "(manager) was backed, just look at all the money they were given for transfers" - as if that's more important than having a supporting structure and proper recruitment strategy in place.
Very much this.

It’s true of all the managers as well, not just the one(s) that the poster doesn’t like.
 

Buster15

Go on Didier
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13,291
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Bristol
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Bristol Rovers
That's a strange way of looking at it. Is every player who eventually falls off a failure?

Should we just sell all our players as soon as they have a good season, just in case they may live up to those heights?
Not at all. It was a simple question.
 

Irwin99

Full Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2018
Messages
9,124
Mostly right but possibly a slight English bias.

To say Maguire has been bad for his entire time here would be wrong but for 80 million I want a bit more than being either completely awful or just decent/good. Equally, Shaw has been here 8 years and managed arguably two good seasons ...and one of those was an extremely generous player of the year award in a dire year.

Would put Blind in the amber category as he did a capable job with Smalling in defence that one season.
 

Irwin99

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Aug 6, 2018
Messages
9,124
Martial is another one that you could make a case for being not totally bad. Other than Bruno he was probably the biggest factor in getting 3rd place that season and he looked very good under LVG.
 

Skills

Snitch
Joined
Jan 17, 2012
Messages
42,010
Not at all. It was a simple question.
Well, that questions irrelevant to the topic at hand in my opinion.

Bruno Fernandes had the best individual year any one of our attackers had post Fergie. Shaw's been a 2x player of the year and has over the course of a few years justified why we paid so much for him.

Martial was pivotal in the FA Cup we won under Van Gaal, and has given our supporters quite a few memorable moments.

We've lost sight of what's important. If you can't enjoy football on a game to game basis, and enjoy the moments/players that make things memorable - what's the point?
 

Andycoleno9

matchday malcontent
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Messages
28,576
Location
Croatia
In hindsight every person is smart. But 80% of those signings looked logical and good transfers at that moment and most of fans were happy with those signings back then.
Come on, lets be honest here; who here thought that Zlatan, Falcao, Varane, Sancho, Alexis, Pogba, Ronaldo, Lukaku or Di Maria are bad signings?
Who here was not impressed with Miki, Martial, Bailly or Shaw in their first season?

People slate Fellaini and Blind now but those two won us trophies and were important starters by two managers. How the feck they are flops?
 

Tiki-Taka

Full Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2014
Messages
394
Well, that questions irrelevant to the topic at hand in my opinion.

Bruno Fernandes had the best individual year any one of our attackers had post Fergie. Shaw's been a 2x player of the year and has over the course of a few years justified why we paid so much for him.

Martial was pivotal in the FA Cup we won under Van Gaal, and has given our supporters quite a few memorable moments.

We've lost sight of what's important. If you can't enjoy football on a game to game basis, and enjoy the moments/players that make things memorable - what's the point?
I’m sure some people within a few months will have De Gea down as a red rated signing, fickle.
 

YSB99

New Member
Newbie
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Jun 17, 2022
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75
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Dublin/Sydney
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Machester United FC
Neville is so biased towards English players and his mates that it is becoming pathetic now.
Came here to say the same, people can say he’s just a pundit but the nonsense he talks and the way he backs his favourites has a massive influence on the club and how signings are perceived, how he’s seen as someone at the top of punditry in England is mystifying

fellaini and blind are definitely ambers too for what it’s worth,

like how can you say maguire has had a more positive influence over United than fellaini with a straight face? Was hardly his biggest fan but he always gave his all for the club and ended up having some great moments for us after that nightmare first season, more fight about him than most the current squad combined
 

TheNewEra

Knows Kroos' mentality
Joined
Jan 20, 2014
Messages
8,133
Sancho will be great once he has quality around him. He will play very well with intelligent players around him.
 

Blood Mage

Full Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2019
Messages
5,822
Green
Zlatan
Herrera
Matic

Amber
Bruno (almost green but has been so shocking for the last few months that he's slipped down into amber for me)
Cavani
Sancho
Shaw
Bailly
Ronaldo
Mata
Fellaini
James
Varane
Ighalo
Lukaku
Mkhitaryan
Fred
Lindelof
Pogba
Blind
Romero

Red
Wan Bissaka
Maguire
Dalot
Sanchez
Depay
Di Maria
Telles
Schweinsteiger
Schneiderlin
Falcao
Rojo
Van De Beek
Darmian
Valdes

Too early to call: Eriksen, Malacia and Martinez

So many duds and only three really good signings. A horrific decade of recruitment for which the club should be thoroughly embarrassed.
 

Antisocial

Has a Sony home cinema
Joined
Jul 15, 2010
Messages
15,612
No way Blind show be in Red, nor Mata or Fellini really.

The only other candidate for Green might be Herrera - not that expensive really, reasonable wages and stayed here for years, but I guess him leaving for nothing counts against him.
 

Laurencio

Full Member
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Jun 21, 2017
Messages
2,937
As everyone else have said, incredibly harsh on Blind, and far too kind to Maguire and Ronaldo.