With all the best values already proposed I'm gonna stick my neck and say Daley Blind perhaps? £13m for both us and the return to Ajax was quite a good value in this market imo.
The greatest United value for money signings ever
- Thread starter vidic blood & sand
- Start date
Which also kinda tells you that in a way we were idiots for releasing him. Imho of course.
I think it's more complicated than that but what I do know is that he was widely criticized for being too slow, despite his lack of pace costing us one or two goals at best and doing well against pacey forwards.
Has to be Eric Cantona. We won the Premier League in every season he was available to play for us during a 5 year period. Set us on the path to football domination and enabled the club to take the next level to where we are now. The stature we attained at the beginning of the PL is difficult to quantify but it was a massive boost for the club. And all for the price of £1.2m...and ultimately consigning Leeds United to the scrap heap in the process. In terms of value for money in enhancing the brand, you can't really look past King Eric.
If there's something that's clear to me upon reading this thread is that the value signings are the good ones.
We can all look at the prices paid in the 90s and sigh but those were the prices back then. I'm sure some of the players mentioned in this thread were considered expensive in their time.
Everyone (OP included) uses Maguire as the main example of the insanity that reigns in the current market but let's face it, Liverpool payed insane money for VVD and what is he considered again? Value for money.
If Maguire really turns out to be a key piece to reaching UCL and closing the gap between us and LIV/MCI, then he's value for money. Simple as that.
It's 2019, we have internet, globalization, TV deals and oil clubs. The only way for price tags are up.
We can all look at the prices paid in the 90s and sigh but those were the prices back then. I'm sure some of the players mentioned in this thread were considered expensive in their time.
Everyone (OP included) uses Maguire as the main example of the insanity that reigns in the current market but let's face it, Liverpool payed insane money for VVD and what is he considered again? Value for money.
If Maguire really turns out to be a key piece to reaching UCL and closing the gap between us and LIV/MCI, then he's value for money. Simple as that.
It's 2019, we have internet, globalization, TV deals and oil clubs. The only way for price tags are up.
For me, it has to be Wayne Rooney. Instrumental for us through so many years. Sure, he cost a lot at the time, but he left this club as one of our all time greats (disregarding the last 2 seasons)
Another player who comes to mind is Rio Ferdinand. He was also quite expensive at the time, but like Rooney also became a true club legend for us.
Another player who comes to mind is Rio Ferdinand. He was also quite expensive at the time, but like Rooney also became a true club legend for us.
C Ronaldo was what 14million at the time
OGS was a bargain if I remember correctly 1.4mio or so
Roy Keane was an extremely astute buy at 3.75mio a lot at the time but gave back so much
OGS was a bargain if I remember correctly 1.4mio or so
Roy Keane was an extremely astute buy at 3.75mio a lot at the time but gave back so much
Cantona 1million
Thanks for the advice. I did know about editing but forgot on this occasion. To be honest I had forgotten his name and when it came to me I just wanted to post it before I forgot.You do know you can edit your own posts right? Rather than quote yourself but hey ho if that's what you prefer
1999 season.
Dwight Yorke £12.6 million.
Jaap Stam £10 million, sold £16.5
We also accepted an offer from spurs for Ole that season, but he turned it down.
Not a bad bit of business for our best ever season.
Dwight Yorke £12.6 million.
Jaap Stam £10 million, sold £16.5
We also accepted an offer from spurs for Ole that season, but he turned it down.
Not a bad bit of business for our best ever season.
Rooney for 25 odd million looks like a steal when you think of the goals, appearances and 13 odd years of service.
None of them have been under Woodward, that's for sure.
Bringing Mark Hughes back to Utd after his stint with Barca and Bayern was a master stroke by Fergie.
Sparky and Robbo were everything that a Manchester United player should be; Give everything in every game, never take a backward step, always be positive and attack the opposition and last but not least and these two had it big style....the bigger the game the bigger the performance.
Sparky and Robbo were everything that a Manchester United player should be; Give everything in every game, never take a backward step, always be positive and attack the opposition and last but not least and these two had it big style....the bigger the game the bigger the performance.
Schmeicle
Ole
Cantona
Ronny Johnson
Vidic/Evra
Ronaldo, anyone who says that at the time they weren’t disappointed after it looked like we were signing Ronaldinho is lying.
Rooney, stayed 4 years too long. But can’t deny his fee spread over the years that he was good represents great value.
Rio Ferdinand. £30m a lot back then, but we got a world class CB for 10 season. No different to Juventus and De Light, although doubt De Light will stay there for 10 years.
Ole
Cantona
Ronny Johnson
Vidic/Evra
Ronaldo, anyone who says that at the time they weren’t disappointed after it looked like we were signing Ronaldinho is lying.
Rooney, stayed 4 years too long. But can’t deny his fee spread over the years that he was good represents great value.
Rio Ferdinand. £30m a lot back then, but we got a world class CB for 10 season. No different to Juventus and De Light, although doubt De Light will stay there for 10 years.
Another one for Cantona. What a bargain.
I would also add Ronaldo, which was a great signing for us, but probably the best ever value signing, for Real Madrid that is.
I would also add Ronaldo, which was a great signing for us, but probably the best ever value signing, for Real Madrid that is.
Robson was amazing but it was a British record transfer that stood for 6 years so hardly a bargain
Some of those early Fergie signings were amazing value in comparison: Irwin, Schmeichel and Cantona all come to mind
I think what Hernandez delivered for 6 million was pretty awesome. Obviously he's not up there with Cantona etc. But he put a smile on my face loads of times.
Schmeichel. He was an extraordinary keeper. You'd see strikers start to wince when they were put clean through against him.
I was too young for the Schmeichel era but surely one of the best buys ever.
Vidic/Evra deal that was so criticized in the early days is by far my fav signings that we ever made, in the January window as well which is completely mental.
Vidic got the Lindelöf treatment and Evra was so so rubbish early on and then they just turned it around the following season to create our most sexual back four possibly ever.
Vidic/Evra deal that was so criticized in the early days is by far my fav signings that we ever made, in the January window as well which is completely mental.
Vidic got the Lindelöf treatment and Evra was so so rubbish early on and then they just turned it around the following season to create our most sexual back four possibly ever.
100%.
The most influential player, ever.
Vidic, Evra and Ronaldo combined for under £25 million 
Absolute madness.
Absolute madness.
We got Cantona for 1.2m and followed that up with a sh*tload of silverware but you think Ibra was our "best value signing by far"???
Cantona, Vidic, Evra…
You can only imagine how much these 3 would have went for in todays market.Vidic, Evra and Ronaldo combined for under £25 million
Absolute madness.
Also you just cringe at the thought that we got Cantona from Leeds for only £1.2m.
The market has evolved to an absolute shit show and it's understandable how so many have started to hate the sport. I certainly get sick to my stomach witnessing £200m etc being thrown around on human beings. Not to mention wages as well which have sky rocketed comparing to the old days. Absolutely no regulations in place, just buy and spend however much you want and it's quite sickening in my opinion.
Cantona is the obvious one but Van der Sar was amazing value at £2m.
Ronaldo, purely for what he gave us and what we made when we sold him ... awesome.
Ronaldo, purely for what he gave us and what we made when we sold him ... awesome.
It's only going to get worse, watch when Mbappe next moves clubs, his fee is going to be probably double/triple what PSG paid...
Eric Cantona. One million pounds. We never looked back.
Schmeichel and Eric share this for me
I hope in a few years we will look and say how much of a bargain James has turned out to be. £12mill in todays market could turn out to be a massive steal
In today’s money with inflation, some of our 07/08 team in reality would cost a fortune. Rio would cost 139M, Hargreaves 50M, Anderson 63M, Carrick 74M, Nani 51M, Ronaldo 60M, Rooney 104M. All brilliant signings except Anderson yes, but let’s not act like they were dirt cheap
99 team also cost loads in inflation. Stam 58M, Roy Keane 103M, Yorke 66M, Cole 109M. Again all brilliant signings, and it’s not a criticism, it’s the way we were before the Glazer rot set in around 2010 or so, buying the best players and the result winning trophies, but they weren’t cheap by any stretch
99 team also cost loads in inflation. Stam 58M, Roy Keane 103M, Yorke 66M, Cole 109M. Again all brilliant signings, and it’s not a criticism, it’s the way we were before the Glazer rot set in around 2010 or so, buying the best players and the result winning trophies, but they weren’t cheap by any stretch
RVP.
I was going to mention the inflation having a massive impact. Where did you get your inflation figures from though?In today’s money with inflation, some of our 07/08 team in reality would cost a fortune. Rio would cost 139M, Hargreaves 50M, Anderson 63M, Carrick 74M, Nani 51M, Ronaldo 60M, Rooney 104M. All brilliant signings except Anderson yes, but let’s not act like they were dirt cheap
99 team also cost loads in inflation. Stam 58M, Roy Keane 103M, Yorke 66M, Cole 109M. Again all brilliant signings, and it’s not a criticism, it’s the way we were before the Glazer rot set in around 2010 or so, buying the best players and the result winning trophies, but they weren’t cheap by any stretch
Inflation = value x random number. Fricken GCSE maths.
Cantona,Ronaldo,Evra,Vidic....
It wasn't a bargain back in those years as we broke the transfer record for him,saying that money well spent.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.
Zlatan was free....
Agree it wasn’t a bargain - but the thread is about the best value for money - and considering he was at Utd for 10+ years and one of the best midfielders and captains to play for the club, he sure was value for money.
No way. How are you doing this? According to this the cumulative change of a pound since 1993 is 102.02%. So his price would be double if adjusted for inflation only. There are other factors of course, like the "football" inflation, but I don't know if such index exists.In today’s money with inflation, some of our 07/08 team in reality would cost a fortune. Rio would cost 139M, Hargreaves 50M, Anderson 63M, Carrick 74M, Nani 51M, Ronaldo 60M, Rooney 104M. All brilliant signings except Anderson yes, but let’s not act like they were dirt cheap
99 team also cost loads in inflation. Stam 58M, Roy Keane 103M, Yorke 66M, Cole 109M. Again all brilliant signings, and it’s not a criticism, it’s the way we were before the Glazer rot set in around 2010 or so, buying the best players and the result winning trophies, but they weren’t cheap by any stretch
1) Cantona
2) Solskjaer
3) Keane
2) Solskjaer
3) Keane