While Manchester United are renowned for spending big on new signings, they’ve often struggled to recoup money when selling players.
We’ve taken a look at the 10 most expensive sales in Manchester United’s history and how those players fared after leaving the club. While we’ve mentioned the potential add-ons in any deal, we’ve ranked the players by their initial transfer fees.
Note: we’ve not included Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who joined Arsenal in an infamous swap deal that saw Alexis Sanchez move in the opposite direction without any money being exchanged.
10= Anthony Elanga – £15m
One of five United academy graduates on this list, Elanga fell out of favour under Erik ten Hag and decided to leave Old Trafford in search of regular first-team football.
He joined Nottingham Forest in a £15million deal in 2023 and enjoyed a promising debut season at the City Ground, registering five goals and nine assists in 39 appearances in all competitions.
10= Dean Henderson – £15m
Henderson made just 29 first-team appearances for United and vented his frustration after failing to usurp David De Gea as the club’s first-choice goalkeeper.
He spent the 2022/23 season on loan at Nottingham Forest before joining Crystal Palace in a deal worth an initial £15million and another £5million in potential add-ons.
The England international shared goalkeeping duties with Sam Johnstone in the 2023/24 season and kept six clean sheets in 20 appearances in all competitions.
9. Danny Welbeck – £16m
After United signed Radamel Falcao on a season-long loan deal in September 2014, Louis van Gaal allowed Welbeck to join Arsenal in a £16million deal.
The striker scored 32 goals in 126 appearances for the Gunners, including a winner against United in an FA Cup quarter-final in 2014/15.
But injury problems hampered his time in north London, and he was released by the club at the end of the 2018/19 season.
8. Jaap Stam – £16.35m
Stam spent three full seasons at United and won three Premier League titles, a Champions League and an FA Cup, as well as two UEFA Defender of the Year awards.
United made the surprise decision to cash in on the centre-back in August 2001, selling him to Lazio for a fee of £16.35million.
“At the time he had just come back from an Achilles injury and we thought he had just lost a little bit,” Sir Alex Ferguson said. “We got the offer from Lazio – £16.5million for a centre-back that was 29. It was an offer I couldn’t refuse.”
Ferguson came to regret that decision as the former Netherlands international enjoyed a successful career post-United, winning trophies with Lazio, AC Milan and Ajax.
7. David Beckham – £17.5m
Beckham left United in the summer of 2003 due to a breakdown in his relationship with Ferguson, who famously kicked a boot at the winger after an FA Cup defeat against Arsenal.
