Manchester United's top 10 biggest sales of all time; Cristiano Ronaldo, Beckham & more
The Red Devils have sold some high-profile stars for a huge sum over their history.
Due to the significant commercialisation and globalisation of football, enormous sums of money have been invested in the game, and the once-fabled “beautiful game” is gradually losing its identity and foundation.
The club now go over the board to sign a top player in modern football. Over the years, we have witnessed how drastically an average player’s market value has gone through the roof.
One of the giants of the financial market of football, Manchester United, have acquired and sold some very important players. These are United’s ten greatest sales to date.
Manchester United’s top 10 biggest sales of all time
10. Morgan Schneiderlin to Everton – €23M
In January 2017, Morgan Schneiderlin left Manchester United for an initial fee of €23M, with the possibility of an increase to €24 million. Before joining Everton, where he made slightly fewer appearances than he did during his two years at United, he made 47 appearances in his 18 months at the 20-time Premier League winners.
9. Jaap Stam to Lazio – €25.75M
In 2001, Lazio purchased the courageous Dutch defender for €25.75 million. This move still has some controversy. As per the defender, United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, didn’t like what he read in a passage in Stam’s autobiography.
Meanwhile as per Ferguson, it was a strategic move to offload the defender and cash in while they could. Ferguson later acknowledged, though, that he “made a mistake” in selling Stam. Stam, who is considered one of the best Premier League defenders of all time, played 127 games while he was at Manchester.
Following his departure from United, Stam played for Lazio and AC Milan in Italy for five years before retiring in his home nation, the Netherlands.
8. Mason Greenwood to Marseille – €26M
During the 2024 summer transfer window, Mason Greenwood caught the interest of multiple clubs. Lazio attempted to purchase Greenwood but were unable to match Marseille’s offer, which allowed them to secure the Manchester United attacker for €26 million. In a succinct statement, United added, “We wish Mason all the best in his future career.”
7. Daniel James to Leeds United – €29.10M
In August 2021, Leeds United paid €29.10 million to sign Daniel James from Manchester United. Since United originally spent £15 million on the Welsh international, the club made a great profit from his exit. Ironically, just months before he joined United, James was close to signing a loan contract with Leeds, but the agreement fell through.
6. Scott McTominay to Napoli – €30.50M
Last summer, Manchester United sold Scott McTominay to Napoli. The move was completed ahead of the transfer deadline, and the rumoured transfer fee was roughly €30.50 million. McTominay was eager to go in order to play more frequently for the first team.
We all know what a success the move has been for the player, more so than for the club.
5. Henrikh Mkhitaryan to Arsenal – €34M
In 2018, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Alexis Sanchez had an odd trade in which Mkhitaryan joined Arsenal and the Chilean moved to Manchester United. Mkhitaryan left the Emirates Stadium in 2020 to sign a free transfer to AS Roma after the deal didn’t work out for either team. In 59 Arsenal games, the Armenian netted nine goals and dished out thirteen assists.
4. David Beckham to Real Madrid – €37.50M
Beckham, a member of the legendary “Class of 92,” left Manchester United in 2003 for a reported €37.50 million. The elite Englishman joined the Galacticos by signing with Real Madrid. In the 11 years since his United debut, Beckham made 394 appearances for the team, scoring 85 goals and providing an incredible 120 assists.
After leaving United as a legend, Beckham played for AC Milan, LA Galaxy, Real Madrid, and finally retired at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). He’s a player who would fetch well over £150 million in today’s market.
3. Angel Di Maria to PSG – €63M
For €63 million, a British record at the time, Angel Di Maria was compelled to leave Real Madrid in order to join United. In 32 games for the Red Devils, the current Benfica player scored four goals and provided twelve assists. Only a year after joining Manchester United, PSG paid €63 million to sign him from the club.
2. Romelu Lukaku to Inter Milan – €74M
For €74 million, the all-time best goal scorer for the Belgium national football team left United. Romelu Lukaku signed with Inter Milan to play for Antonio Conte, the former manager of Chelsea.
Lukaku made 96 appearances for United, tallying 42 goals and providing 13 assists. Lukaku had a great start, but he soon lost form and his position.
Lukaku returned to Chelsea for £97.5 million after joining Inter Milan. He then returned to Inter on loan, and during a hectic summer transfer window when Juventus and Inter were vying for his services, he ended up on a season-long loan at AS Roma before joining Napoli and winning the Serie A title.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid – €94M
The best player in the world at the time could be acquired for the then-record-breaking €94 million. What inflation can do is insane!
Cristiano Ronaldo arrived as a potential but little-known 19-year-old. He then left as one of the best players in English football and Manchester United history. The brilliant Portuguese, who went on to win the Ballon d’Or, played a key role in United’s 2008 Premier League and UEFA Champions League triumph.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.
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