It’s true that Manchester United have been no stranger to big-money transfers in recent seasons, with their hierarchy spending significant sums on players in the transfer market.
The Red Devils’ transfer fee currently stands at £89m, having paid such a sum to sign Paul Pogba in the summer of 2016.
However, the club have come close to breaking such records before, particularly after signing Anthony in an £86m deal a few years ago.
The bosses have seen firsthand that spending big on such players does not guarantee success in the Premier League, especially considering the Brazilian left for just £19m last summer.
Still, the board said a number of high-value deals were advertised ahead of the January market and it hopes to replicate similar deals in future trading slots.
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United have stepped up their bid for Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliott Anderson in recent weeks, with the Red Devils also in talks to sign the Englishman.
However, the deal is likely to be even more expensive, with Sean Dyche currently demanding around £100m in signing fees over the next few months.
Manager Ruben Amorim’s men are not the only ones eyeing Anderson, with rivals Manchester City also in the race to sign the 23-year-old in the near future.
He is not the only big-money player the Red Devils are currently eyeing, with management also naming Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior as a potential transfer target.
According to Spanish media, Amorim’s side are currently preparing a club-record €150m (about £131m) offer for the Brazilian, who has just over 18 months left on his contract at the Bernabéu.
He also said the player himself could be tempted to move to the Premier League, especially given his recent feud with manager Xabi Alonso.
Why United’s £131m target makes Amorim the next Garnacho
Not all of United’s stars have arrived on big-money transfers, such as winger Alejandro Garnacho, who arrived from Atletico Madrid for a rock-bottom fee as a teenager.
The Argentine managed to break into the first team a few years ago, scoring a total of nine goals and assists in his first season as a professional.
His next two seasons with the Red Devils continued in a similar vein, with the 21-year-old scoring 21 goals and providing 15 assists, his best results for the first-team squad.
However, it was not enough to sustain a future at Old Trafford and Amorim was constantly singled out for his attitude problems, which led to him being dropped from the squad.
Garnacho will leave the club in the summer to join Premier League rivals Chelsea in a deal worth £40m, a reasonable sum given his failure in Manchester.
Despite the sale, Amorim could sign the next Argentine in January, especially if the management approves a club-record move for Vinicius.
As mentioned earlier, he has always had disciplinary issues of his own, and it all came to a head in the meeting with Barcelona, as the Brazilian reacted violently to being substituted.
Such problems could lead to his exit from the Bernabéu and a move to England, ultimately giving him a taste of the world’s biggest division.
However, despite his struggles, he has been able to impress on the pitch in recent years, leading Thierry Henry to rate him as ‘the best in the world’.
Vinicius Junior – Statistics for 2025/26 | |
|---|---|
Statistics (every 90) | tally |
games played | 13 |
goals and assists | 9 |
progressive carry | 8.9 |
progressive path | 4.8 |
Pass accuracy | 80% |
key pass | 2.9 |
advance to the final third | 1.9 |
Successful take-up | 38% |
advance to the final third | 2.9 |
Statistics by FBref | |
Vinicius has already registered nine goals and an assist in La Liga this season, a figure that would make him the most effective player in Amorim’s current squad.
Records like 8.9 progressive carries and 38% take-one success further highlight the talent he has on the ball, and he has a creative nature that could potentially create opportunities for those around him.
His passing statistics also show good reading, with the Brazilian completing 2.9 key passes per 90, 1.9 of which are in the final third, making him undoubtedly the perfect all-round attacker.
The £131m fee will be a huge gesture from the board, but it is a deal that will undoubtedly give the first team yet another world-class attacking option.
But Amorim will certainly need to be careful with his attitude, as he needs to keep his attacking team’s feet firmly on the ground, especially given Garnacho’s recent decline.
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