Manchester United’s summer 2025 transfer window marked a pivotal moment in the club’s rebuild under new sporting leadership and manager Rúben Amorim.
The Glazer-era habit of scattergun deals has been replaced with a more structured approach: younger players with resale value, stylistic alignment with the manager’s preferred 3-4-3, and a willingness to part with once-untouchable names to create both financial and tactical clarity.
United fans have endured years of half-finished projects, but this summer carried a sense of direction - refreshing the front line, trimming legacy contracts, and planting seeds for the future. While not flawless, the moves hint at a longer-term strategy rather than short-term fire-fighting.
Key incomings
**Amorim**and United added six senior faces to reshape the attack and refresh the spine.
Benjamin Šeško (RB Leipzig → Man Utd) – centre-forward. Reported fee around €76.5m. A 22-year-old, elite-tools striker signed to be the system’s long-term No.9.
Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford → Man Utd) – right winger/forward. Reported fee €75m / c.£63m. Proven Premier League output and pressing work-rate for Amorim’s 3-4-3 wide role.
Matheus Cunha (Wolves → Man Utd) – second striker/forward. Reported fee €74.2m / c.£62m. Carries the ball, presses, links play—ideal as the roaming forward off Šeško.
Senne Lammens(Royal Antwerp → Man Utd) – goalkeeper. Reported fee €21m; completed on deadline day to deepen the GK pool.
Diego León (Cerro Porteño → Man Utd) – left-back/wing-back. Reported €4m (rising with add-ons reported elsewhere). Highly rated Paraguay U-18.
Enzo Kana-Biyik (free agent, ex-Le Havre) – centre-back; signed and immediately loaned to Lausanne-Sport.
Key outgoings
Alejandro Garnacho (→ Chelsea) – permanent; widely reported ~£40m with a sell-on. Removes a logjam at LW and funds the rebuild.
Antony (→ Real Betis) – permanent; ~£21.6m plus a 50% sell-on, drawing a line under a costly era.
Marcus Rashford (→ Barcelona) – season-long loan; wages covered and option for next summer, creating tactical and salary flexibility.
Rasmus Højlund (→ Napoli) – loan with initial fee and conditional obligation (~€38–44m if UCL qualification), clearing the No.9 path for Šeško.
Jadon Sancho (Aston Villa), loan - season-long loan; wages covered 80% and option for next summer, a massive wage is being covered.
Victor Lindelöf (→ Aston Villa) – left as a free agent after contract expiry.
Christian Eriksen released; still looking for a club.
Jonny Evans retired (stays on as head of loans & pathways).
Best signing - Bryan Mbeumo
Bryan Mbeumo stands out as the best piece of business. Unlike Šeško who may require time to adapt, Mbeumo is already Premier League-proven.
He consistently produced double-digit goals and assists at Brentford, thriving in both counter-attacks and structured build-up. His versatility, able to play as a right winger, inside forward or second striker, offers Amorim tactical flexibility, while his work-rate off the ball directly aligns with the pressing demands of the new system.
For years, United have struggled to balance the right flank: Antony lacked end product, Sancho lacked intensity. Mbeumo finally brings a mix of creativity, pressing, and reliability. His arrival may not be as glamorous as Šeško’s, but in terms of immediate impact and addressing a long-standing tactical weakness, Mbeumo could prove transformational.
Full list of every incoming & outgoing
In (permanent unless stated):
Matheus Cunha (Wolves), Diego León (Cerro Porteño), Enzo Kana-Biyik (free), Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford), Benjamin Šeško (RB Leipzig), Senne Lammens(Royal Antwerp).
Out (first-team + notable academy, permanent unless stated):
Alejandro Garnacho (Chelsea), Antony (Real Betis), Victor Lindelöf (Aston Villa, released), Christian Eriksen (released), Jonny Evans (retired), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona, loan), Rasmus Højlund (Napoli, loan with conditional obligation), Jadon Sancho(Aston Villa, loan), Dan Gore (Rotherham, loan), Ethan Wheatley (Northampton, loan), Harry Amass (Sheff Wed, loan), Toby Collyer (West Brom, loan), Sonny Aljofree (Notts County, loan), Joe Hugill (Barnet, loan), Habeeb Ogunneye (Newport, loan), Radek Vitek (Bristol City, loan), Ethan Williams (Falkirk, loan), Elyh Harrison (Shrewsbury, loan), Jack Moorhouse (Leyton Orient, loan), Zach Baumann (Norwich, permanent), Sam Murray (Carlisle, permanent), plus several academy releases (e.g., Hubert Graczyk, Tom Wooster, Tom Myles, James Nolan, Jack Kingdon).
Signings ranked (best to least impactful)
**Bryan Mbeumo**– Immediate starter, solves the long-standing right-wing problem, brings goals, assists, and work-rate.
Benjamin Šeško – The future of United’s striker line. High fee but sky-high potential; could define the next decade if development continues.
Matheus Cunha – Adds dynamism and creativity. Could thrive as a second striker or wide forward, but consistency has sometimes been an issue.
Senne Lammens – Smart squad-building; a young, developing goalkeeper who offers depth now and could push for a starting role long-term.
Diego León – Developmental buy. Low cost and huge potential at left wing-back, but will need time to adapt from South America.
Enzo Kana-Biyik – Essentially a future project. Signed and immediately loaned; could be a clever free transfer, but his impact won’t be felt this season.
How the window fits the plan
United finally built a coherent forward line: a vertical runner/finisher (Šeško), a connector/ball-carrier (Cunha) and a high-work-rate wide creator (Mbeumo).
The right side, a long-standing weakness, should improve via Mbeumo’s final-third decisions and set-piece delivery. Lammens adds competition and a long runway in goal. León/Kana-Biyik future-proof the defensive pipeline without blocking senior minutes.
On exits, moving Antony and cashing in on Garnacho reset amortisation/PSR and reduced wage drift, while the Rashford and Sancho loans buy time to decide on 2026 futures.
The Højlund structure protects value yet rationalises the striker depth chart. There are still gaps - no true progressive 6 was added, and left-back depth hinges on youth or a fast adaptation from León, but the squad looks much more stylistically aligned.
Rating United’s transfer window
A 7/10 for the Reds. United addressed the attack with three starters who fit the manager, added a developmental left-back, and tidied several legacy contracts.
It stops short of a 8 or 10 because midfield ball-progression and defensive depth (LWB/LCB) still need work, the GK outlay is a medium-term bet rather than a day-one upgrade, and significant reliance remains on swift chemistry between three new forwards. But in terms of clarity, age profile, and ceiling, this is United’s most coherent summer in years.