Manchester United have been known to spend a pretty penny in the transfer market over the last couple of years, but many of their funds have gone to huge waste.
The hierarchy have spent upwards of £800m on transfers since the summer of 2022, with Erik ten Hag spending around £600m of that - subsequently paying £86m for the services of Antony.
The Brazilian winger followed the manager to the Premier League from Ajax, but was unable to provide value for money, as seen by his tally of just 12 goals in his 96 appearances.
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He was subsequently sold for a reported £19m in the summer window, joining Real Betis on a permanent deal and resulting in a £67m loss on his signature.
However, not all of the club’s dealings in the transfer market have been unsuccessful, with one player potentially going down as one of their best ever pieces of business.
The stats behind Bruno’s time at Man Utd
Back in January 2020, United completed the £47m signing of midfielder Bruno Fernandes from Sporting CP, with the Portuguese international arriving as an unknown quantity to many fans.
However, it’s safe to say the 31-year-old made an immediate impact at Old Trafford, as seen by his tally of 20 combined goals and assists in his first 22 outings for the club.
Bruno Fernandes
He’s only gone from strength to strength in the Premier League, with the midfielder celebrating his six-year anniversary in Manchester over the next couple of months.
Fernandes has now racked up a total of 306 appearances for the Red Devils since his big-money transfer, with his goal and assist tallies showcasing his impact in attacking areas.
He’s scored 102 goals whilst laying on a staggering 89 assists in that time, subsequently allowing him to achieve a record of a goal or assist in every 1.6 matches he’s played for the club.
Last season was one of his best for goal contributions, as Bruno registered 37 across all competitions despite the club finishing in 15th place in the Premier League.
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However, he’s been tasked with operating in a deeper role in 2025/26 to date, but he’s still managed to thrive, even registering 10 goals and assists in his first 10 appearances.
£47m for such a player now looks to be a huge bargain, but he’s not alone in starring under Amorim’s guidance, with numerous other players impressing.
Man Utd's best signing since Bruno
In an attempt to improve the squad over recent years, the United fans have splashed the cash erratically, but players like Bryan Mbeumo have managed to prove their worth.
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The board spent a reported £71m on the signature of the Cameroonian international, with real hope that the 26-year-old could inject needed quality into the club’s frontline.
During his first 15 league outings, he’s already managed to find the back of the net on six occasions - with such a tally the highest of any player in the squad.
He’s also averaged 1.6 shots on target and placed 58% of his efforts between the sticks, with both tallies also the highest of any player squad - showcasing his immediate impact at Old Trafford.
However, many could argue he’s been the best signing since Bruno, but that could also be awarded to full-back Noussair Mazraoui, who’s been a superb addition to the Red Devils.
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The Moroccan international joined in a £12.7m deal from Bayern Munich last summer, with very few fans expecting the defender to have the immediate impact he has at Old Trafford.
Since his transfer, the 28-year-old has racked up 66 appearances for the club, with his tally of 57 last campaign, more than any other player within Amorim’s squad.
He often operated as part of the back three rather than at wing-back, something which helped him register some incredible numbers and become one of the best performers in the squad.
The Moroccan won 2.2 tackles per 90 last campaign, winning 60% of the dispossession attempts he entered - subsequently showcasing his tremendous ability out of possession.
Noussair Mazraoui - Man Utd PL stats (2024/25)
Statistics (per 90)
Games played
Minutes played
Pass accuracy
Dribbles completed
Tackles made
Tackle success rate
Cross success rate
Duels won
Stats via FotMob
He also thrived with the ball at his feet, completing 86% of the passes he attempted, whilst also completing 60% of his dribbles - resulting in one journalist labelling him as Amorim’s “best player”.
This season, he’s made just nine league appearances, but the side have only lost twice when he’s featured - further showcasing his importance to the club in 2025/26.
Noussair-Mazraoui
However, a solution will need to be found in the coming months, as Mazraoui is set to link up with the Moroccan national team for AFCON during January.
He will no doubt be a miss, but his £12.7m move will no doubt be one of the best deals conducted by the hierarchy - subsequently offering a stark reminder that cheap deals can still result in the arrival of top talents.
Man United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo Related
[Man Utd gem could be "the world's best", but he's becoming the new Mainoo](https://www.footballfancast.com/man-utd-obi-could-be-the-worlds-best-but-hes-becoming-the-new-mainoo/ "Man Utd gem could be "the world's best", but he's becoming the new Mainoo")
Manchester United have one star in their ranks who could suffer the same fate as Kobbie Mainoo.