Man Utd’s transfer missteps expose Antony and Di Maria among worst

Manchester United’s chronic transfer misfires have left the club scrambling for a reliable forward after Sir Alex Ferguson’s 2013 retirement, a period marked by costly signings such as Bebe’s £7.4million move and Di Maria’s £59.7million fee, while the team continues to finish outside the top‑three in the Premier League.

Transfer market woes since Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson’s tenure was not without its own transfer blunders. He admitted, “We had not done our normal level of homework,” when recalling the Bebe episode. The former manager’s era also saw other mis‑steps that have haunted the club long after his retirement.

One of the most bizarre signings of that era was Brazilian winger Bebe, who arrived in August 2010 for a then hefty £7.4million fee. Having played only semi‑professional football at Vitoria Guimaraes, he never featured in a first‑team match beyond seven appearances, including a brief cameo against Wolves.

Dutch midfielder Donny van de Beek arrived from Ajax in 2021 for up to £39million, yet Bruno Fernandes already occupied the No 10 shirt. Van de Beek managed just four Premier League starts before a loan spell at Eintracht Frankfurt and a permanent move to Girona for an initial £423,000.

High‑price signings that backfired

Midfielder Mason Mount joined United from Chelsea in the summer of 2023 for an initial £55million plus £5million in add‑ons. The fee seemed justified, but an injury‑plagued start saw him miss 70 games and feature for a full 90 minutes only four times.

Argentine winger Ángel Di Maria was bought for a then‑British record £59.7million after a Man‑of‑the‑Match performance in Real Madrid’s 2014 Champions League final. He scored three goals and created four assists in his first six Premier League games, but his form fell sharply and his relationship with Louis van Gaal deteriorated.

Van Gaal later blamed the winger, saying, “Di Maria says it was my problem. I played him in every attacking position. You can check that,” and added, “He never convinced me in any of those positions. He could not deal with the continuous pressure on the ball in the Premier League.”

The ranking also lists Antony in second place, alongside Jadon Sancho, Alexis Sanchez and André Onana as some of United’s poorest Premier League acquisitions. United were able to recoup £44.3million from Di Maria’s sale to Paris Saint‑Germain, yet the overall transfer ledger remains a cautionary tale. Man United’s supporters still hope future signings will finally fill the gaps left by these costly errors.