As the summer 2024 transfer window winds to a close, it’s time to take a look back at how Manchester United did as one of the biggest buyers in the market.
Man United’s activity in the transfer window was to be expected, if not outright necessary. The Red Devils finished eighth in the Premier League last season and had a new ownership group coming in, INEOS, who decided to make the controversial decision to keep embattled manager Erik ten Hag for another season.
So of course Manchester United had to spend to upgrade their squad at all levels, because they had pressing needs at pretty much every single position except for the attacking midfield.
Here is a grade for every major signing Manchester United made this summer. All transfer fee figures are from Transfermarkt.
CB Leny Yoro, €62M
Manchester United honestly overpaid for Leny Yoro. Real Madrid maybe lowballed Lille at 20 million euros, but Madrid were really Man United’s only competition; Liverpool and PSG weren’t pushing hard to spend much more than 40 million euros either.
But the thing is, Manchester United were sold on Yoro, just as Real Madrid were sold on Yoro as a generational talent. The teenage center back was already one of the best at his position in Ligue 1 last season, and he is so far advanced for his age that isn’t even funny.
Plus, Manchester United needed center back help even more than Real Madrid did, with only Lisandro Martinez settled as a starter for the 2024/25 season at the time of the Yoro signing.
Spending 62 million euros on a center back with an expiring contract who is unproven seems like overpay, but Manchester United didn’t have a prayer’s chance at signing Yoro for free in 2025 anyway; he would have 100 percent gone to Madrid in that case.
So really, the whole, “Get a team to accept less because you have leverage to sign the player on a free transfer” completely went out the window for Manchester United. Under that lens, the Yoro signing was appropriate and brought the club a truly special transfer.
Grade: B
DM Manuel Ugarte €50M
Manuel Ugarte was always Man United’s top transfer target despite the loose links to other defensive midfielders, as the Red Devils desperately needed to pair Kobbie Mainoo with a strong counterpart at the base of the midfield with Casemiro rapidly declining.
Although Ugarte didn’t blow anyone away in his lone season with PSG, the reality is that nobody at the club was set up to succeed by Luis Enrique or the organization.
At Copa America for Uruguay, Ugarte showed his quality in defense and on the ball. He is a modern 6 through and through, reading the game sharply and executing progressive passes, offering stability and threat.
A 50 million euro transfer fee is absolutely appropriate for a midfielder of Ugarte’s caliber, and he is significantly better than Casemiro at their stages.
Grade: B
CB Matthijs de Ligt €45M
Given Bayern Munich were clearly not going to keep Matthijs de Ligt and the player clearly preferred a move to Man United’s Ajax-laden squad, you have to question why INEOS ponied up so much money for the Dutch defender.
Manchester United and Bayern Munich were dragging their feet in negotiations, and Max Eberl was somehow able to pinch every penny from the Red Devils, who potentially could have waited another week or two to sign de Ligt for a little less.
Even so, Manchester United are getting de Ligt for substantially less than either Bayern Munich or Juventus bought the 25-year-old – and for about 20 million euros less than the suggested market value from Transfermarkt.
De Ligt is the veteran leader in the Manchester United defense at just 25, and, if anything, you have to think his style of play suits the Premier League better than the other leagues.
Grade: B
ST Joshua Zirkzee €42.5M
As much as Manchester United needed to sign another striker this summer, it’s hard not to wonder if the Red Devils paid a premium price for the wrong guy, especially for their main need up top.
See, Manchester United didn’t have a single player with more than 10 goals last season, as Marcus Rashford took a huge step back on the left wing and Rasmus Hojlund was more of a raw, all-arounder than a refined No. 9.
Zirkzee is another striker who bases his game off creating chances rather than scoring. In a big breakout season for Bologna, who qualified for the Champions League, Zirkzee scored just 11 goals with 4 assists.
Even noting that Zirkzee did most of his work off the dribble and off the ball entirely to create, those numbers are pretty mediocre – both scoring and creative – for a striker generating a fee over 40 million euros after a career year.
Manchester United will be better with Zirkzee, who is a boon for teammates like Hojlund, but it’s all about price. It just feels like INEOS are making the same mistake as the predecessors of signing the “shiny new toy” in the transfer market without regard to the consequences of racking up so much spending.
Grade: C
RB Noussair Mazraoui €15M
The most economical signing of the quintet joining Manchester United this summer, Noussair Mazraoui is one of the best right backs in European football and is an even more shocking sale on Bayern Munich’s part.
Mazraoui replaces Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and he is only better than AWB in the sense that he is better attacking-wise by virtue of his superior chance-creation and technical quality.
But that’s what Man United value the most. The issue is that current starting right back Diogo Dalot is a better creator than Mazraoui, though Mazraoui is a better defender than Dalot.
Basically, Manchester United are paying 15 million euros for an attacking upgrade on Wan-Bissaka who still isn’t as good offensively as their starter but represents some defensive middle ground between AWB and Dalot.
It’s a good thing Man United only spent 15 million euros on Mazraoui, otherwise he would have been a waste of money. At this price, he’s actually cheaper than Wan-Bissaka and better, as far as what Man United are looking for in a right back.
Grade: B
