2024 January transfer window - hopes, needs, expectations and rumours.

[Smithy]

They spent over £250m on Pogba, Lukaku, and Di Maria.  Those three are still in their top 6 most expensive signings EVER.

Every club thinks they've made some really bad signings, and we're no different, but of our top 10 most expensive signings of all time, 8 of them are still playing an important part in our first team and most are worth more than we paid.  The other two are Wesley and Ings.  I think our hit rate on transfers since we came back up has been well above the league average.

[LeonW]

They spent over £250m on Pogba, Lukaku, and Di Maria.  Those three are still in their top 6 most expensive signings EVER.

Every club thinks they've made some really bad signings, and we're no different, but of our top 10 most expensive signings of all time, 8 of them are still playing an important part in our first team and most are worth more than we paid.  The other two are Wesley and Ings.  I think our hit rate on transfers since we came back up has been well above the league average.

You could even qualify both Wesley and Ings. We knew we wouldn’t get money back fully on Ings and Wesley got a horrific injury. We’ve got much better at selling as well; Targett, Joe, that Chuck chap, Davis, potentially Archer and Ramsey.

[Dave]

Casemiro should be on the list. Then you've got the 'not in the top 10, but you paid how much?!" players like van de Beek, Bailly and Depay.

In fairness, I think all three are arguments for Man Utd being a basket case who ruin players in their formative years over them being bad players who they shouldn't have bought.

On what all three had done when they signed them, they're the "sort of player" we should be aiming for now. We just need to do far better than they do with promising young players when we get them.

[LeonW]

Alexis Sanchez (a fantastic footballer elsewhere for club and country) was another disaster.

[Risso]

As was the player they swapped, Mkhitaryan.

[LeonW]

This could literally go on for the rest of today.

[OCD]

1. Pogba $105m
2. Anthony $95m
3. Maguire $87m
4. Sancho $85m
5. Lukaku $84.7m
6. Di Maria $75m
7. Hoijland $73.9m
8. Casemiro $70.65m
9. Fernandes $65m
10. Mount $64.2m

Total - $805.45m
Average - $80.5m

Compared to -

1. Diaby $55m
2. Buendia $38.4m
3. Watkins $34m
4. Pau Torres $33m
5. Bailey $32m
6. Diego Carlos $31m
7. Digne $30m
8. Ings $29.4m
9. Wesley $25m
10. Mings $22.3m

Total - $330.1m
Average - $33.0m

Figures from Transfermarkt.com and given in Euro's.

[LeonW]

1. Pogba $105m
2. Anthony $95m
3. Maguire $87m
4. Sancho $85m
5. Lukaku $84.7m
6. Di Maria $75m
7. Hoijland $73.9m
8. Casemiro $70.65m
9. Fernandes $65m
10. Mount $64.2m

Total - $805.45m
Average - $80.5m

Compared to -

1. Diaby $55m
2. Buendia $38.4m
3. Watkins $34m
4. Pau Torres $33m
5. Bailey $32m
6. Diego Carlos $31m
7. Digne $30m
8. Ings $29.4m
9. Wesley $25m
10. Mings $22.3m

Total - $330.1m
Average - $33.0m

Figures from Transfermarkt.com and given in Euro's.

Wow.

[Percy McCarthy]

1. Pogba $105m
2. Anthony $95m
3. Maguire $87m
4. Sancho $85m
5. Lukaku $84.7m
6. Di Maria $75m
7. Hoijland $73.9m
8. Casemiro $70.65m
9. Fernandes $65m
10. Mount $64.2m

Total - $805.45m
Average - $80.5m

Compared to -

1. Diaby $55m
2. Buendia $38.4m
3. Watkins $34m
4. Pau Torres $33m
5. Bailey $32m
6. Diego Carlos $31m
7. Digne $30m
8. Ings $29.4m
9. Wesley $25m
10. Mings $22.3m

Total - $330.1m
Average - $33.0m

Figures from Transfermarkt.com and given in Euro's.

Why are they in dollars?

[Louzie0]

James Bond casino vibe.

Otherwise, the initiating US website, I think.
Cheers, Percy👍

[john e]

Casemiro should be on the list. Then you've got the 'not in the top 10, but you paid how much?!" players like van de Beek, Bailly and Depay.

Of course. Forgot Casemiro.

Yes, so many of them. You could do a ‘how much did they pay for their squad and how much would they get now?’ game.

They can’t sell them anyway because they’re all on too much money even if clubs can afford the new valuations they can’t/won’t afford the wages

[Stu82]

1. Pogba $105m
2. Anthony $95m
3. Maguire $87m
4. Sancho $85m
5. Lukaku $84.7m
6. Di Maria $75m
7. Hoijland $73.9m
8. Casemiro $70.65m
9. Fernandes $65m
10. Mount $64.2m

Total - $805.45m
Average - $80.5m

Compared to -

1. Diaby $55m
2. Buendia $38.4m
3. Watkins $34m
4. Pau Torres $33m
5. Bailey $32m
6. Diego Carlos $31m
7. Digne $30m
8. Ings $29.4m
9. Wesley $25m
10. Mings $22.3m

Total - $330.1m
Average - $33.0m

Figures from Transfermarkt.com and given in Euro's.

Wow.

8 out of or 10 of our 10 most expensive are still involved in first team, although two out injured at the moment.

[algy]

Just because Bailey has 'come good' after three years doesn't mean that every player will. In any case, Diaby is a much better player than Sancho, but has been below par for ages now. Let's get him back to what he's capable of before we start trying to reinvogorate other players' careers.

Yeah, this.

I know Emery can work miracles with players, but I don't think we have to rely on that as our transfer policy!

There's a case for us buying a right back, a centr forward, or a backup keeper. Maybe a central defender if Lenglet goes. I'm sure we're not restricted to just those positions, and would bring in an instant impact player if one was available. However, I don't think Sancho is any of those things - and he'd cost a small fortune in wages.

I mean if Emery wants him fair enough, he knows better than me. But I don't see it happening.

[tomd2103]

1. Pogba $105m
2. Anthony $95m
3. Maguire $87m
4. Sancho $85m
5. Lukaku $84.7m
6. Di Maria $75m
7. Hoijland $73.9m
8. Casemiro $70.65m
9. Fernandes $65m
10. Mount $64.2m

Total - $805.45m
Average - $80.5m

Compared to -

1. Diaby $55m
2. Buendia $38.4m
3. Watkins $34m
4. Pau Torres $33m
5. Bailey $32m
6. Diego Carlos $31m
7. Digne $30m
8. Ings $29.4m
9. Wesley $25m
10. Mings $22.3m

Total - $330.1m
Average - $33.0m

Figures from Transfermarkt.com and given in Euro's.

Was thinking similar earlier.  If we were to field our strongest side at the moment, the cost of it is a fraction of that spent by other sides in the league.

[DrGonzo]

This could literally go on for the rest of today.

Ah! Welcome to the circular argument thread. Try not to spend too much time here. Time is an illusion, transfer window times doubly so.