After nearly two decades of protests, controversy, and growing discontent, the Glazer family’s reign over football operations at Manchester United finally began to wane following Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS’ acquisition of a 25 percent stake in early 2024. Before the Glazers arrived in 2005, United were debt-free, but their £790 million ($1 billion) takeover included only £270 million (£346m) of their own funds, with the remainder borrowed against the club. Since then, critics have accused the family of treating the Red Devils as a financial vehicle to support their business interests in the United States.

Throughout their ownership, the Glazers have done little to repair their fractured relationship with the club’s supporters. Rarely attending matches or advancing long-promised Old Trafford redevelopment plans, their absence has only increased resentment. Joel Glazer, the co-chairman, has operated primarily from his Washington office, underlining their status as absentee owners.

However, one area where the Glazers cannot be accused of negligence is player investment. Since 2005, Manchester United have spent more than £2 billion ($2.6bn) on transfers, including a record £210 million ($269m) in the 2022 summer window alone. The club has won 13 major trophies under their ownership, including five Premier League titles and a Champions League triumph.

Yet, since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, consistent silverware has been elusive. Many of United’s marquee signings have failed to deliver, proving that money alone cannot guarantee success. Here’s a detailed ranking of the club’s 20 most disappointing signings under the Glazer regime.

20. Harry Maguire

Still the world’s most expensive defender, Harry Maguire’s £80m ($102m) move from Leicester City in 2019 has been a turbulent ride. Appointed captain within six months, Maguire struggled to justify the leadership role and ultimately lost the armband in 2023 under Erik ten Hag. His hefty price tag turned him into a lightning rod for criticism, with every misstep magnified by fans. Though he fought his way back into the team and later became a regular under Ruben Amorim, Maguire has never looked like an elite centre-back, symbolising the club’s decline in recent years.

19. Anderson

Signed from Porto for £26m ($33m) in 2007, Anderson was once touted by Ferguson’s brother Martin as being “better than Wayne Rooney.” His debut season was promising, helping United win both the Premier League and Champions League. But fitness problems soon derailed his career, and he never reclaimed a starting spot ahead of Paul Scholes or Michael Carrick. Released in 2015, Anderson’s lack of professionalism was later exposed by former coach Mick Clegg, who said, “He didn’t keep fit. He chose not to put in the work. He was a party animal.”

18. Henrikh Mkhitaryan

Bought from Borussia Dortmund for £26m ($33m) in 2016, Mkhitaryan enjoyed fleeting success, scoring six goals during United’s Europa League-winning campaign, including one in the final. However, inconsistency in big games led to his exit in a swap deal for Alexis Sanchez. He later rediscovered his form in Serie A, but his United spell remains a major disappointment.

17. Owen Hargreaves

United paid £17m (£22m) for Owen Hargreaves in 2007, despite his injury history at Bayern Munich. Though he shone in the Champions League final win over Chelsea, recurring knee problems limited him to just five further appearances. Released in 2011, he joined Manchester City but retired shortly after. Ferguson later admitted Hargreaves was the worst signing of his tenure, saying his value was “lost in the fog of his lack of games.”

16. Gabriel Obertan

United paid £3m to Bordeaux for Obertan in 2009, a move that even his then-manager Laurent Blanc found surprising. Blanc warned that Obertan needed to overcome “psychological and mental challenges,” advice that went unheeded. Obertan scored once in 28 appearances before being sold to Newcastle in 2011, a far cry from the player United needed to replace Cristiano Ronaldo.

15. Victor Valdes

Legendary Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes joined United in 2014 while recovering from a knee injury. He made only two appearances before falling out with Louis van Gaal, who accused him of refusing to play in a reserve match. Excluded from team photos and stripped of his locker, Valdes left for Middlesbrough but later said, “He’s like a father figure to me… We are still friends.”

14. Morgan Schneiderlin

After excelling at Southampton, Schneiderlin joined United in 2015 for £30m ($39m). Although he made 38 appearances and won the FA Cup, he soon fell out of favour under Mourinho and was sold to Everton for £20m ($26m). Despite his potential, he failed to make a lasting impact at Old Trafford.

13. Bebe

Bebe’s £7m move from Vitoria de Guimaraes in 2010 baffled fans and even Ferguson admitted he had never seen him play. The winger made only seven appearances before being loaned out to several clubs and eventually sold to Benfica in 2014. Reflecting on his sudden move, Bebe said, “I thought they were joking.” The transfer remains one of United’s strangest and least successful.

12. Wilfried Zaha

Signed for £15m ($19m) in 2013 after being persuaded by Ferguson, Zaha arrived just as the great manager retired. Neglected by successor David Moyes, he played only 167 minutes for United before returning to Crystal Palace. Later, Zaha revealed the toll that unfounded rumours and isolation took on his mental health during that time.

11. Radamel Falcao

Falcao arrived on loan from Monaco in 2014 amid huge excitement but scored only four goals in 29 appearances. The £16m ($20m) deal, including wages, proved disastrous, and United declined to make the move permanent. His subsequent struggles at Chelsea confirmed that English football never saw the best of “El Tigre.”

10. Memphis Depay

After scoring 22 goals for PSV, Depay joined United in 2015 for £31m ($40m). However, his flashy lifestyle and inconsistency frustrated Mourinho, who sold him to Lyon in 2017. Mourinho later said that Depay “lost his sense of reality” and became “a little bit childish.”

9. Donny van de Beek

United’s £40m ($53m) signing of Van de Beek from Ajax in 2020 remains baffling. Rarely used by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and later struggling under Ten Hag, he joined Eintracht Frankfurt on loan in 2024 before moving to Girona for just £450,000 ($575k). Once seen as a rising star, his United career never took off.

8. Paul Pogba

After leaving United for Juventus in 2012, Pogba returned in 2016 for a then-world record £89m ($114m). At his best, he was a match-winner, but inconsistency and injuries marred his six-year spell. Winning only the Europa League and League Cup, Pogba left again for Juventus in 2022, later stating that he felt more love in Turin than in Manchester.

7. Romelu Lukaku

Signed for £75m ($96m) from Everton in 2017, Lukaku’s first season produced 28 goals, yet he failed to deliver in crucial matches. His form dipped the following year, and Mourinho was sacked mid-season. Former Everton director Steve Walsh later warned Mourinho that Lukaku could be “a big baby,” a prediction that sadly proved accurate.

6. Jadon Sancho

After two years of negotiations, United finally paid £72m ($93m) for Sancho in 2021. However, he managed just 12 goals and six assists in 83 games. Falling out with Ten Hag in 2023, Sancho refused to apologise and was frozen out. Following unsuccessful loan spells at Dortmund, Chelsea, and Aston Villa, he was released in 2026. His time at United epitomised wasted potential and poor discipline.

5. Angel Di Maria

Fresh from his Champions League heroics at Real Madrid, Di Maria joined United in 2014 for a British record £60m ($77m). Despite flashes of brilliance, he struggled under Van Gaal’s tactics and his family failed to settle in Manchester. He left after one season for PSG, later admitting that the move to England was a mistake.

4. Alexis Sanchez

United’s elaborate piano unveiling for Sanchez’s arrival from Arsenal in 2018 soon turned farcical. Despite his stellar reputation, Sanchez scored just three goals in 18 months while collecting £14m annually. Mourinho later described him as “a sad man,” and Wenger said he had “lost confidence.” Sanchez was eventually loaned to Inter before leaving permanently, making his transfer one of the Premier League’s costliest errors.

3. Rasmus Hojlund

United’s £72m gamble on 20-year-old Hojlund from Atalanta in 2023 proved premature. After scoring just four Premier League goals in his second season, new manager Ruben Amorim quickly sidelined him. Despite Hojlund’s insistence he would fight for his place, United replaced him with Benjamin Sesko before selling him to Napoli for €50m (£43m). His time at Old Trafford highlighted the club’s poor recruitment strategy.

2. Antony

Ten Hag’s £85m ($109m) reunion with Antony from Ajax was meant to bring flair and aggression, but it turned into a nightmare. Antony scored just 11 Premier League goals in two seasons, criticised for being one-dimensional and overly reliant on his left foot. His lack of end product and predictability frustrated fans and teammates alike, leading to a permanent transfer to Real Betis at a huge loss.

1. Andre Onana

At the top of the list is Andre Onana, whose £48m move from Inter in 2023 was supposed to revolutionise United’s build-up play. Instead, the Cameroonian goalkeeper became a liability. His poor distribution, questionable positioning, and frequent handling errors led to a series of humiliating defeats, including a 2025 Carabao Cup exit to League Two side Grimsby Town. Fans grew anxious every time he touched the ball, and his lack of command in the box shattered defensive confidence. Even after a loan to Trabzonspor, Onana’s reputation as one of the worst goalkeeping signings in Premier League history remains intact.