Manchester United

Manchester United

Premier League • England

Ranking every player Man Utd have signed on transfer deadline day after Manuel Ugarte confirmation

Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Marouane Fellaini playing for Man Utd

Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Marouane Fellaini all joined Man Utd on transfer deadline day

While clubs always want to get their business done early, Manchester United have a long history of completing last-ditch signings in the transfer window.

United have now signed Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain in a deal worth an initial £42.3million and another £8.5million in potential add-ons.

We’ve looked at the 17 players United have previously signed on transfer deadline day and ranked them from worst to best.

Note: we’ve only included deals from the summer transfer windows and not the January transfer windows.

17. Saidy Janko

Janko joined United from FC Zurich in 2013 and won the Denzil Haroun Reserve Player of the Year award in his debut season.

But his one first-team appearance for United was an unhappy one as he was subbed off at half-time in a 4-0 loss at MK Dons in the League Cup.

The right-back had a loan spell at Bolton in the second half of the 2014/15 season and then joined Celtic on a permanent deal.

16. Regan Poole

After making his Newport County debut at the age of 16 in the 2014/15 season, Poole joined United in a £100,000 deal a few months later.

The defender made just one first-team appearance for United, coming off the bench in a 5-1 win over FC Midtjylland in February 2016.

He spent time on loan at Northampton Town and Newport County before being released at the end of the 2018/19 season.

15. Alex Telles

One of three deadline day signings in 2020, Telles starred for Porto in the Primeira Liga before joining United in a £13.6million deal.

The Brazil international failed to replicate that form in the Premier League and was unable to usurp first-choice left-back Luke Shaw.

He spent the 2022/23 season on loan at Sevilla and then joined Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr in a £4million deal.

14. Radamel Falcao

United forked out £6million to sign Falcao from Monaco on a season-long loan deal in 2014, and he arrived with a reputation as one of the best strikers in the world.

But the former Colombia international failed to live up to expectations at Old Trafford, scoring just four goals in 29 appearances in 2014/15.

United unsurprisingly decided not to take up the £43.2million option to buy Falcao, who then spent the 2015/16 season on loan at Chelsea.

13. Facundo Pellistri

Pellistri played under former United striker Diego Forlan at Uruguayan side Penarol before moving to Old Trafford in a £9million deal in 2020.

The winger had two loan spells at Deportivo Alaves and finally made his senior United debut in January 2023 – two years and three months after joining the club.

He made another 24 first-team appearances for United but failed to score a single goal and was sold to Greek side Panathinaikos in 2024.

12. Altay Bayindir

One of four deadline day signings from the summer of 2023, Bayindir joined United from Fenerbahce in a £4.3million deal.

He acts as the back-up to first-choice goalkeeper Andre Onana and has made just one appearance for the club, playing in a 4-2 win over Newport County in the FA Cup.

11. Sergio Reguilon

United signed Reguilon from Tottenham on a season-long loan deal in 2023 following injuries to the club’s left-backs Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia.

The Spain international made 12 appearances in the first half of the season before United decided to terminate the loan deal in January 2024.

Sergio Reguilon Man Utd

10. Antony

The second-most expensive signing in United’s history, Antony joined the club in 2022 in a deal worth an initial £81.2million and another £4.27million in potential add-ons.

He made a bright start to his United career, becoming the first player to score in their first three Premier League appearances for the club.

But the Brazil international has been unable to build upon that early promise, and he registered just five goal contributions in the 2023/24 season.

“In general, end product is massive in football,” former United striker Andy Cole said. “Does he [Antony] create chances for his team-mates? Not really. Does he contribute by scoring goals? Not really.

“If I was playing in a team and there was an inverted winger of Antony’s ilk, then as a centre-forward I wouldn’t be happy if I wasn’t being provided with enough assists, because my job is to score goals. I don’t believe he’s produced enough considering all the opportunities he’s had to play for Manchester United.”

9. Sofyan Amrabat

Amrabat joined United on a season-long loan deal in the summer of 2023 but struggled to nail down a consistent role in the team, making just 10 starts in the Premier League.

The midfielder produced his best performance for United in the 2024 FA Cup final, playing the full 90 minutes in the 2-1 win over Manchester City.

Despite his display at Wembley, United let him return to Fiorentina after deciding not to trigger the £21million option-to-buy clause.

8. Edinson Cavani

After leaving Paris Saint-Germain in 2020, Cavani joined United as a 33-year-old free agent amid doubts from some whether he could make an impact on the Premier League.

The Uruguay international silenced his critics and scored 17 goals in all competitions in his debut season, including a stunning 40-yard lob against Fulham.

But Cavani struggled with a series of injury problems during a difficult second season at Old Trafford, and he was released in the summer of 2022.

7. Jonny Evans

A United academy graduate, Evans trained with the club after leaving Leicester City in the summer of 2023 and was then handed a one-year contract on deadline day.

The centre-back played 30 times in his first season back at Old Trafford, including a substitute appearance in the FA Cup final win over Manchester City.

He’s since signed another one-year contract and will provide cover for Matthijs de Ligt, Leny Yoro, Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez.

6. Daley Blind

Having worked with Blind at the 2014 World Cup, Louis van Gaal brought the Netherlands international to Old Trafford a few weeks later.

The midfielder impressed after being converted into a ball-playing centre-back, playing a key role in United’s FA Cup and Europa League triumphs.

He fell down the pecking order during Jose Mourinho’s second season and returned to his former club Ajax in a £14.1million deal in 2018.

5. Cristiano Ronaldo

Despite widespread speculation that Ronaldo was set to join rivals Manchester City in 2021, he ultimately decided to return to Old Trafford.

While United endured a disastrous 2021/22 season, the Portugal international still scored 24 goals in all competitions and was named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year.

Things turned sour in his second season following an explosive interview with Piers Morgan and his contract was terminated by mutual consent in November 2022.

4. Marouane Fellaini

The first major signing of the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, Fellaini joined United from Everton in 2013 in a £27.5million deal.

“Signing Marouane Fellaini so close to the deadline that August, the club’s only major deal in a summer when we needed two or three big names, suggested that things were not running smoothly,” Ryan Giggs said.

“United had signed players late in the window before but this time was different. This time it was more of a panic.”

The midfielder had a disastrous debut season with David Moyes as United finished seventh in the Premier League, but he became an important player under Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho.

Fellaini made over 150 appearances for the club and came up with some important goals, helping United win the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Europa League.

3. Anthony Martial

Martial was a relatively unknown teenager when United decided to sign him from Monaco for an initial £36million in 2015.

The striker well and truly announced himself to the world by coming off the bench to score a brilliant solo goal against Liverpool on his debut.

He won the FA Cup in his debut season before lifting the Europa League, League Cup and Community Shield in the 2016/17 campaign.

The France international left Old Trafford in 2024 with a respectable return of 90 goals and 47 assists in 317 appearances, but he failed to live up to his full potential.

2. Dimitar Berbatov

Berbatov rejected an approach from Manchester City and completed a £30.75million move to United on the final day of the 2008 summer transfer window.

“I don’t think it was that close, to be honest,” he said. “My agent told me about some interest but I said, ‘Don’t even bother mentioning anyone else, I’m going to Man United,’ because of the history, the players, the tradition, everything.”

His languid approach often infuriated fans but he provided plenty of memorable moments at Old Trafford, including an incredible turn to set up Cristiano Ronaldo for a tap-in against West Ham.

The former Bulgaria international also scored 56 times in 149 appearances for United, winning two Premier League titles, a League Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.

1. Wayne Rooney

There was only ever going to be one winner.

After starring for England at Euro 2004, Rooney left Everton and completed a £27million move to United on transfer deadline day.

He enjoyed 13 trophy-laden seasons at Old Trafford, winning five Premier League titles, three League Cups, an FA Cup, the Champions League, the Europa League and the FIFA Club World Cup.

The striker also replaced Sir Bobby Charlton as United’s all-time leading goalscorer after netting 253 goals in 559 appearances in all competitions.

READ MORE: The biggest Manchester United transfers of all time: Leny Yoro enters top 10

Manchester United Wayne Rooney Cristiano Ronaldo Manuel Ugarte

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