UNITED SPENT CLOSE TO A BILLION LAST DECADE

MANCHESTER UNITED have spent close to £1billion in the last decade — and got very little in return.

They have splashed out big money what they saw as necessary targets, signing 14 players for £50million or more.

Erik ten Hag has made five of those signings but very few have met expectations.

It is a similar story for expensive additions brought in under previous managers, with only two of the fourteen reasonable being able to be described as successes.

Captain Bruno Fernandes has been a key player at Old Trafford since his arrival four years ago.

He has scored 70 goals in 212 games and has become something of a talisman - something that could not have been said of Paul Pogba or Mason Mount.

Pogba, 30, was signed for a then-world record £89m fee but never lived up to his price tag.

He was regularly criticised by pundits before being allowed to leave on a free in 2022.

United’s next biggest transfer, Antony, is already on a similar path.

He scored eight goals last season but has failed to find the net this season or register a single assist.

Jadon Sancho had similar struggles during his Red Devils spell before re-joining Borussia Dortmund on loan this month.

United made desperate attempts to land the winger before he finally joined in 2021, but fell out of favour under Ten Hag last season before their public row this campaign.

His failures are reminiscent of Angel Di Maria, who lasted just a season at United.

Casemiro may not last much longer than his former Real Madrid team-mate, despite showing good form last season.

But a disastrous and injury-laden start to this campaign has left his United legacy very much in doubt.

Harry Maguire, on the other hand, has responded brilliantly to critics this season by winning back his place in the side before being named November’s Premier League player of the month. The jury is still out on Maguire, but his fellow centre-back Lisandro Martinez has been a rare successful signing since arriving from Ajax for £57m.

A foot injury has kept the Argentine out of action for most of the current campaign but he has looked accomplished in defence and on the ball for United.