Man United’s record transfer sales – every player sold for more than £20 million | OneFootball

Though Old Trafford has been home to some of the most exciting footballers on the planet, Manchester United have never been particularly adept at knowing when and how to sell players for a profit. In recent years, many players have stayed at the club despite being past their prime and no longer capable of making an impact on the squad.

That being said, the Red Devils do often sell players, whether that is because the player wants a new challenge or feels they have achieved everything there is to achieve at Old Trafford. Of these sales, 11 players have moved on for a fee of £20 million or more, with United receiving healthy profits on just some of these deals.

Here we take a look at the seven players for whom United have received the highest transfer fees.

Dan James

Dan James made the perfect start to his United career by scoring on his debut against Chelsea and quickly became a key element of Manchester United’s counter-attacking threat. His blistering pace was an incredible asset that gave defenders nightmares and helped him register 18 goal involvements during his time at Old Trafford.

Unfortunately, there were limits to James’ game and it soon became clear he was not quite at the level required for United to kick on and become a team that challenged for titles. As a result, the Welshman was sold to Leeds United for £25 million in September 2021, earning the Red Devils a £10 million profit on the deal.

Scott McTominay

Scott McTominay did not quite get the respect his tenacity and excellent finishing deserved during his time at Old Trafford. The Scottish international was often used as a scapegoat when the team lost, despite the former academy star making over 250 appearances for the club and scoring 29 goals.

McTominay moved to Napoli for £25.7 million on deadline day in 2024 and has since gone on to become one of the most exciting central midfielders in world football. In just 79 appearances, the central midfielder has registered 37 goal involvements, and his excellent performances earned him a nomination for the Ballon d’Or in 2025.

Rasmus Hojlund

Rasmus Hojlund arrived at Old Trafford amid a transitional period for the club and, despite being just 20 years old, was tasked with leading the line for the Red Devils. Although he did produce some excellent performances, the task proved too big for the Danish international, who managed just 26 goals in 95 appearances.

Hojlund departed Old Trafford last summer, heading to Napoli on an initial season-long loan that would become an obligation should the Italian side qualify for the Champions League. The striker’s incredible performances across the season helped secure qualification to Europe’s elite football competition and, as a result, made his transfer permanent.

Alejandro Garnacho

It once seemed as though Alejandro Garnacho would be the future of United’s attack, with the academy product bursting onto the scene with his explosive pace and mind-boggling skills. The Argentinian international made 144 appearances for the mighty Reds, registering an impressive 48 goal involvements.

Unfortunately, a breakdown in the relationship between Garnacho and Ruben Amorim led to the academy graduate joining Chelsea for £40 million in 2025, in what is the biggest ever fee United have received for an academy graduate.

Angel di Maria

Excitement was high when Angel di Maria arrived at United in the summer of 2014. The former Real Madrid winger was seen as one of the best attackers in the world and fans believed he would transform United’s attack, which was stuttering at the time.

Unfortunately, the playmaker never settled in Manchester, mostly due to a horrific robbery that took place at his family home. As a result, Di Maria was sold to PSG just a year after he arrived at Old Trafford for a fee of £44 million.

Romelu Lukaku

Romelu Lukaku is another example of a United player who hit the ground running at Old Trafford only for his performance levels and goal-scoring prowess to fade away as time went on. The Belgian striker scored just 12 times in his final season at Old Trafford, despite making 32 appearances.

Lukaku signed for Inter Milan in 2019 for an eye-watering fee of £73 million, with the Belgian international quickly rediscovering his form and re-establishing himself as one of the best strikers in the world.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Unsurprisingly, Portuguese superstar and five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo is the player United have sold for the highest fee. It was, of course, a reluctant sale, with Sir Alex Ferguson desperate to keep hold of his star man. But Ronaldo had his heart set on a dream move to Real Madrid and the legendary Scottish manager granted his wish.

Madrid signed Ronaldo in the summer of 2009 for a then world-record fee of £80 million, reflecting his status as one of the best players in the world. Ronaldo was a monumental success in Spain, scoring 450 goals in just 438 appearances.

Featured image Marco M. Mantovani via Getty Images

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