Over the years, Manchester United have made some questionable additions in the transfer market, forcing the club into some serious budget cuts since Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s arrival.
Midfielder Mason Mount joined the club in a £60m deal from fellow Premier League side Chelsea back in the summer of 2023, but injuries have massively hampered his time at Old Trafford.
The 26-year-old has only featured 33 times across all competitions since his big-money transfer, only scoring a single goal and notching just one assist to date.
Amorim has previously shown faith in the former England international, praising him endlessly after his appointment, with the hope that he can get his promising career back on track.
However, not all of their additions have been a failure, with one of the manager’s first additions in Manchester already showing glimpses of the talent he possesses.
Ayden Heaven’s stats since joining United
Centre-back Ayden Heaven joined United in a £1.5m deal from fellow English side Arsenal, following in the footsteps of Chido Obi, who moved six months prior.
The 18-year-old was originally seen as a player for the academy setup, featuring a couple of times, but the current injury crisis in the North West has catapulted him into Amorim’s first-team setup.
He’s already featured in the FA Cup, Premier League and the Europa League – claiming his first start in yesterday’s triumph over Real Sociedad, cementing a place in the quarter-finals.
During his 90-minute display, he won 100% of the duels he entered, making four clearances and two interceptions, playing a vital role in the backline and staking his claim for a regular starting role.
However, one other member of the Red Devils squad joined for a figure lower than that of Heaven, with his market value rising as a result of his stellar displays in recent years.
The United player who cost even less than Heaven
Numerous players in United’s current first-team squad have cost a fortune to bring them to Old Trafford, having various levels of impact since their arrivals.
Alejandro Garnacho is one player who was a bargain given his impact, arriving in Manchester for just £420k from Spanish side Atlético Madrid back in 2020, originally linking up with the academy side.
The Argentine would catch the eye at various youth levels with his pace and direct dribbling, qualities that would allow him to register 27 goals over an 18-month period.
He would get his first-team chance in 2021/22, making just two substitute appearances, before becoming a regular member of the senior setup just a few months later.
Garnacho has since made over 30 appearances in every season since, including 44 in the current campaign, registering a total of 23 goals and 17 assists at the age of just 20.
The winger, who’s previously been dubbed “phenomenal” by one analyst, has seen his market value soar as a result of his impressive displays in the North West, showcasing what a superb signing he’s been.
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Alejandro Garnacho’s stats for United in the PL (2024/25) |
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|---|---|
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Statistics (per 90) |
Tally |
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Games played |
27 |
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Goals & assists |
4 |
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Pass accuracy |
83% |
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Shots taken |
3.4 |
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Touches in opposition box |
7.5 |
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Successful dribbles |
1.1 |
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Recoveries made |
4.9 |
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Stats via FotMob |
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He was valued at £55m by the club in January after interest from elsewhere, a figure that presents a 13000% rise on the fee forked out for his services less than five years ago.
In a period where the club have often pursued big-money targets, a deal for Garnacho represents the rewards you can expect should you decide to invest in young talent for the future and allowing them to develop.
Heaven will be hoping to follow a similar trajectory at the Theatre of Dreams, hopefully cementing his place in the side, with his start to life at the club demonstrating he has huge potential to succeed.
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