Ranking all 11 Man Utd signings under Sir Jim Ratcliffe from worst to best
As the new season nears, the transfer window offers clubs a chance to change their fortunes. Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS group are entering their third season with Manchester United.
Ratcliffe and his henchmen have already invested well over £300million in transfer recruits.
Out of the 11 signings, who has been value for money? Which investments turned out to be money down the toilet? We rank United’s worst to best signings of the INEOS era:
11. Manuel Ugarte – £40million
When he was signed in the first summer transfer window for INEOS in 2024, Ugarte was thought of as the answer. The plug for the gaping chasm and perpetual headache of midfield. He was not.
The Uruguayan has had plenty of chances to show his capabilities. He has amassed 65 games in all competitions, but with two goals and seven assists in that time, he’s hardly been prolific.
Measuring him on goal contributions isn’t fair. He was brought in to be a general in midfield; a hard-tackling, forward-passing workhorse. Unfortunately, using those metrics, he also hasn’t been anywhere near good enough.
He usually takes three working days to get to a tackle; his lethargic running ability makes the Old Trafford pitch seem as though it consists of treacle, and on the rare time he does attempt a forward pass, he leaves you wondering whether he’s ever met his teammates before.
He does not feature in next season’s dream midfield.
10. Joshua Zirkzee – £36.5million
Two seasons have passed, and we still don’t know Zirkzee’s best position.
Bought in as an attacking option, he has been used as a target man, a number 10 and a wide man without ever looking convincing in any area of the pitch.
He has endured some very low moments during his time with the Red Devils. There was that infamous moment against Newcastle where he was dragged off before half time, jeered by his own fans, and reduced to tears – not exactly what you want from a new signing.
Ratcliffe must have been watching on from the stands, wishing he’d bought himself a new yacht when he saw Zirkzee trudging off in a pool of his own tears.
In his defence, he ploughed through that tough period and won back some of the supporters, but it’s fair to say that he won’t be the reason if United get back to the top.
It’d be no surprise if Zirkzee was sold this summer.
9. Matthijs de Ligt – £38.5million
The giant Dutch centre back has grown into his role at United… on the physio bed. Matthijs de Ligt has spent almost an entire year accumulating injuries.
It is puzzling how a player with the turning circle of a large combine harvester can get injured, but he has routinely found a way.
When a club like Bayern Munich are happy to sell one of its players, alarm bells should ring. They clearly didn’t think he was an elite centre back, although the transfer has put some of the Bayern medical staff out of a job.
8. Leny Yoro – £52.2million
Despite being relatively low on this list, Yoro could yet prove to be INEOS’ best signing. Brought to the club as one of the most exciting young centre-backs in Europe, Yoro is still only 20.
Last season, he looked nervous at times and seemed to shrink in the red shirt. Injuries have blighted his short career thus far, and the lack of stability in the defensive line has certainly not helped him to settle.
For the size of the prize tag, Ratcliffe will be hoping that Yoro makes a massive leap in the coming season.
7. Ayden Heaven – £1million
This was a shrewd transfer. Compared to Yoro, Heaven cost the club £1million – mere pocket change in football money.
Last season, the defender stepped in as cover with his side suffering from an injury crisis.
His standout moment was Boxing Day last season. His stoic performance in United’s 1-0 victory over Newcastle earned him wide acclaim and the Player of the Month Award.
6. Patrick Dorgu – £25million
Signed from Lecce in Italy, Dorgu has shown glimpses of the player he could become.
His long-range heat-seeking missile of a goal against Arsenal endeared him to his fans and made it very tempting to put him higher up the list.
Aside from those few standout moments, Dorgu can be frustrating to watch, as although improved, his end product can still be lacking.
It also looks like he sometimes forgets that he has the ball at his feet when he runs towards an opponent. He is a very willing runner and has proven what he can do on his day.
5. Noussair Mazraoui – £12.8million
Having played over 70 games for the Reds, Mazraoui has proven to be good value for money. He has been consistent and reliable, churning out 7/10 performances whenever called upon.
Mazraoui isn’t a galavanting full back; he’s a bit of a throwback. As he is proving in this World Cup, he just loves to defend, and you can tell that playing for his club and country fills him with pride.
4. Benjamin Sesko – £73million
It wasn’t a promising start. Sesko spent his first few months skating around the pitch like a newborn giraffe trying to find its balance.
Ratcliffe must have been scrabbling around for his receipt, as it took the tall Slovenian seven games to score his first goal.
The departure of Ruben Amorim sparked the striker into life as he scored nine goals in the second half of the season.
He has certainly shown enough to suggest he could evolve into an elite striker in the years to come.
3. Bryan Mbuemo – £71million
What an impact Mbuemo has had in his first season at Old Trafford. The former Brentford man has injected some much-needed pace and energy into the United attack, breathing life into the Stretford End.
His goals and assists were a critical addition to help his team reclaim Champions League football, but his influence was deeper than that.
The pace and intensity that he offers give United the capacity to press from the front, win the ball back higher up the pitch, and to hit passes in behind stubborn defences.
2. Matheus Cunha – £62.5million
A ready-made fan’s favourite.
Cunha has that sprinkling of genius, the touch of a maverick, to make him an icon at his new club. Like so many before him, he looks to entertain the crowd every time he collects the ball.
Again, he chipped in with his fair share of goal contributions, but it’s his overall style that gets the fans off their seats. An exciting second season awaits.
1. Senne Lammens – £18.1million
This signing was an absolute masterstroke. When you look at this list, no player has had such a monumental impact on the team as Lammens.
Granted, that is partially due to the dross that stood between the sticks before him, but notwithstanding, the young Belgian has looked assured from the moment he stepped onto the pitch.
He just looks like a Manchester United player, confident, unflappable and extremely talented, and at the age of 24, he has a long career ahead of him.
Lammens has to take first spot because he was the main catalyst for the change in fortune at Old Trafford, and at such a bargain price, this was the best bit of business done by Ratcliffe and INEOS so far.
By Jack Houldsworth
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