People · the ledger

Transfers

Fees as published when each deal completed.

·
Net
£1.22bn
Spent
£1.89bnPaul Pogba
Received
£665.6mCristiano Ronaldo
The money tide
£0
▲ £237.1mbiggest spend, 2025
▼ £83.5mbiggest sales, 2009
players moved / year
1900’20’40’60’80200018832026
SpentReceivedBar height is the year’s known fees on one shared scale · spend up, receipts down · pips mark the peak years

The record deals

by fee

Most expensive signings

fee in
1Portrait of Paul Pogba

Paul Pogba

£92.3m

FC Juventus · 2016

The second coming. Left on a free transfer in 2012, bought back for £80m four years later!

  1. 2Portrait of Harry MaguireHarry MaguireLeicester City · 2019£80m
  2. 3Portrait of Romelu LukakuRomelu LukakuEverton · 2017£75m
  3. 4Portrait of Jadon SanchoJadon SanchoBorrusia Dortmund · 2021£73m
  4. 5Benjamin ŠeškoRB Leipzig · 2025£66.3m
  5. 6Bryan MbeumoBrentford · 2025£65m

Most expensive sales

fee out
1Portrait of Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo

£80m

Real Madrid CF · 2009

The record sale that bankrolled a generation...if only! £80m to Real Madrid after six seasons at Old Trafford.

  1. 2Portrait of Romelu LukakuRomelu LukakuInter Milan · 2019£74m
  2. 3Ángel Di MaríaParis Saint Germain · 2015£44.3m
  3. 4Portrait of Alejandro GarnachoAlejandro GarnachoChelsea · 2025£40m
  4. 5Portrait of Scott McTominayScott McTominayNapoli · 2024£25.7m
  5. 6Daniel JamesLeeds United · 2021£25m

Who spent it

top 10 by net
Portrait of José Mourinho
José Mourinho
25 in · 18 out
£361.8m
£70.8m
£290.9m
net spend
Portrait of Ole Gunnar Solskjær
Ole Gunnar Solskjær
23 in · 19 out
£382.3m
£118.8m
£263.5m
net spend
Portrait of Sir Alex Ferguson
Sir Alex Ferguson
179 in · 173 out
£465.2m
£256.4m
£208.7m
net spend
Portrait of Rúben Amorim
Rúben Amorim
7 in · 6 out
£237.1m
£59.1m
£178.0m
net spend
Portrait of Louis van Gaal
Louis van Gaal
14 in · 24 out
£209.5m
£99.7m
£109.8m
net spend
Portrait of David Moyes
David Moyes
8 in · 4 out
£64.6m
£0
£64.6m
net spend
Portrait of Erik ten Hag
Erik ten Hag
25 in · 41 out
£93.4m
£42.4m
£51m
net spend
Portrait of Dave Sexton
Dave Sexton
16 in · 16 out
£3.3m
£1.6m
£1.7m
net spend
Portrait of Ron Atkinson
Ron Atkinson
32 in · 29 out
£7.2m
£6.0m
£1.2m
net spend
Frank O'Farrell
13 in · 6 out
£869k
£155k
£714k
net spend

Season by season

every window, newest first

2026-27

0 in · 1 out+£5.1m net gain
↑ Outgoing1 · £5.1m

2025-26

5 in · 2 out£152.8m net spend
↓ Incoming5 · £211.9m
↑ Outgoing2 · £59.1m

2024-25

8 in · 13 out£76.2m net spend
↓ Incoming8 · £118.6m
↑ Outgoing13 · £42.4m

2023-24

8 in · 12 outundisclosed
↓ Incoming8
↑ Outgoing12

2022-23

8 in · 10 outundisclosed
↓ Incoming8
↑ Outgoing10

2021-22

4 in · 1 out£94.8m net spend
↓ Incoming4 · £119.8m
↑ Outgoing1 · £25m

2020-21

8 in · 4 out£46.2m net spend
↓ Incoming8 · £61.1m
↑ Outgoing4 · £14.9m

2019-20

6 in · 7 out£122.4m net spend
↓ Incoming6 · £201.3m
↑ Outgoing7 · £78.9m

2018-19

4 in · 3 out£53.5m net spend
↓ Incoming4 · £67.5m
  • Fred
    from Shaktar Donetsk·21 Jun 2018
    £47m
    €32m val
  • Diogo Dalot
    from FC Porto·6 Jun 2018
    £19m
    €15m val
  • Lee Grant
    from Stoke City·3 Jul 2018
    £1.5m
    €1m val
  • Dan Gore
    from Burnley·2018
    —
↑ Outgoing3 · £14m

2017-18

4 in · 6 out£136.2m net spend
↓ Incoming4 · £146m
↑ Outgoing6 · £9.8m

2016-17

5 in · 9 out£101.3m net spend
↓ Incoming5 · £148.3m
↑ Outgoing9 · £47m

2015-16

7 in · 13 out£49.4m net spend
↓ Incoming7 · £120m
↑ Outgoing13 · £70.7m
  • Ángel Di María
    to Paris Saint Germain·6 Aug 2015
    £44.3m
    €50m val
  • Jonny Evans
    to West Bromwich Albion·29 Aug 2015
    £8m
    €6m val
  • Chicharito
    to Bayern Leverkusen·31 Aug 2015
    £7.3m
    €10m val
  • Robin van Persie
    to Fenerbache·Jul 2015
    £4.7m
    €15m val
  • Nani
    to Fenerbache·6 Jul 2015
    £4.3m
    €15m val
  • Rafael da Silva
    to Olympique Lyon·3 Aug 2015
    £2.1m
  • Anders Lindegaard
    to West Bromwich Albion·31 Aug 2015
    Free
    €1.5m val
  • Reece James
    to Wigan Athletic·21 Jul 2015
    Undisclosed
    €750k val
  • Tom Thorpe
    to Rotherham United·1 Jul 2015
    Free
    €200k val
  • Saidy Janko
    to Glasgow Celtic·1 Jul 2015
    Free
  • Ben Amos
    to Bolton Wanderers·1 Jul 2015
    Free
    €750k val
  • Tom Cleverley
    to Everton·6 Jun 2015
    —
    €9m val
  • Radamel FalcaoLoan
    to AS Monaco·24 May 2015
    —
    €35m val

2014-15

7 in · 14 out£112.0m net spend
↓ Incoming7 · £145.5m
↑ Outgoing14 · £33.5m

2013-14

4 in · 4 out£67.4m net spend
↓ Incoming4 · £67.4m
↑ Outgoing4

2012-13

5 in · 8 out£22m net spend
↓ Incoming5 · £28m
↑ Outgoing8 · £6m
  • Dimitar Berbatov
    to Fulham·31 Aug 2012
    £4m
  • Ji-Sung Park
    to Queens Park Rangers·9 Jul 2012
    £2m
  • Robbie Brady
    to Hull City·8 Jan 2013
    Undisclosed
  • Joshua King
    to Blackburn Rovers·2 Jan 2013
    Undisclosed
  • Ezekiel Fryers
    to Standard Liege·23 Aug 2012
    —
  • Paul Pogba
    to Juventus·3 Jul 2012
    —
    €3.5m val
  • Tomasz Kuszczak
    to Brighton & Hove Albion·19 Jun 2012
    —
  • Ritchie De Laet
    to Leicester City·15 May 2012
    Undisclosed

2011-12

5 in · 6 out£49.6m net spend
↓ Incoming5 · £51.6m
↑ Outgoing6 · £2m

2010-11

3 in · 6 out£7.1m net spend
↓ Incoming3 · £7.4m
  • Bébé
    from Vitoria de Guimaraes·16 Aug 2010
    £7.4m
  • Anders Lindegaard
    from Aalesund FK·27 Nov 2010
    —
    €3.2m val
  • Chicharito
    from Club Deportivo Guadalajara·1 Jul 2010
    Undisclosed
    €8m val
↑ Outgoing6 · £300k

2009-10

5 in · 6 out+£67.5m net gain
↓ Incoming5 · £16m
↑ Outgoing6 · £83.5m

2008-09

3 in · 7 out£31m net spend
↓ Incoming3 · £37.8m
↑ Outgoing7 · £6.8m

2007-08

9 in · 7 out£22.9m net spend
↓ Incoming9 · £41.4m
  • Anderson
    from FC Porto·2 Jul 2007
    £20.4m
    €31.5m val
  • Owen Hargreaves
    from FC Bayern Munchen·1 Jul 2007
    £17m
  • Tomasz Kuszczak
    from West Bromwich Albion·1 Jul 2007
    £4m
  • Nani
    from Sporting Lisbon·2 Jul 2007
    £17
    €25m val
  • Rodrigo Possebon
    from Internacional·Jan 2008
    —
  • Rafael Da Silva
    from Fluminense·Jan 2008
    —
  • Manucho
    from Petro Atletico Luanda·Jan 2008
    —
  • Fabio Da Silva
    from Fluminense·Jan 2008
    —
  • Carlos Tevez
    10 Aug 2007
    —
↑ Outgoing7 · £18.5m

2006-07

3 in · 10 out£3.6m net spend
↓ Incoming3 · £18.6m
↑ Outgoing10 · £15m

2005-06

5 in · 5 out£12.2m net spend
↓ Incoming5 · £17.7m
↑ Outgoing5 · £5.5m
  • Phillip Neville
    to Everton·4 Aug 2005
    £3m
  • J
    to Besiktas·11 Aug 2005
    £2.5m
  • Paul Tierney
    to Livingstone·29 Jun 2005
    Free
  • Ricardo
    to Osasuna·16 Jun 2005
    Free
  • Roy Carroll
    to West Ham United·15 Jun 2005
    Free

2004-05

5 in · 7 out£29.4m net spend
↓ Incoming5 · £34.0m
↑ Outgoing7 · £4.6m

2003-04

7 in · 4 out+£2.3m net gain
↓ Incoming7 · £37.7m
  • Louis Saha
    from Fulham FC·23 Jan 2004
    £12.8m
  • Cristiano Ronaldo
    from Sporting Lisbon·12 Aug 2003
    £12.2m
  • Jose Pereira Kleberson
    from Atletico Paranaense·12 Aug 2003
    £5.9m
  • Fangzou Dong
    from Dalian Shide·13 Jan 2004
    £3.5m
  • David Bellion
    from AFC Sunderland·1 Jul 2003
    £2m
  • Tim Howard
    from New Jersey Metrostars·15 Jul 2003
    £1.2m
  • Liam Miller
    from Celtic F.C·Jan 2004
    Free
↑ Outgoing4 · £40m

2002-03

3 in · 8 out£26.7m net spend
↓ Incoming3 · £31.5m
  • Rio Ferdinand
    from Leeds United·21 Jul 2002
    £30m
  • Ricardo Lopez
    from Real Valladolid·30 Aug 2002
    £1.5m
  • Mads Timm
    from OB Odense·1 Aug 2002
    —
↑ Outgoing8 · £4.8m

2001-02

6 in · 7 out£31.7m net spend
↓ Incoming6 · £57.2m
↑ Outgoing7 · £25.5m

2000-01

1 in · 9 out+£1.7m net gain
↓ Incoming1 · £7.8m
↑ Outgoing9 · £9.5m

1999-00

4 in · 4 out£9.7m net spend
↓ Incoming4 · £10.4m
  • Massimo Taibi
    from Venezia·31 Aug 1999
    £4.9m
  • Mickael Silvestre
    from Internazionale Milan F.C.·Sep 1999
    £4m
  • Quentin Fortune
    from Club Atlético de Madrid·21 Aug 1999
    £1.5m
  • Mark Bosnich
    from Aston Villa·2 Jul 1999
    Free
↑ Outgoing4 · £750k

1998-99

4 in · 6 out£21.1m net spend
↓ Incoming4 · £24.1m
↑ Outgoing6 · £3.0m

1997-98

3 in · 5 out£7.2m net spend
↓ Incoming3 · £10m
↑ Outgoing5 · £2.8m
  • Karel Poborksy
    to SL Benfica·30 Dec 1997
    £2m
  • John O'Kane
    to Everton·Jan 1998
    £400k
  • Patrick McGibbon
    to Wigan Athletic·Jul 1997
    £250k
  • Simon Davies
    to Luton Town·Aug 1997
    £150k
  • Michael Appleton
    to Preston North End·8 Aug 1997
    —

1996-97

6 in · 4 out£3.7m net spend
↓ Incoming6 · £8.2m
↑ Outgoing4 · £4.5m

1995-96

1 in · 4 out+£14.3m net gain
↓ Incoming1 · £250k
↑ Outgoing4 · £14.5m

1994-95

3 in · 9 out£4.5m net spend
↓ Incoming3 · £7.5m
↑ Outgoing9 · £3.0m

1993-94

1 in · 5 out£2.8m net spend
↓ Incoming1 · £3.8m
  • Roy Keane
    from Nottingham Forest·19 Jul 1993
    £3.8m
↑ Outgoing5 · £1m

1992-93

4 in · 5 out£415k net spend
↓ Incoming4 · £2.2m
  • Eric Cantona
    from Leeds United·27 Nov 1992
    £1.2m
  • Dion Dublin
    from Cambridge United·7 Aug 1992
    £1m
  • Les Sealey
    from Aston Villa·Jan 1993
    —
  • Patrick McGibbon
    from Portadown·1 Aug 1992
    —
↑ Outgoing5 · £1.8m

1991-92

3 in · 5 out£2.9m net spend
↓ Incoming3 · £3.1m
↑ Outgoing5 · £250k

1990-91

3 in · 4 out£195k net spend
↓ Incoming3 · £295k
↑ Outgoing4 · £100k

1989-90

6 in · 4 out£2.0m net spend
↓ Incoming6 · £3.5m
↑ Outgoing4 · £1.5m

1988-89

6 in · 7 out£2.5m net spend
↓ Incoming6 · £3.3m
  • Mark Hughes
    from FC Barcelona·23 Jun 1988
    £1.8m
  • Mal Donaghy
    from Luton Town·27 Oct 1988
    £650k
  • Jim Leighton
    from Aberdeen·14 May 1988
    £450k
  • Lee Sharpe
    from Torquay United·1 Jun 1988
    £185k
  • Ralph Milne
    from Dundee United·11 Nov 1988
    £175k
  • Guiliano Maiorana
    from Histon FC·30 Nov 1988
    £30k
↑ Outgoing7 · £825k

1987-88

3 in · 3 out£1.5m net spend
↓ Incoming3 · £1.9m
↑ Outgoing3 · £420k

1986-87

2 in · 5 out+£2.0m net gain
↓ Incoming2 · £570k
↑ Outgoing5 · £2.5m

1985-86

6 in · 7 out£1.2m net spend
↓ Incoming6 · £1.3m
↑ Outgoing7 · £50k

1984-85

4 in · 4 out+£10k net gain
↓ Incoming4 · £1.6m
↑ Outgoing4 · £1.6m

1983-84

4 in · 6 out+£155k net gain
↓ Incoming4 · £45k
↑ Outgoing6 · £200k

1982-83

4 in · 5 out+£257k net gain
↓ Incoming4 · £280k
↑ Outgoing5 · £537k

1981-82

4 in · 3 out£2.4m net spend
↓ Incoming4 · £3.5m
↑ Outgoing3 · £1.1m

1980-81

2 in · 5 out£780k net spend
↓ Incoming2 · £1.3m
  • Garry Birtles
    from Nottingham Forest·Oct 1980
    £1.3m
  • Tony Whelan
    from Bohemains·Aug 1980
    £30k
↑ Outgoing5 · £500k

Before 1980

£2.1m net spend

From 1883-84 to 1979-80, transfer fees were almost never published, so this era is summarised by the volume of business — every season’s arrivals and departures, the money lost to the record.

1979-802 in · 5 out
1978-792 in · 6 out
1977-784 in · 2 out
1976-774 in · 4 out
1975-762 in · 7 out
1974-755 in · 5 out
1973-744 in · 7 out
1972-7310 in · 7 out
1971-721 in · 1 out
1970-710 in · 3 out
1969-701 in · 2 out
1968-691 in · 1 out
1967-680 in · 1 out
1966-671 in · 6 out
1965-660 in · 0 out
1964-652 in · 8 out
1963-640 in · 5 out
1962-633 in · 1 out
1961-622 in · 7 out
1960-613 in · 5 out
1959-601 in · 3 out
1958-592 in · 5 out
1957-583 in · 2 out
1956-571 in · 6 out
1955-561 in · 3 out
1954-550 in · 3 out
1953-542 in · 6 out
1952-532 in · 6 out
1951-522 in · 2 out
1950-514 in · 6 out
1949-503 in · 5 out
1948-491 in · 6 out
1947-483 in · 2 out
1946-472 in · 7 out
1945-460 in · 3 out
1944-451 in · 1 out
1943-440 in · 0 out
1942-430 in · 1 out
1941-420 in · 0 out
1940-410 in · 2 out
1939-402 in · 2 out
1938-395 in · 10 out
1937-386 in · 9 out
1936-3711 in · 7 out
1935-367 in · 10 out
1934-3515 in · 17 out
1933-3411 in · 11 out
1932-3314 in · 11 out
1931-328 in · 6 out
1930-311 in · 6 out
1929-306 in · 6 out
1928-295 in · 7 out
1927-286 in · 10 out
1926-274 in · 2 out
1925-267 in · 5 out
1924-256 in · 7 out
1923-247 in · 10 out
1922-2318 in · 13 out
1921-227 in · 8 out
1920-219 in · 9 out
1919-207 in · 14 out
1918-191 in · 0 out
1917-181 in · 0 out
1916-170 in · 0 out
1915-163 in · 1 out
1914-156 in · 5 out
1913-148 in · 10 out
1912-137 in · 3 out
1911-125 in · 4 out
1910-117 in · 7 out
1909-107 in · 6 out
1908-098 in · 8 out
1907-089 in · 10 out
1906-0714 in · 10 out
1905-067 in · 8 out
1904-0510 in · 6 out
1903-0415 in · 20 out
1902-0321 in · 11 out
1901-028 in · 13 out
1900-0114 in · 12 out
1899-0013 in · 8 out
1898-9914 in · 14 out
1897-984 in · 7 out
1896-9712 in · 9 out
1895-9615 in · 13 out
1894-958 in · 12 out
1893-9412 in · 13 out
1892-9315 in · 9 out
1891-927 in · 5 out
1890-9111 in · 11 out
1889-903 in · 1 out
1888-893 in · 3 out
1887-884 in · 2 out
1886-876 in · 2 out
1885-863 in · 0 out
1884-852 in · 0 out
1883-842 in · 0 out

Slice: all recorded transfers, 1883–present

Each season opens to its full list of transfers; net spend counts only the deals with a known fee. Coverage details

Slice: known-fee transfers, attributed to the manager in charge on the transfer date.

Toggle nominal, UK CPI, or PL football inflation to compare fees across eras. The red bar is spend, the gold receipts, on one shared scale; the figure is the net. Only the ten biggest net spenders are shown. Free and unrecorded fees carry no amount, so totals are a floor.