Rooney, Sesko and Hojlund all cost Man Utd a lot of money
Manchester United has been home to some world-class strikers over the years but some of those players have cost the club a lot of money.
Benjamin Sesko is the latest striker to walk through the doors at Old Trafford and United will hope he can justify his big price tag.
Here, TEAMtalk have taken a look at the 10 most expensive United strikers and how they fared after making the move.
Note: all transfer fees are inclusive of potential add-ons, although not all will have been fully activated.
10. Ruud van Nistelrooy – £19m
- From: PSV Eindhoven
- Year: 2001
- United appearances: 219
- United goals: 150
A knee injury delayed Van Nistelrooy’s move to United, but he finally arrived at Old Trafford in the summer of 2001 for a then-British transfer record fee of £19million.
“Strikers are always going to cost a lot these days but if you can get one who is not only top class but still only 24, it’s even better,” Sir Alex Ferguson said. “It means the position is covered, barring accidents, for four or five years down the line.”
He justified the price tag by netting 150 goals in 219 appearances in all competitions, which puts him 11th in the club’s all-time top goalscorers list.
The former Netherlands international also won a Premier League title, the FA Cup and the League Cup before a falling out with Ferguson led to his departure in 2006.
9. Cristiano Ronaldo – £19.72m
- From: Juventus
- Year: 2021
- United appearances (second spell): 54
- United goals (second spell): 27
Having left United as a dazzling winger in 2009, Ronaldo returned to Old Trafford 12 years later as a prolific centre-forward.
United paid an initial £12.86million and £6.86million in add-ons to sign the Portugal international from Juventus and they also gave him a £500,000-per-week contract.
He was the standout performer for United in a difficult 2021/22 season and finished the campaign with 24 goals in 38 appearances in all competitions.
But the forward fell out of favour under Erik ten Hag, and his United contract was terminated by mutual consent in November 2022.
8. Robin van Persie – £24m
- From: Arsenal
- Year: 2012
- United appearances: 105
- United goals: 58
After missing out on the Premier League title via goal difference in 2011/12, United identified Van Persie as their top transfer target.
The former Netherlands international had entered the final year of his contract at Arsenal but United still had to pay a £24million fee to secure his signature.
“It was a lot of money but you either want him or you don’t, and you have to pay the price that the club is sticking out for,” Ferguson said. “We wanted him badly.”
The striker enjoyed a sensational debut season at Old Trafford, registering 26 goals and nine assists in 38 Premier League appearances to secure Ferguson’s final title.
He was unable to replicate that form under David Moyes and Louis van Gaal and left the club in 2015, having scored 58 goals in 105 appearances in all competitions.
7. Wayne Rooney – £27m
- From: Everton
- Year: 2004
- United appearances: 559
- United goals: 253
Following his brilliant performances for England at Euro 2004, Rooney left Everton and joined United in a deal worth an initial £20million and £7million in add-ons.
The move made him the world’s most expensive teenager and Ferguson admitted ‘there were plenty of eyebrows raised’ for the price paid for the then-18-year-old.
But the striker silenced any doubters by marking his debut with a hat-trick in a 6-2 win over Fenerbahce in the Champions League.
He went on to become United’s all-time leading goalscorer, eclipsing Sir Bobby Charlton’s 44-year record and ending his 13-year stint at Old Trafford with 253 goals in 559 appearances.
The former England international also won five Premier League titles, three League Cups, the FA Cup, the Champions League, the Europa League and the FIFA Club World Cup.
6. Dimitar Berbatov – £30.75m
- From: Tottenham
- Year: 2008
- United appearances: 149
- United goals: 56
United pursued Berbatov throughout the summer of 2008 and finally got the deal over the line on transfer deadline day after paying Tottenham a then-club record fee.
A late bid from Manchester City meant United had to increase their own offer from £26million to £30.75million, as well as allowing Fraizer Campbell to go to White Hart Lane on a season-long loan.
“They milked it well on that last day — they milked it and they got Fraizer Campbell into the bargain,” Ferguson said. “They got a good deal. They can’t complain.”
The striker scored 56 goals in 149 appearances in a four-year stint at Old Trafford, helping the club win two Premier League titles, a League Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.
5. Joshua Zirkzee – £36.5m
- From: Bologna
- Year: 2024
- United appearances: 49
- United goals: 7
While Zirkzee had a £33.6million release clause in his Bologna contract, United opted to agree a slightly increased price in order to pay the fee over a three-year period.
He endured a difficult start to his Old Trafford career and was jeered by a section of United supporters during a 2-0 defeat against Newcastle.
The Netherlands international showed signs of improvement in the No.10 role, although he still finished his debut season with just seven goals in all competitions.
“[Ruben Amorim] wants goals so that’s what I have to work on,” he admitted. “That’s what it all comes down to. I’m a different profile but in the end if you’re up top you’re supposed to score goals, I’m not going to take that fact away.”
4. Anthony Martial – £58m
- From: Monaco
- Year: 2015
- United appearances: 317
- United goals: 90
Martial became the costliest teenager in world football when United agreed to pay Monaco an initial £36million and another £22million in potential add-ons in 2015.
“It was a ridiculous amount of money, but it’s the crazy world we are in,” Louis van Gaal admitted. “United are routinely quoted £10m more for a player but I have not bought Martial for me. I have bought him for the next manager of Manchester United.”
He scored 17 goals in his debut season and also won the Golden Boy award, but his development hit a snag when Jose Mourinho was drafted in to replace Van Gaal in the Old Trafford dugout.
While the striker remained at United until the end of the 2023/24 season, he ultimately failed to fully deliver on his early promise.
3. Rasmus Hojlund – £72m
- From: Atalanta
- Year: 2023
- United appearances: 95
- United goals: 26
Despite spending just one season at Atalanta, Hojlund did enough to convince United to pay an initial £64million and another £8million in add-ons.
The 22-year-old striker showed glimpses of his talent in the 2023/24 campaign and netted 16 goals in all competitions, including five in the Champions League.
But he regressed in his second year at the club and was widely criticised for his performances after scoring just 10 goals in 52 appearances.
United are now looking to cut their losses with the Denmark international, although TEAMtalk understands that he is reluctant to leave Old Trafford.
2. Benjamin Sesko – £73.7m
- From: RB Leipzig
- Year: 2025
- United appearances: N/A
- United goals: N/A
After scoring just 44 Premier League goals in 2024/25, United fought off competition from Newcastle to sign Sesko from RB Leipzig.
They have forked out an initial £66.3million for the Slovenia international, which could rise to £73.7million with potential add-ons.
“He has the characteristics that we needed,” Amorim said. “Ben is a player – with all the information that we have – that we need to stop the guy from working, not the opposite!
“So that is also important. He’s really young. He’s good in the air, he’s good at running the channels, good on the ball. I think he has great potential. I think he can improve a lot and, for sure, he is going to feel at home in our club.
“He has the right character to be in this group, so I’m really happy to have him.”
1. Romelu Lukaku – £90m
- From: Everton
- Year: 2017
- United appearances: 96
- United goals: 42
The most expensive signing in United’s history, Lukaku was signed from Everton in a deal worth an initial £75million and £15million in add-ons.
He hit the ground running and netted 10 goals in his first nine appearances, overtaking Sir Bobby Charlton’s previous club-best of nine goals in his first nine appearances.
But the Belgium international failed to maintain that goalscoring form at Old Trafford, scoring 32 goals in his next 87 appearances.
He fell down the pecking order under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and joined Inter Milan in a £73million deal in the summer of 2019.