Man Utd: Ratcliffe era transfer decisions ranked from worst to selling Greenwood via buying Yoro

I can’t quite believe what I’m about to say, but Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Manchester United are actually on track to win the 2024 summer transfer window.

With the Ratcliffe era off to an alarmingly positive start, it was hard to pick faults with any of their transfer decisions to date, but mistakes will surely come as this summer window develops.

Before errors are inevitably made, here’s a ranking of every Man Utd summer 2024 signing and departure (all fees taken from transfermarkt) from worst to best…

11) Shola Shoretire – Released (free agent)

The 20-year-old was a prolific goalscorer at youth level and while he struggled on loan at Bolton in 2023, he is still considered one for the future. Man Utd would have made a decent fee by selling Shoretire had he been under contract, but his exit as a free agent means Ratcliffe and co. will not receive any financial benefit if their former academy product flourishes elsewhere.

10) Omari Forson – Released (joined Monza)

Much like Shoretire, really. It would have been hard to see Forson or his now-former academy teammate having a long-term future as a Man Utd mainstay, but their respective exits constitute a missed opportunity to gain some of that sweet PSR sale money. Most of the blame for this lies at the door of the Glazer family and not Ratcliffe, though.

9) Donny van de Beek – Sold (£420k, Girona)

Van de Beek and Man Utd cutting ties is long overdue. It quickly became clear that his £40m move to Old Trafford was doomed to fail from the get-go and this perception was strengthened by even his former Ajax pal – Erik ten Hag – struggling to get the best from him.

Still only 27, Van de Beek has much to give and he’s certainly worth more than just £420k. Man Utd’s blushes are somewhat spared by Girona’s deal – which reeks of Dele to Everton – including significant add-ons and a sell-on clause. Still not great, but at least he’s finally free and his wages are off the books.

READ: Man Utd… Rashford, Casemiro sold and Mount stays as Ratcliffe gets rid of 11 in summer fire sale

8) Alvaro Carreras – Sold (£5m, Benfica)

Man Utd could have done with having Carreras last season as injuries meant left-backs Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia missed much of the campaign. But his loan move to Benfica included a buy option which was activated earlier this summer.

He could have been a handy squad player, but Ratcliffe’s recruitment team will be looking further afield for an option better suited to being a long-term replacement for Shaw and such a deal should already be under consideration.

7) Willy Kambwala – Sold (£8.4m, Villarreal)

Of the players who have already left Man Utd this summer, Kambwala is perhaps the most surprising exit.

Yes, he cost Ten Hag’s side with a huge mistake in April’s 2-2 draw against Bournemouth, but the 19-year-old’s other performances were promising as he appeared to set himself up to be a useful back-up, especially if Harry Maguire and/or Victor Lindelof are offloaded this summer.

But Kambwala remains a relatively unknown quantity and Man Utd have done pretty well to get £8.4m for him at this stage. Also, if he does flourish in La Liga, he could return to the Premier League giants as they wisely have a buy-back clause up their sleeves.

6) Brandon Williams – Released (free agent)

The 23-year-old only made 15 more appearances for Man Utd since his 36-outing debut campaign in 2019/20 and is coming off an injury-disrupted loan spell at Premier League newcomers Ipswich Town.

His lack of progression in recent years meant his exit from Man Utd was always likely this summer as they decided against activating the one-year extension option in his contract. He’ll likely end up at a Championship club (or team of a similar standard in Europe).

5) Raphael Varane – Released (free agent)

Gary Neville suspected the 2021 summer transfer window would be transformative for Man Utd. The incompetent club hierarchy got two of the three signings demanded by the outspoken pundit with Varane and PSG-bound Sancho, but each player struggled to varying levels en route to ultimately failing at Old Trafford. 

Varane was a much better signing than Sancho, but this summer was certainly the right window to part ways with the veteran centre-back after his injury-disrupted three years at Man Utd. Ratcliffe and Co. have got a lot right this summer, with one of their earliest decisions (letting the Frenchman and his wages leave) setting the tone for a progressive summer.

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4) Joshua Zirkzee – Bought (£35.7m, Bologna)

Of Man Utd’s summer transfer priorities, one of the areas most in need of attention is the striker department and Ratcliffe’s first summer signing – Zirkzee – significantly eases their issues in that area after Rasmus Hojlund was Erik ten Hag’s only option last season.

Linked with AC Milan and Arsenal, Zirkzee is much cheaper than Hojlund but is certainly of a similar mould as the inexperienced forward is far from the final product. Yet the 23-year-old’s breakout 2023/24 campaign suggests Ten Hag (or his successor, perhaps) has a lot to work with.

📣TO THE COMMENTS! Who else should Man Utd sign/sell this summer? Join the debate here

3) Anthony Martial – Released (free agent)

What a waste of a career. Martial joined Man Utd as a virtually unknown quantity but quickly displayed his immense potential before a mixture of attitude and fitness problems ensured he became an immense disappointment at Old Trafford.

As Hojlund admirably plugged away but struggled in patches during his debut season, he could have benefited from a senior figure to lean on for assistance in his times of need. But Martial was nowhere to be seen and it’s hardly a surprise that he is still without a club after his Man Utd contract expired last month. Jose Mourinho was right after all. 

2) Leny Yoro – Bought (£52m, Lille)

It’s about time Man Utd pulled off a legit transfer coup. A deal of this magnitude has been a long time coming and it’s unsurprisingly triggered a lot of salty tears in rival supporters. 

I’d be kidding myself if I said I’d ever seen Yoro play, but all the noise coming from those with knowledge of this so-called generational talent is overwhelmingly positive and it’s hard – even as a neutral – not to be giddy about this transfer. Unless he proves to be a big fat fraud, United deserve immense plaudits for beating Real Madrid and others to acquire the teenager’s services.

1) Mason Greenwood – Sold (£21.8m, Marseille)

Good riddance.