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Manchester United have made some incredible signings in the summer transfer window. Bringing in Cristiano Ronaldo for a second stint was one smart move. Whether it was the unexpectedness of the move or the sheer respite of Cristiano Ronaldo not joining Manchester City, the signing has drastically changed the atmosphere.
Manchester United fans are very much in awe of all the signings that have taken place this summer. The signing of Cristiano Ronaldo has boosted jersey sales so much that his transfer fee has already been recouped. Now that's some smart and shrewd business from Manchester United.
Some Manchester United signings have been a real bargain
Nowadays, United are more profoundly known for throwing in the cash but things have been different in the past. With the right players available at the right time, United have capitalized on the opportunity in the past.
Especially during Sir Alex Ferguson's reign at Manchester United, some astute signings were made, resulting in some of the finest bargains. Let's take a look at some of the greatest of them.
Honorable Mentions: Teddy Sheringham & Nemanja Vidic
#5 Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
The current Manchester United manager was the quintessential super-sub for the club. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was the go-to player when goals were desperately needed off the bench. The Norwegian striker signed from Molde in the summer of 1996.
The signing came as a surprise to many as Solskjaer wasn't that well known outside his homeland. Signing him for £1.5 million at that moment was a big gamble from Alex Ferguson but the Scottish manager's fearless approach is what made him great.
Solskjaer turned into a gem of a signing as the former Molde striker scored 126 goals in 365 appearances for Manchester United. Out of 365, 149 of his appearances came as a substitute. Solskjaer scored one of the most memorable goals in Manchester United's history to help them win the Champions League final in 1999 against Bayern Munich, thereby securing the treble.
The striker won six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, two Community Shields, one UEFA Champions League and one Intercontinental Cup during his 11-year spell as a United player. Who would have thought £1.5 million can give this good a return?
#4 Edwin van der Sar
Following Peter Schmeichel's exit after the 1999 treble-winning campaign, Manchester United struggled to find a replacement. With the ideas of Fabien Barthez, Roy Carroll, Mark Bosnich, Massimo Taibi and Tim Howard as replacements for Schmeichel not working out, Ferguson displayed some stunning out-of-the-box thinking.
He went for the signature of 35-year old Edwin Van Der Sar who then played for Fulham. Given the age of Van der Sar, many doubted the efficiency of this move. The Dutch goalkeeper was signed for a fee of £2 million in 2005.
In his six years at Manchester United, Van der Sar averaged more than 40 appearances per season. His shot-stopping ability and composure using his feet gave a lot of comfort to the United defense. The former Ajax goalkeeper went on to win the Premier League four times with United, along with the Champions League once and the FA Community Shield thrice. Van der Sar also added the League Cup and Club World Cup to his trophy cabinet at United.
Not many achieved what Van der Sar achieved at his age, especially when plenty of people had written him off. It was truly a masterstroke from Ferguson to sign the Dutchman on a bargain deal.
#3 Peter Schmeichel
Manchester United's signing of Peter Schmeichel for a fee of £505,000 in 1991 was quoted as the bargain of the century by Alex Ferguson back then. The 'Great Dane' was a very important player for Brondby in the Danish Superliga from 1987 to 1991.
He won the league four times with them in the five seasons he spent with them. That and some impressive performances in the UEFA Cup earned him a transfer to Manchester United.
The signing turned out to be a fruitful one almost immediately as the Dane helped Manchester United win the Premier League in the 1992-93 season. Schmeichel kept 18 clean sheets that season, helping United win the top division title after 26 years.
In total, Schmeichel went on to win the Premier League five times, the FA Cup three times, the European Super Cup once and the UEFA Champions League as well. Schmeichel was not only a great shot-stopper but his command inside the box was incredible.
One of Schmeichel's most unique qualities was his threat from set-pieces. Throughout his entire career, the Danish goalkeeper scored 11 goals in total, quite an unusual stat for a goalkeeper.
After winning the treble with Manchester United in 1999, Schmeichel joined Sporting Lisbon. He later on went on to play for Manchester City, which obviously did not bode well for United fans. Schmeichel, till date, remains as the best goalkeeper in Manchester United's history.
#2 Eric Cantona
The signing of Eric Cantona is another masterclass from Sir Alex Ferguson. With a team full of young players, Sir Alex wanted to bring in some experience and inspiration to the team for the 1992-93 season. With Eric Cantona and the then Leeds United manager Howard Wilkinson not getting along, the Frenchman wanted a move away in the summer of 1992.
Manchester United swooped in for the opportunity, signing the former Marseille forward for just £1.2 million. The signing created a hostile atmosphere at Leeds United as fans expressed their displeasure in selling a player of Cantona's quality to their arch rivals.
The purpose of Cantona's signing was to strongly challenge the likes of Aston Villa and Blackburn Rovers for the title. Cantona did not fail to deliver as the Frenchman helped Manchester United win the league title four times in the five seasons he spent with them.
Nicknamed King Cantona, the former Leeds forward had a terrific range of passing, superb vision and his quick thinking helped him immensely with his play-making. He was not just a creator but a very fine goalscorer, known to score goals with outrageous technique and audacity. In his five seasons at United, Cantona has scored 82 goals in 185 appearances for the club.
Cantona's signing provided much-needed leadership to the young David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Gary and Phil Neville, Nicky Butt and many more at United back then. He played a swift role in helping Ferguson build his team for the future before he decided to retire in 1997 at the age of 30.
Despite his temperament issues, Cantona proved to be one hell of a signing for the Red Devils. While one would have wished he had played more, it was a sheer delight to watch the Frenchman play with the tenacity and amazing aura he has about him. It was surely a gem of a signing for Manchester United.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo
Speaking of bargain signings, it is very difficult to skip the shrewd and smart deal Manchester United made in 2003. United signed Cristiano Ronaldo from Sporting Lisbon in the summer of 2003 for a fee of £12.24 million, making him the most expensive teenager back then.
The signing meant the forward was the first Portuguese player ever to play for Manchester United. Ronaldo, with his mind-boggling dribbling skills, impressive flair, agility and most importantly, his brilliant knack for creating and scoring goals, was a huge prospect for the future.
Ferguson thorougly believed in the signing even though it looked expensive back then. Donning the no. 7 jersey, Ronaldo turned out to be a real treat to watch at both the domestic and European level. As a winger, Ronaldo had plenty of goals in him.
In his six-season tenure from 2003 to 2009, Ronaldo scored 118 goals in 292 appearances for Manchester United. In the process, he won the Premier League thrice, UEFA Champions League once, the FA Cup once and the FIFA Club World Cup once. The Portuguese played a massive role in helping United have a dominating spell from 2003 to 2009.
Ronaldo's stellar performance won him the Ballon d'Or in 2008 while playing for Manchester United. United turned out to be the perfect club for his development and with his potential, it was just the start of many amazing things that took place later on.
He then moved on to Real Madrid in 2009 where his achievements only increased with time. Ronaldo is arguably one of the best players to play the game and it has been such a blessing to witness him play. Cristiano Ronaldo has returned to Manchester United this summer, making a historic return to the club after 12 years.
Only a manager like Ferguson could have a vision to foresee what the young Cristiano Ronaldo playing at Sporting Lisbon could achieve in the future. The £12.25 million now looks like an amazing bargain and a peach of signing back then, especially with the accolades Ronaldo has assembled.
