After joining the club with a minority stake in 2003, it took Malcolm Glazer just two years to own 75% of the shares in Manchester United.
In the summer of 2005, the Red Devils were majority owned by the Glazer family, who had taken out a loan against the club’s assets to acquire the stake, putting United in debt for the first time since being saved in 1931.
Lots of controversy has followed since then and with the club’s decline on the pitch, the Glazers have been constantly subjected to shooting for their procedure. So why not rank each transfer window since their majority is owned from 2005/06?
From Ronaldo and Tevez to Obertan and Owen … / Michael Regan / Getty Images
Arrivals: Antonio Valencia, Michael Owen, Gabriel Obertan, Mame Biram Diouf
Departures: Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlos Tevez, Fraizer Campbell, Manucho, Lee Martin, Danny Simpson
Now we appreciate that it is a bit difficult to replace Ronaldo who had left a world record fee. But Michael Owen on a free, really?
United needed a marker arrival in 2009/10 to reinforce gaping holes in the squad left by Tevez and Ronaldo’s departures. It’s a miracle that Sir Alex Ferguson drove them so close to Chelsea in the Premier League title race.
Moyes signed Fellaini the summer day, because of course he did / Michael Regan / Getty Images
Arrivals: Marouane Fellaini, Juan MataDepartures: Paul Scholes (retired)
Ferguson did not exactly leave David Moyes the best squad, but it was not all his fault at this point.
And while Moyes was short-changed there, he did himself no favors. Cesc Fabregas, Thiago Alcantara, Gareth Bale and Sami Khedira were all linked, but Fellaini’s deadline signing and Juan Mata’s catch in January were all he got.
Chicharito was a smart capture / LatinContent / Getty Images
Arrivals: Bebe, Chris Smalling, Javier Hernandez, Anders LindegaardDepartures: Zoran Tosic, Ben Foster, James Chester
After dealing with an overwhelming 2009/10 transfer window that cost United the title, they were back with revenge. Except they did not.
‘Chicharito’ proved to be a huge coup for the Red Devils and quickly became a favorite for his super investigations. But other than that, this was still a largely impoverished squad that Ferguson somehow drew to a Premier League title.
Mourinho received no support at all in the summer of 2018 / Matthew Ashton – AMA / Getty Images
Arrivals: Fred, Diogo Dalot, Lee GrantDepartures: Daley Blind, Sam Johnstone, Marouane Fellaini, Michael Carrick (retired)
After this summer, almost everyone knew that Jose Mourinho’s time at United would soon end.
Mourinho was loud about his squad’s needs, especially another center-back, as they were linked with Harry Maguire and winger Ivan Perisic. However, United did not receive him despite giving him a new deal and the season fell to pieces shortly afterwards. Shambolic driving by the club.
As panic signatures go, Cavani has shown incredible business / Paolo Bruno / Getty Images
Arrivals: Donny van de Beek, Edinson Cavani, Alex Telles, Amad, Facundo PellistriDepartures: Chris Smalling, Timothy Fosu-Mensah, Marcos Rojo, Alexis Sanchez, Jesse Lingard After a great first full season in charge where Ole Gunnar Solskjaer received enough support, they needed to follow up well. They almost hung in there.
After capturing Van de Beek and Telles, United and Panik signed a free agent Cavani and two young wingers, not ready for the first team. Can pay off in the long run, but far from the best recruitment.
United wanted Larsson permanently but could not catch him / ANDREW YATES / Getty Images
Arrivals: Michael Carrick, Tomasz Kuszczak, Henrik LarssonDepartures: Ruud van Nistelrooy, David Jones, Jonathan Spector, David Bellion, Luke Steele, Eddie Johnson
Bringing in Carrick from Tottenham was exciting business from United, who continued to build a freakish strong and versatile midfield list.
However, they did not manage to replace a resigning Van Nistelrooy until January. They won the league, but borrowing from Henrik Larsson in January was – even though it was insanely cool – a real sign of recruitment accidents.
A Cursed Image / Dean Mouhtaropoulos / Getty Images
Arrivals: Memphis Depay, Morgan Schneiderlin, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Anthony Martial, Sergio Romero, Matteo DarmianDepartures: Angel di Maria, Javier Hernandez, Jonny Evans, Robin van Persie, Nani, Rafael, Angelo Henriquez, Reece James A whirlwind summer at Old Trafford, it was nothing but really strange. And a touch depressing, as signatures aged like milk.
Cursed memories of ‘Schmidfield’ proving a car crash, Angel Di Maria leaving after a season, and Sergio Romero announcing at midnight in the UK.
Ferguson personally looked for De Gea to make sure he was the man to replace Van der Sar – it worked / Laurence Griffiths / Getty Images
Arrivals: Ashley Young, David de Gea, Phil JonesDepartures: John O’Shea, Gabriel Obertan, Mame Biram Diouf, Wes Brown, Danny Drinkwater, Darron Gibson, Owen Hargreaves
Lots of dead wood cleared at the end of a title-winning season, as Ferguson continued to walk the path of the best English talent.
Phil Jones did not turn out to be Duncan Edward’s second arrival, but Ashley Young was a fine servant with a wonderful goal in him. That David de Gea boy too. He did not do badly to replace Edwin van der Sar after the shaky start.
Berbatov added a unique element to United’s attack / Etsuo Hara / Getty Images
Arrivals: Dimitar Berbatov, Zoran Tosic, Ritchie De LaetDepartures: Gerard Pique, Chris Eagles, Mikael Silvestre, Louis Saha, Michael Barnes, Fangzhuo Dong, Ritchie Jones, Michael Lea
Losing Gerard Pique and an injured Louis Saha was not so bad for United – until Pique turned into a world champion, apparently.
While the arrivals did not fill the reception at Old Trafford, it was a lot to snatch a top Berbatov from Spurs. He added an attack that was already absolutely worldly and made it better.
2014/15 could not have gone much worse / Alex Livesey / Getty Images
Arrivals: Ander Herrera, Daley Blind, Angel Di Maria, Radamel Falcao, Luke Shaw, Marcos Rojo, Victor ValdesDepartures: Danny Welbeck, Shinji Kagawa, Alexander Buttner, Wilfried Zaha, Bebe, Patrice Evra, Federico Macheda, Davide Petrucci, Rio Ferdinand, Darren Fletcher, Anderson, Ryan Giggs (retired)
On paper, there was no more perfect window. Deadwood out, big names in with a manager who had just finished third at the World Cup.
That was it, though. In FIFA Career Mode, big signings flopped and the boss looked past it a bit. Unfortunately, everything that could have gone wrong did.
Trying to find out how the 2017/18 season ended trophy-free / Michael Regan / Getty Images
Arrivals: Romelu Lukaku, Nemanja Matic, Victor Lindelof, Alexis SanchezDepartures: Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Adnan Januzaj, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Wayne Rooney, Guillermo Varela
When choosing Mourinho, you must be everything to get the best results. United did it, and they were very close that it paid off.
Lukaku and Matic were huge additions to start XI and while Lindelof struggled for consistency, Mourinho made it work for the most part. Second place in the Premier League and FA Cup. nice margins that could have been solved with a better window 2018/19.
United’s catch of Tevez was a headache, but worth it / PAUL BARKER / Getty Images
Arrivals: Carlos Tevez, Owen Hargreaves, Nani, Anderson, Rodrigo Possebon, ManuchoDepartures: Gabriel Heinze, Giuseppe Rossi, Alan Smith, Kieran Richardson, Tim Howard, Phil Bardsley, Phil Marsh, Souleymane Mamam, Ole Gunnar Solskjær (retired)
Heinze was admittedly a big loss for United, but with quality draped through the squad, Ferguson was ready to take payment again during probably United’s best era.
Tevez gave United a new tactical approach, while Hargreaves could have been special if he had kept fit. Nani played from a young age and Anderson also looked bright when they won the Premier League and Champions League; what happened to him?
Written in the stars / ANDREW YATES / Getty Images
Arrivals: Robin van Persie, Shinji Kagawa, Wilfried Zaha, Nick Powell, Angelo Henriquez, Alexander ButtnerDepartures: Dimitar Berbatov, Park Ji-sung, Ritchie De Laet, Tomasz Kuszczak, Zeki Fryers, Michael Owen
By clearing as much dead wood as possible during his final season as manager, Ferguson made some solid signings as well as the obvious Van Persie catch.
The Dutchman was perfect for that moment and kicked United to number 20 when needed. But that was it, and after Ferguson left, there was an aging and impoverished squad left with many youth players left to pick up the pieces.
Vidic and Evra arrived in Manchester halfway through the season / Laurence Griffiths / Getty Images
Arrivals: Park Ji-sung, Edwin van der Sar, Ben Foster, Nemanja Vidic, Patrice EvraDepartures: Phil Neville, Kleberson, Roy Keane, Michael Stewart, David Poole, Steven Hogg, Roy Carroll, Ricardo, Paul Tierney, Colin Heath
Before the Glazers really got into business to transform what was now their club, United put together a very important two transfer window.
Park and Van der Sar enjoyed the importance of Ferguson, while the January catches of Vidic and Evra speak for themselves. Two of history’s biggest mid-season purchases. Genius.
Winning approach / JONATHAN NACKSTRAND / Getty Images
Arrivals: Paul Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Eric BaillyDepartures: Memphis Depay, Morgan Schneiderlin, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Victor Valdes, Nick Powell, Paddy McNair, Tyler Blackett, Will Keane
He came in Jose Mourinho who had been intended for the United job for so long and after him came four A-list stars.
Some deadwoods were moved, youthful players who were not good enough were included, and Ibrahimovic came in on a free and recurring Pogba. Carabao Cup and Europa League winners, there was suddenly serious potential in this United team.
Two big signings for a new look United / OLI SCARFF / Getty Images
Arrivals: Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Daniel James, Bruno Fernandes, Odion IghaloDepartures: Romelu Lukaku, Chris Smalling, Matteo Darmian, Ashley Young, Antonio Valencia, James Wilson, Ander Herrera
Ole Gunnar Solskjær was the man who finally released a United squad full of players who did not fit his mold and risked playing with a missing squad to put the club back on track.
United continued without a Lukaku replacement, but the progress was enormous. Maguire, Wan-Bissaka and Bruno Fernandes created an impressive and talented backbone once again and created a platform to build from. Now it’s time to deliver.
