Man Utd’s horror history with big-money signings will have fans praying £50m Wan-Bissaka bucks the trend

MANCHESTER UNITED are set to make Aaron Wan-Bissaka their fifth most expensive signing of all time and the defender must fight to end the club's big money curse.

Forking out £50million for the right-back, Ole Gunnar Solksjaer will hope his new arrival follows more in the footsteps of Rio Ferdinand than Angel Di Maria.

Because when the Red Devils break the £50m barrier, it doesn't usually go well.

Record signing Paul Pogba has turned into a scapegoat for club critics after they spent £89m to bring him back from Juventus.

Another member of the current squad who is linked with an exit is Romelu Lukaku, who cost £75m from Everton two years ago.

Argentine winger Di Maria didn't even last that long at Old Trafford, Louis van Gaal shifting him out after just one season.

Fortunately for United, there is still time for Fred to prove a better buy, a season into his £52m move from Shakhtar Donetsk.

Just behind that figure and now the club's most expensive ever defender, Wan-Bissaka at least won't break the bank in terms of wages, his six-year deal paying out £80,000-a-week.

PAUL POGBA – £89M

The world record transfer fee that United splashed on Pogba made him the symbol of their inevitable resurgence to the top of the game after their post-Fergie struggles.

Things didn't unfold that way with poor tactics, immaturity, arrogance and general laziness given as reasons he hasn't made the desired impact.

Pogba's quiet form under Jose Mourinho arguably got he manager sacked and, with Solskjaer, he contributed 16 goals and 11 assists last season – although eight were penalties.

ROMELU LUKAKU – £75M

Lukaku arrived from Everton as a young powerhouse forward after a 26-goal season at Goodison.

The Red Devils have since endured the Belgian's incredible streakiness – he went on a run of six or more games without scoring on four separate occasions last season but scored six in three matches in another spell.

After smashing 26 goals in his first year at United, he dropped off to a miserly 15 in 2018/19 and didn't score after March 6.

ANGEL DI MARIA – £59.7M

There was no love lost between Di Maria and Old Trafford when he returned as a Paris Saint-Germain player in the spring.

No player celebrated harder as the French champions beat United, the winger revelling in the win as fans booed his every move.

It isn't hard to see why as Di Maria made a lacklustre contribution in one season at the club. He didn't score after October and was dropped in early March – then left for Paris at a £15m loss.

FRED – £52M

The major signing of the summer of 2018, Fred hardly hit the ground running and was turfed onto the bench by Mourinho after only three games – two of which were defeats.

After drifting in and out of the Portuguese manager's plans, it is perhaps even more worrying that he wasn't able to improve his form under Solskjaer like many of his team-mates.

Fred only started 13 Premier League games last season and managed four consecutive outings just once. True to form, United lost three of them.

AARON WAN-BISSAKA – £50M

At the tender age of 21 and with a six-year contract to fall back on, the jury will be out on Wan-Bissaka for some time.

While his shaky form at the Under-21 Euros indicates his rawness when the pressure is on, United fans can be comforted by his sterling form for Crystal Palace.

At £50m, the Red Devils will hope he bucks the trend and becomes a top quality right-back for years to come.

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