Maguire's missed chances to build a super team

In recent years, Manchester United have consistently let promising players slip through their fingers due to indecision from their hierarchy, broken promises, and slow movement in the transfer market.

Below is a list of 11 players that the Red Devils could have signed for just £114 million, while their combined current market values exceed £690 million.

List of missed players by position

• Goalkeeper: Sion Suzuki (£5 million) – United agreed a deal in 2023, but the Japanese keeper turned it down due to a lack of guarantees for game time. He later joined Parma and is now reported to be close to a transfer to Paris Saint-Germain for £28.2 million.
• Right-back: Joao Cancelo (£25.5 million) – Gary and Phil Neville recommended the Portuguese international to Ed Woodward back in the 2015/16 season, but their advice was disregarded. Cancelo subsequently moved to Juventus and then to Manchester City for £60 million.
• Centre-back: Dayot Upamecano (£450,000) – The transfer of the then 16-year-old defender from Valenciennes in 2015 was agreed, but it fell through due to personal disagreements and unfulfilled promises regarding his family’s accommodation. He later became a star for Bayern Munich.
• Centre-back: Dean Huysen (£15.2 million) – United’s scouts watched him during his loan spell at Roma, but failed to make an official offer. Bournemouth swooped in instead, and a year later, Real Madrid triggered his £50 million release clause.
• Left-back: Alvaro Carreras (£16.7 million) – The homegrown talent never got a chance in the first team and moved to Benfica. United opted not to activate their buyback option, allowing Real Madrid to acquire him for £43.1 million instead.
• Central midfielder: Moises Caicedo (£4.5 million) – United turned down a deal in January 2021 due to confusion involving numerous agents. The Ecuadorian joined Brighton, who later sold him to Chelsea for an eye-watering £115 million.
• Central midfielder: Jude Bellingham (£22.75 million) – In 2020, United set up a tour of their facilities with Sir Alex Ferguson for the then 16-year-old wonderkid, but they hesitated to meet his £56,000-a-week wage demands. He chose Dortmund instead and later transferred to Real Madrid for £115 million.
• Central midfielder: Ryan Cherki (£8.5 million) – In the summer of 2019, United were prepared to spend £8.5 million on the Lyon starlet, even having a private jet ready for the player. However, his family wanted him to stay put, and he later joined Manchester City in 2025 for £34 million.
• Attacking midfielder: Julian Alvarez (£14.1 million) – Ralph Rangnick wanted to sign the Argentine from River Plate, but the hierarchy said no. Eventually, City activated his release clause and later sold him to Atletico Madrid for £81.5 million.
• Forward: Erling Haaland (£4 million) – In the summer of 2018, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer personally called the club's hierarchy, pleading for them to sign the young forward from Molde. Scouting reports deemed insufficient, and the Norwegian slipped through their grasp.
• Forward: Benjamin Sesko (£2.5 million) – In 2019, United deemed £2.5 million too steep for the 16-year-old. Fast forward to the summer of 2025, and they had to fork out £74 million to RB Leipzig for his signature.