Sancho next? Five times Manchester United broke the British transfer record earlier

Manchester United are on the brink of smashing the British transfer record once again as Jadon Sancho’s proposed move to Old Trafford looking to be edging closer every day. The Borussia Dortmund winger would reportedly command a fee in the region of £108m.

However, this is not the first time the Old Trafford team would challenge the transfer amount. In the Premier League era, the Red Devils have broken the British transfer-record as many as seven times.

Here we have decided to look back at those last five names when the club broke the bank to sign their elusive stars.

Ruud van Nistelrooy – £19m (2001)

Amongst the finest forwards in World football history, United break the British transfer record in 2001 to acquire the PSV Eindhoven forward. He burst into the scene since the very first day and was named as the PFA Player’s Player of the Season during his debut season, before winning the Premier League’s Golden Boot the following campaign.

The Dutchman only won one title in the Red colours but was among the club’s most prolific ever scorers, netting 150 goals in 219 appearances.

Juan Sebastien Veron - £28.1m (2001)

Nistelrooy’s being the most expensive transfer in PL history just lasted one week as Ferguson once again broke the bank this time to sign midfielder Juan Sebastien Veron from Lazio. The Argentine international-inspired Lazio to win the league just last season with brilliant individual effort. However, he could not replicate the same in England and would always remain one of the biggest flops, signed by the British manager. He played just seven league games over two seasons for United before leaving for Chelsea next.

Rio Ferdinand – £30m (2002)

Rio Ferdinand became the world’s most expensive defender for a second time when he joined the Red Devils from Leeds for £30m under Sir Alex Ferguson. At first, there were questions regarding the fee, but fast forward after his twelve years at Old Trafford, it somehow looks to be something of a bargain. In his prime years under Sir Alex Ferguson, he won six league titles, two League Cups and the Champions League and was named in the PFA Team of the Year on five occasions.

Angel Di Maria – £59.7m (2014)

After the ill-fated reign of Moyes, Di Maria was a statement signing along with Louis Van Gaal. The Argentine joined from Real Madrid with plenty of fanfare and the fee was the highest ever paid by a British club at that time. But it's fair to say, his time at Old Trafford was not the best with just four goals in all competitions. Never truly settled in England, he left the side next year for PSG.

Paul Pogba – £89m (2016)

Pogba re-joined the club for a world-record fee of £89m from Juventus under Mourinho having left Old Trafford for next to nothing just a few years before. It was a statement signing in an expensive summer of recruitment from United. He helped the club winning a League Cup and Europa League double in his first season. But till now he is yet to reach the pinnacle which is expected of him. The Frenchman has shown flashes of his huge talent during his four seasons in the Premier League and fans would hope that he would develop now further under new boss Solskjaer.