Manchester United supporters are looking back at the big-money signing of Aaron Wan-Bissaka these days. It happened in June 2019. The club paid Crystal Palace an initial £45 million, with add-ons that took it up to £50 million. Many fans still talk about that fee.
At the time, it seemed like a strong move. Wan-Bissaka had just come off a great season at Palace. He won their Player of the Year award. People called him one of the best young defenders around, especially for tackling. No one could get past him easily.
The story behind the deal got a lot of attention too. Reports said United’s scouting team looked at over 800 right-backs from all over the world. They narrowed it down step by step until Wan-Bissaka came out on top. Ed Woodward, who ran things back then, pointed to it as proof of how thorough the club was with transfers.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wanted him badly. The manager said Wan-Bissaka had the right attitude and skills for United. He fit the plan to bring in young, hungry players.
Wan-Bissaka settled in quick. He played 190 games for United over five years. Fans loved his defending. He led the Premier League in tackles one season. Teammates said in training, nobody could dribble past him. He helped win the EFL Cup and FA Cup.
But not everything went smoothly. Some critics said his passing and attacking play held him back. Modern full-backs need to join attacks more. That became clear under later managers. Diogo Dalot often got the nod ahead of him.
Last summer, in 2024, United sold him to West Ham for £15 million. That drop in price caught eyes. It showed a big loss on the original deal. Many see it as part of wider problems with buying and selling players during the Glazers’ time in charge.
Now at West Ham, Wan-Bissaka plays regularly. He’s scored a couple of goals even. Some United fans say he looks better there. Others think the club needed someone more balanced for their style.
Looking back, the £50 million fee feels high now. Palace got a great deal. United needed a right-back after Antonio Valencia left. Wan-Bissaka fixed that for years. But the money side highlights how transfers went wrong sometimes.
Fans argue about it online still. A few defend the price, saying he was worth it for his peak defending. Most point to the sale price as evidence of poor planning.
This comes up a lot when people talk about old signings. It fits into bigger chats about recruitment under the old owners. Things have changed a bit since Sir Jim Ratcliffe came in.
Wan-Bissaka himself seems happy in London. He’s back near home. West Ham gave him a long contract.
For United, it’s another chapter in a long story of big spends that didn’t always pay off. The 804 right-backs tale gets brought up when fans joke about scouting.
Still, Wan-Bissaka gave solid service. He rarely let the team down defensively. That’s something supporters remember fondly.
The transfer shock from 2019 hasn’t faded. It stands out as one of those deals that looked good at first but ended up costing a lot.