Sport
The most expensive signings by Manchester United
Speaking of bringing players to the club, we wanted to take a trip down memory lane and look at the most expensive signings by Manchester United.
When Sir Alex Ferguson stepped off as the manager of Manchester United, the club was struggling to get back into its former glory, but after several years of changing tactics and managers, United may be on a brink of winning a title with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
In the 2020/2021 season, the club had a fantastic run as it finished second on the PL table, right before their city rivals Manchester City. As the new season unfolds, Ole has managed to bring a few players to the club and thus, increase the chances of lifting the PL trophy.
Speaking of bringing players to the club, we wanted to take a trip down memory lane and look at the most expensive signings by Manchester United. Let’s check them out.
Jadon Sancho
The one interesting fact about Jadon Sancho was that everyone was aware that he will be leaving Dortmund. Since he’s a talented youngster, all of the top teams in the world, including Manchester United were interested in purchasing him.
The debate on who will sign him went so far that online sportsbooks even opened betting odds on his next destination. Punters registered at reputable sites such as novibet.co.uk, and they were casting their predictions in.
What’s even better is the fact that online sportsbooks, like the one we just mentioned, have massive sports coverage and since they are superior to land-based sportsbooks, punters decided to stay there and continue placing bets online.
After numerous speculations and rumours circulating, Jaden Sancho signed for Manchester United on July 23, 2021, for a price of £76.5 million, making him the third most expensive player in the club’s history.
Harry Maguire
Next up, we have a player that many consider to be the best English defender in the Premier League. Although Maguire’s form varied, in the last season, he managed to show some stability and reminded everyone that he is a solid player that has tons of qualities.
After the Euro 2020, many fans praised him for his contributions, which is why they expect Maguire to continue working hard and help Manchester United finally win the PL title. He was purchased from Leicester on August 9, 2019, for a price of £78.3 million.
Paul Pogba
The most expensive player in Manchester United’s history is actually coming from the club’s youth academy. Pogba failed to live up to the expectations at his young age, which is why he joined Juventus as a free agent.
During his time with the Old Lady, he reinvented himself and was praised for his adaptability, control, shot power, etc. That is why United was keen on bringing him back – the club thought that he may be the missing link in the squad. So, United ended up purchasing him for a whopping price of £94.5 million on August 9, 2016.
Honourable Mentions
Other expensive players that United purchased and are worth a mention are Romelu Lukaku (£76.23 million), Angel Di Maria (£67.5 million), Bruno Fernandes (£56.7 million) and Anthony Martial (£54 million).
Sport
Stockport County to open new club shop in heart of town centre
Daisy Jackson
Stockport County FC will be opening a new County Store in the heart of Stockport, selling official merch and tickets.
The club has announced it’s taking on a unit at the Merseyway shopping centre, close to the former Debenhams building.
From its new ground-floor location, Stockport County will be able to offer supporters even more access to the club, stocking a wide range of official merchandise including exclusive products and new releases.
Merseyway has welcomed more than a quarter of a million visitors in a single week over the summer – a record-breaker – and the new Stockport County club shop will join new arrivals like Søstrene Grene, Lovisa, Grape Tree, and Shoe Zone.
Gavin Bailey, CEO of Stockport County said: “We’re delighted to be opening another County Store in the heart of Stockport town centre.
“As a Club, it is really important that we continue to strengthen our presence across the borough and make it as easy as possible for supporters to engage with County.
“Merseyway sits at the heart of a thriving town centre and this new location will give supporters a really convenient way to shop for County merchandise or purchase tickets whenever they are in town.
“It is also an incredibly exciting time for this part of Stockport. There is significant investment taking place across the town centre and the plans for Mersey Square will completely transform the area immediately surrounding our new store.
“We’re really pleased to be playing a small part in that wider regeneration and establishing another permanent County presence right in the centre of the town.
“We’re also looking forward to working alongside the fantastic network of retailers and businesses already based here. We have received tremendous support from the Stockport business community over recent years and we’re proud to be joining them.
““”We want the store to feel unmistakably County, with exclusive merchandise, new product ranges and plenty more planned as we continue to develop our retail offering.”
Cllr Micheala Meikle, Cabinet Member for Economy, Regeneration and Skills at Stockport Council, said: “Stockport County means a great deal to so many people, so it is brilliant to see the club bringing a new store into the town centre. County are a huge part of Stockport’s story and identity, and this move is a real vote of confidence in the town centre as a place where people want to be.
“The store is a welcome addition to Merseyway and will bring something distinctive and proudly Stockport to the retail offer. As our £2bn regeneration programme continues to reshape the town centre, it is important that we celebrate the businesses that make Stockport special and County is absolutely one of them.”
Victoria Nichol, Centre Manager at Merseyway Shopping Centre, said: “Stockport County is a huge part of this town, so having a County Store at Merseyway will be a significant addition for us and for the town centre. It will put the club right in the heart of Stockport and give supporters a new place to visit beyond match days.
“Merseyway is going from strength to strength. We’ve welcomed new retailers, seen record footfall over the summer and built a year-round programme of events that bring people into the centre. The County Store will add to that momentum, joining a fantastic mix of high street brands, independent businesses and community spaces.”
Further details, including the opening date and opening hours for the new County Store, will be confirmed in due course.
Read more
Featured image: Stockport County
Sport
Premier League Darts is returning to Manchester’s AO Arena in 2027
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Premier League Darts is confirmed to be returning to Manchester next year.
Now’s your chance to see the youngest world champion in darts history, AKA Warrington’s very-own Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler, show us how it’s done, as next year’s BetMGM Premier League Darts lineup has just been announced this week – with various dates confirmed across 17 different cities in the UK and Europe.
And Manchester is one of those cities, as the AO Arena has shared that they are set to host an evening next April, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.
This means that we will be lucky enough to witness the biggest names in world darts all under one roof, including headliners Gian van Veen and Luke Humphries, as well as Littler.
Manchester is the only northern city to get the pleasure of hosting the event next year, as Liverpool is also on the lineup, as is Leeds, Sheffield, and Newcastle, while elsewhere in the UK, the stars will travel to Glasgow, Birmingham, London, and several other major locations.
BetMGM Premier League Darts is to be held on Thursday 8 April at the AO Arena in Manchester, and to avoid being disappointed, fans are advised to register for presale ticket access.
Following a successful season of events in 2026, tickets are expected to be like gold-dust, so don’t say you haven’t been warned.
Read more:
To access the first wave of tickets, fans must become an active PDCTV Annual Member before 23:59pm on Friday 9 October. Alternatively, general sale is on Thursday 22 October 2026, but make sure not to hang about.
Get tickets when they go live here.
Featured Image – Sandro Halank (via Wikimedia Commons)
The Manc -
20th August 2021 
