Ranking the 5 most valuable players at Manchester United (October 2021)

Manchester United are the most successful club in Premier League history, having won 13 titles. However, they haven't won one in almost a decade.

To end that drought, the club splurged to acquire the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Raphael Varane and Jadon Sancho over the summer. Although Ronaldo and Varane have hit the ground running, Sancho is yet to get going.

Manchester United trail league leaders Chelsea by only two points after seven league games. Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would be quietly confident of ending his trophy drought at the club thanks to the quality players at his disposal.

On that note, here's a look at the five most valuable Manchester United players at the moment.

Note: All player valuations and stats are as per transfermarkt unless mentioned otherwise.

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#5 Paul Pogba - €60 million

Paul Pogba has had a great start to his campaign

Paul Pogba is often described as a generational talent. However, he has largely had an underwhelming stint at Manchester United since his return to the club in 2016.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup winner has struggled to have the same impact at the club as he does with his national team. However, he is seemingly determined to change that perception this season.

The Frenchman started his 2021-22 campaign for Manchester United on a tear, notching up four assists on the opening day. Another assist on the second matchday made him the only player in Premier League history to record five assists after two games in a season.

Pogba is yet to score after nine games across all competitions this campaign. However, he has amassed a whopping seven assists, all of them coming in the Premier League. That augurs well for Manchester United as they seek a first league title since their last triumph in 2013.

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#4 Raphael Varane - €70 million

Raphael Varane has started well at Manchester United

Raphael Varane is one of the best centre-backs in the game at the moment. Still only 28, the Frenchman has won almost every major title on offer.

Varane has won multiple Champions League and La Liga titles with Real Madrid. He is also a FIFA World Cup winner and a European Championship finalist with France.

After a decade-long stint at Real Madrid, Varane moved to Manchester United this summer. The 28-year-old hit the ground running when he provided an assist on his club debut.

Strong in the air and on the ball, Varane is known to excel at both ends of the pitch. He has already struck up a promising partnership with club captain Harry Maguire in the centre of defence. That could be key to Manchester United's hopes of landing a major title this season.

#3 Marcus Rashford - €85 million

Marcus Rashford has been a key player for Manchester United

Marcus Rashford has been a key player for Manchester United for a while now. The 23-year-old has already amassed close to 100 goals and over 50 assists for the club in almost 300 games across all competitions.

The Euro 2020 finalist has not yet made his season debut for Manchester United as he is recovering from an injury. However, there is no doubt that he has been a consistent performer for the team, especially in the last two seasons.

The winger scored 21 goals across all competitions last season as Manchester United finished second in the Premier League and lost in the Europa League final to Villarreal.

With the arrival of prolific marksman Cristiano Ronaldo, Rashford could find more game time on the wings. That could see him produce another big season for Manchester United, who are looking to compete on multiple fronts this campaign.

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#2 Jadon Sancho - €90 million

Jadon Sancho is yet to get going at Manchester United

Jadon Sancho is one of the most exciting young players in the game. So it's no surprise that Manchester United splurged to snap up the 21-year-old from Borussia Dortmund.

At Dortmund, Sancho blossomed into a world-class winger, tallying over 100 goal contributions (50 goals, 64 assists) in only four seasons at the club. However, he has had a quiet start to life at Old Trafford, failing to open his goal or assist accounts after nine games across competitions.

Nevertheless, considering his quality and age, experts and pundits have asked Manchester United to be patient with Sancho as he makes a transition to a new league.

It's only a matter of time before the Englishman rediscovers his mojo and endears himself to the Manchester United faithful.

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#1 Bruno Fernandes - €90 million

Bruno Fernandes has been a revelation at Manchester United

Bruno Fernandes has been a breath of fresh air since his arrival at Manchester United in January last year.

The Portuguese midfielder has already racked up impressive tallies of 44 goals and 28 assists for the club in 90 games across all competitions.

Last season, Fernandes scored 18 times in the Premier League and provided 11 assists as Manchester United finished second. He also excelled in the Europa League, bagging five goals and four assists as the Red Devils fell short against Villarreal in a pulsating shootout.

This season, despite a penalty miss, Fernandes has shone almost as brightly as his more illustrious compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo. He has already scored four goals and bagged three assists across all competitions, looking good for another big season.