Man Utd's record transfers saw future captain, 289-goal hero and £60m flop join club

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Manchester United have never been afraid to make statement signings.

From the Sir Alex Ferguson era to the chaotic rebuilds of the 2010s , the Red Devils have frequently relied on high-profile transfer incomings to fulfil their ambitions. This has meant shattering not only their own transfer record, but also the British transfer record, on several occasions.

While some of those marquee acquisitions went on to carve their names into the club's illustrious history by lifting the most prestigious trophies, others served as stark warnings of how easily world-class talent can crumble beneath the weight of a hefty price-tag at Old Trafford.

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Here, Mirror Football looks at three specific occasions when United shattered their club transfer record, exploring the stories of a legendary captain, a goal machine and an expensive Real Madrid flop.

In the summer of 1993, Sir Alex was looking to strengthen a midfield that had secured United's first league title in 26 years. Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest had just been relegated and their tenacious 21-year-old midfielder, Roy Keane , was among the most coveted players in English football.

The Irishman looked set to join Blackburn Rovers but, as the necessary paperwork wasn't submitted in time, the transfer couldn't be completed over that weekend. Ferguson discovered this and quickly rang Keane directly, arranging a meeting which would result in United hijacking the transfer.

Their £3.75m investment, which smashed United's previous record fee paid for Gary Pallister in 1989, soon proved its worth as Keane became the heartbeat of the team. He formed a formidable partnership in midfield with Paul Ince and later Paul Scholes, and his leadership proved invaluable as United dominated the 1990s and early 2000s.

Keane was handed the captain's armband in 1997 and claimed a total of seven Premier Leagues, four FA Cups and the Champions League . By the time his bitter departure came in 2005 , he had played 480 games for the club, cementing his place as arguably United's greatest-ever captain.

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Keane held United's club record signing status for around 18 months. In January 1995, Ferguson returned to the market to sign Andy Cole from Newcastle United.

The arrangement was valued at £7m (£6m in cash plus Keith Gillespie heading to Tyneside, valued at £1m), and broke the British transfer record. Cole's clinical scoring run, which secured him the transfer, continued at Old Trafford.

His legacy was immortalised thanks to his partnership with Dwight Yorke from 1998 onwards, and the duo were crucial in United winning the Treble in 1998/99. Cole left Old Trafford in 2001 and retired in 2008 with 289 official club goals, of which 121 came in a Reds jersey.

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After a dismal seventh-place finish under David Moyes , United looked to rebuild under Louis van Gaal in the summer of 2014. In desperate need of a world-class winger, United set their sights on Real Madrid's Angel Di Maria.

The Argentine was fresh off the back of a Man of the Match display in the 2014 Champions League final and helping his country reach a World Cup final. United shattered the British transfer record again to sign him for a colossal £59.7m, handing him the famous No.7 shirt.

The move initially appeared a masterstroke as Di Maria racked up three goals and four assists in his first six games. However, the honeymoon ended soon after. Van Gaal's rigid, highly structured possession approach stifled Di Maria's creative brilliance, sparking tension between the two. Away from the pitch, an attempted break-in at his Cheshire home left his family shaken and desperate to leave England.