The six times Man Utd broke the British transfer record

Liverpool fans might not want to hear this, but Manchester United are the grandest football institution in the United Kingdom and it's no surprise no club has broken the British transfer record more often than the Red Devils.

The record 13-time Premier League winners have on six occasions smashed the aforementioned record, although Manchester City's state-funded wealth and Todd Boehly's desire to make a name for himself during the first year of his 'soccer' venture mean United no longer hold it.

When it comes to the British transfer record, we're including incomings and outgoings which date all the way back to the start of the 1960s.

1. Denis Law (Signed from Torino in 1962 - £115,000)

This was the third instance of Denis Law smashing a British transfer record of some sorts following his moves to Man City in 1960 and Torino a year later.

The Scotsman's spell in Italy was mixed and he handed in a transfer request after just a year in Serie A, where catenaccio was prevalent and Law struggled to settle. Despite the ultra-defensive nature of the division, Law was voted as the league's number one player ahead of Inter legend Luis Suarez.

A protracted battle with Torino eventually culminated in his departure to United for a British record £115,000 midway through the summer of '62. The Scot would enjoy a glorious spell at Old Trafford as United won two league titles with Law leading the line.

The striker was also crowned the Ballon d'Or winner in 1964 - the first of three United players to win the award that decade. Law would end his career as the club's third leading goalscorer of all time with 237 strikes.

2. Bryan Robson (Signed from West Brom in 1981 - £1.5m)

As the tweet above depicts, traditionalists adored Robson's welcome to the club after the midfielder arrived from West Brom for a benchmark figure of £1.5m in 1981.

Described as "pure gold" by then-manager Ron Atkinson, Robson was regarded as a sure thing despite the big money the club splashed out to sign him. There wasn't a chance he wasn't going to be a success.

Sure enough, 'Robbo' excelled in Manchester and would emerge as one of the defining midfielders of the 1980s. His significance waned by the time the Premier League came around, but he still helped the club to a pair of league titles in 1992/93 and 1993/94.

For many, Robson is the club's greatest ever captain.

3. Andy Cole (Signed from Newcastle in 1995 - £7m)

The commercial success of the newly-established Premier League saw a stream of cash flow across top flight clubs and the nation's leading institution, Man Utd, were distinct beneficiaries.

The club's financial might allowed them to blow their competitors out of the water - even the enriched Blackburn - and they smashed the British transfer record in 1995 to prise Cole away from Newcastle, whose threat to United's crown was only realised after the striker's exit.

While the Magpies grew stronger after Cole's departure, the striker was nonetheless a vital addition to Fergie's side as they sought to reclaim their crown from Blackburn.

The Englishman's lofty price tag added a ton of pressure, but Cole delivered as he scored 121 times for the club. He played a crucial role in United's treble triumph of '99, scoring the title-winning goal against Tottenham on the final day of the league season.

4. Juan Sebastian Veron (Signed from Lazio in 2001 - £28.1m)

By the time the 21st century rolled around, transfer fees were starting to rise to extortionate levels and foreign influence in the Premier League was borderline ubiquitous.

"I never thought the day would arrive when I spent this much money on one player,” Fergie admitted upon Juan Sebastian Veron's £28.1m arrival from Lazio, but he'd also later say anybody doubting the Argentine's talent was a "f***ing idiot".

The midfielder's career in Manchester started brightly, but he struggled to adapt to the intensity of the Premier League and his form fell off a cliff down the stretch of his debut season. His best displays arrived in the Champions League during his second season as fatigue continued to take its toll on the domestic front.

Injuries and fitness woes limited his influence and he was sold to Chelsea for £15m after just two years. Overall, Veron is regarded as one of the worst signings in Premier League history.

5. Rio Ferdinand (Signed from Leeds in 2002 - £29.1m)

Despite Veron's unconvincing debut season, United felt comfortable smashing the British record again the following summer as they drafted in Leeds hotshot Rio Ferdinand to develop into the cornerstone of their defence.

While there were doubts from the start of Veron's viability, very few questioned whether Rio would be a success at Old Trafford. He'd shone at the 2002 World Cup in the Far East and Ferguson believed the England international would "develop into the best centre-half in the world".

He certainly wasn't far off.

Rio was arguably the first 'modern-day defender' as he combined impressive ball-playing skills with remarkable recovery pace and shrewd defensive instincts. He was dominant throughout his time at United, forming several stellar centre-back partnerships, and would end his career with six league titles and a Champions League crown.

6. Paul Pogba (Signed from Juventus in 2016 - £89m)

A timeline that dates back to 1962 concludes in 2016 with Paul Pogba. United's £89m purchase of the France international was, for a while, a world-record transfer.

Pogba had plied his trade in the club's academy before setting off for Juventus, where he made a name for himself. He blossomed into one of Europe's most unique, watchable and effective midfielders in Turin, and his return was met with much fanfare, especially among younger generations.

This was a case of unfinished business for Pogba, but his second stint at the club was a complex one. He offered many glimpses of his genius and there were times when he was utterly unplayable, but he never enamoured himself to the fanbase and Jose Mourinho didn't particularly take a liking to him during his stint as manager.

Pogba dazzled as much as he frustrated and eventually sealed a return to Juventus in 2022.

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