Falcao and di Maria herald United's age of excess

Following a period of relative parsimony in Alex Ferguson's final years as Manchester United manager, the English giant has changed course dramatically in the 15 months since he retired.

Ferguson was fond of the refrain that there was "no value" in the transfer market whenever he was asked to explain United's apparent reluctance to spend but the club's recent travails have prompted a radical rethink.

After the sacking of David Moyes and a seventh-place finish in the Premier League last season, United has allowed new manager Louis van Gaal to spend more than 150 million pounds ($249 million) on new players.