Manchester United
have the poorest return on investment compared to others
Premier League
club, shocking figures have emerged – yet two other major entities have also suffered losses of millions.

The tension has returned
The stress is coming again
The burden is returning
The load is back upon them
The strain is making itself known once more
Ruben Amorim
especially following his summer expenditure of £200 million, with his team yet to secure their first victory this campaign.

Although several high-profile signings such as Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Benjamin Sesko have joined the club, United have had difficulty scoring goals and haven’t been able to control the center of the field. Consequently, they may look to return to the transfer market with less than a week remaining until the deadline.

Nevertheless, the club has faced prolonged criticism for failing to gain benefit from new signings, and has been blamed for hindering the previously bright trajectories of many athletes.

Currently, these assertions appear to be supported by recent research from a statistical expert.

Indeed, according to
Transfermarkt
United are at the bottom of a list that evaluates team costs against the value of Premier League clubs currently competing. The cost of putting together Manchester United’s squad, at £1.1 billion, far exceeds its assessed worth of £769 million.

This, naturally, signifies a significant loss of £322.9 million, highlighting precisely why they had to agree to discounted offers to sell off their “Bomb Squad,” a collection of high-profile players who are now considered undesirable, such as Jadon Sancho and Antony.

Instead of risking to retain athletes who clearly do not wish to stay with the team for an additional six months, Manchester United have significantly reduced their asking prices. Sancho, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for £73 million in July 2021, might now be available for as low as £17 million.

They will also incur losses from the possible exits of Rasmus Hojlund, Antony, and Tyrell Malacia, whereas Chelsea have still not reached an agreement on Alejandro Garnacho’s value.

However, United are not the sole team to have faced an enormous disadvantage.

Chelsea invested approximately £1.2 billion on their team, according to Transfermarkt, yet the current worth of those players has dropped to £1 billion, resulting in a decrease of £227.5 million. Sitting third from the bottom are West Ham, experiencing a drop of -£63 million, with Bournemouth just ahead at -£38.5 million.

Tottenham has also experienced a loss, though it is relatively small at £11.9 million.

On the opposite side of the table, Arsenal are positioned at the summit, having generated £315.9m following an investment of £826m in their team, which currently has a valuation of £1.1bn.

Brighton, known for their shrewd financial management, achieved a significant gain of £150.9 million and currently stand in second position.

Manchester City invested £987.3 million yet currently has a team worth £1.1 billion.

Read more

• Which soccer team has achieved an astonishing player valuation of £1.45 billion, surpassing their closest competitors by £200 million?
• What makes Manchester United the leading spender in football, having invested an astonishing £1.08 billion, but still lacking major silverware?
• What was the reason behind Manchester United’s staggering net expenditure soaring to an astonishing £199m, placing them at the pinnacle of worldwide financial outlay?
• Is Manchester United’s top player now considered the least cost-effective forward in Premier League history?
• What is the value of Manchester United’s astonishing £90 million annual shirt revenue compared to their competitors in Europe?