MANCHESTER UNITED’S squad at the end of last season was the most expensively assembled on record, according to a Uefa report.
The Red Devils’ squad at 2023’s financial year-end cost a collective €1.42 billion (£1.21bn) in transfer fees, eclipsing the figure of €1.33 billion recorded by Real Madrid in 2020.
The United squad at the end of 2022-23 included £82 million (€96 million) Brazilian winger Antony, £80m (€93.5m) England defender Harry Maguire, £73m (€85m) signing Jadon Sancho and the £60m (€70m) Brazil midfielder Casemiro.
Further recruits last summer such as Mason Mount, Andre Onana and Rasmus Hojlund are not counted within the figures.
Uefa’s European Club Finance and Investment Landscape report found three other clubs’ squads – Manchester City, Chelsea and Real Madrid – cost more than one billion euros in transfer fees in their most recently disclosed financial year-end figures. Chelsea’s most recent figures go up to the year-end June 30, 2022, and therefore do not include their heavy spending in the summer of that year or the January 2023 window.
United have become one of 15 English top-flight clubs recognised within the report as being part of a multi-club investment group, with the purchase of a 25% stake by Ineos founder Sir Jim Ratcliffe almost complete. Ineos also holds majority stakes in French side Nice and Swiss club Lausanne.
In all, 105 top-division European clubs (13% of the total number) have a cross-investment relationship with one or more other clubs, the report found.
There were 31 purchases of majority stakes and seven purchases of minority stakes in 2023 by groups holding a stake in at least one other European club, according to the report.
However, less than one transfer per club on average is actually executed within the same multi-club structure, the report found.
As the size of multi-club investment groups has increased, that proportion has even decreased (0.6 transfers per club in 2023 compared to 0.8 in 2021), suggesting the multi-club investment trend is not entirely driven by player transfer considerations.
Andrea Traverso, Uefa’s director of financial sustainability and research, said: “More than 300 clubs are part of multi-club investment groups, leading to an increased risk of seeing two clubs with the same owner or investor facing each other in the same competition, creating potential integrity risks at the European level.
“The current context demands strict enforcement of cost control regulations and more harmonisation of financial rules between leagues. This is paramount to limit overspending, ‘creative finance’, and rules circumvention.
“As long as differences on key regulatory matters continue between leagues, inflationary tensions will persist, contributing to imbalances and instability.”
Elsewhere, the report found spending on player wages dropped by 1.1% among the clubs with the 20 largest player wage bills, with United spending 88m euros (£75m) less on player wages in 2023 compared to the year before. Barcelona and City had large increases in player wages spending — 158m euros and 68m euros (£134.8m and £58m) respectively.
I voted yes. He is the “in-form” Irish striker in the Premiership this season. Fair enough, Best has scored a few goals but his all round play isn’t as good as Walters. The Stoke man offers pace, strength, work rate and can bang in a goal or two.
Would it be mental to put McCarthy or Fahey in behind Keane?
Yip, it would. We need a physical presence up front. Jon Walters is the man.
What about Skokes? Maybe manager should be looking at what’s best for team and putting personal differences behind him…
yes i agree stokes is the manor best
Stokes?? Are you for real??
I feel it would be foolish to play an extra man in midfield because the team is used to playing together in a 442. Probably not a good idea to go messing about with players and tactics. If keane was up front on his own he would forget to stay on the central defenders toes and be running all over the place. We need the physical presence of Walters in the frontline battle.
Walters deserves a shot. He was impressive during his cameo versus Armenia. Dont forget the cat is no in the bag!
No, he should stick to the journalism !!
:)
I would be very happy if Walters starts. He is a prescene but much more than a “big man” up front. Has a good first touch and a decent range of passing. We have a surprisingly decent range of options up front at the moment with Keane, Doyle, Long, Walters, Cox and Best. If Conor Sammon starts to get a bit more playing time at Wigan he could sharpen up too
Eh Ch’yeah!
yes walters should start up front with robbie keane,we have to stay with a 4 4 2 formation and go for it
Personally I would choose Walters up front with Best. Keane is rusty and his best days are behind him! Either way a One nil to us will set us up nicely.
Scored a great goal for Galaxy last week? I think Doyle being sent off v Armenia showed us the potential of Walters up front on his own..
James McCarthy – good player, should be starting every game
Perry groves !!!