SURPRISE, surprise Manchester United are the Premier League’s worst spenders – and the club have absolutely nothing to show for it.
In fact, United’s horrendous recruitment decisions are one of the main reasons that the club—who sit 15th in the Prem—is going through their worst period since the 1973-74 relegation campaign.
To make matters worse, the Red Devils have spent FOUR TIMES more than Prem leaders Liverpool – who are running away with the title.
United’s hierarchy, both before and after Ineos came on board a year ago, have spent recklessly and without direction.
Put into numbers, United have spent, since 2019, a net amount of £810m – compared to Liverpool’s £212m.
But Arne Slot‘s team sit a staggering 31 POINTS above Ruben Amorim‘s side after the latter’s 1-0 defeat to Spurs on Sunday.
Old Trafford chiefs meanwhile can boast one Carabao Cup and one FA Cup, but a closer look will tell you those successes covered for some dire Prem campaigns – including a record low of eighth last season.
The once-feared Manchester outfit have actually spent more than £1 billion since 2019, with only £285m raised in departures.
That period has seen several different managers take the helm and includes some of the worst transfer business ever.
Antony was signed for a whopping £82m in 2022 and has been shipped out on loan to Real Betis this January – where he’s flying at the moment.
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Jadon Sancho was a £72m capture from Borussia Dortmund in 2021, but will permanently join Chelsea this summer for around £25m having massively underwhelmed in M16.
United made Harry Maguire the most expensive centre-half in the world whilst Erik ten Hag spent a combined £140m to sign Casemiro and Rasmus Hojlund in successive summers.
Ten Hag pushed to splash millions on former Ajax players and even handed over £60m to Chelsea for Mason Mount, whose injury record has seen him play just 32 games for United since June 2023.
Amorim’s main signing in January was the £29m dropped on left-back Patrick Dorgu – adding to the £200m spent in the summer on the likes of Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui and Manuel Ugarte.
And fans could perhaps better stomach this sad reality if it wasn’t for the fact that none of these players are exactly world-beaters.
Eyebrows were raised on Sunday when Amorim was forced to name eight untried teenagers on the bench in United’s latest defeat to Spurs, despite all the money spent.
The truth is, the net spend is the worst in the league because United are struggling to flog players.
Ironically, the money banked for Mason Greenwood (£26.6m) and Scott McTominay (£25m) in the summer are among the biggest United sales of all time.
Gary Neville previously declared Old Trafford a “graveyard” for players with so many of their big name signings failing to deliver while others have been moved on for huge losses.
The fact is, fans are fearing relegation this season or the next as the club break a new embarrassing record each week.
While Chelsea are the biggest Prem spenders, they are also the biggest Prem sellers, racking up £863m in player exits.
Some of these outgoings include £88m (Eden Hazard to Real Madrid), £65m (Havertz to Arsenal) and £60m (Mount to United).
So while, the Blues have spent 1.60bn, their net spend works out as £739m.
Tottenham’s record is the third ‘worst’, with a net spend of £576m as anger continues to be directed at chairman Daniel Levy.
That takes into consideration £884m spent on new signings and £308m in sales, but Spurs have gone trophy-less for 17 years.
Fans will also look back on the club-record fee received for Harry Kane and wonder how it was, once again, so poorly invested.
Ange Postecoglou‘s lack of squad depth is currently front and centre as the lack of quality beyond the starting XI is evident as they’re working towards solving a hefty injury list.
Spurs’ rivals and title challengers Arsenal are fourth on the ‘worst spent’ list, with £563m in the red.
David Raya (£27m), Riccardo Calafiori (£42m), and Mikel Merino (£31m) were the major arrivals but Emile Smith Rowe (£27m), Aaron Ramsdale (£18m) and Eddie Nketiah (£25m) all departed.
Arsenal have not been afraid to spend big, splashing out £60m on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and £72m on Nicolas Pepe before the arrivals of £65m Kai Havertz and £105m Declan Rice.
Newcastle, West Ham and Newcastle make up fifth through to seventh respectively.
Seven-time champions Manchester City being down in ninth on the list would be a surprise to some.
In total, the Etihad giants are third for outlays on around £986m.
Omar Marmoush’s arrival is fourth in their all-time list, just behind Ruben Dias and then a way off Josko Gvardiol (£77m) and record-signing Jack Grealish who cost £100m.
As with Chelsea, though, City fetch huge sales for selling off a wave of youngsters good enough for many teams but just not quite at Pep Guardiola’s required elite level.
The Julian Alvarez deal could rise to £81.5m while the money for Taylor Harwood-Bellis (£20m), Liam Delap (£15m), Sergio Gomez (£8.4m) and Tommy Doyle (£4.3m) racks up.
After Alvarez, City’s other biggest sales in the period are Raheem Sterling, Ferran Torres, Gabriel Jesus, Leroy Sane and Cole Palmer (all between £47.5m and £40m).
Nottingham Forest even crept above City on the spending chart because their net spend is marginally higher.
Last summer, Forest went all out with their signings in an effort to ensure that they remained in the top-flight at the first time of asking, bringing in dozens of new players.
Sales have been much harder to come by though, with their most notable departure being that of Matty Cash to Aston Villa in 2020.
But it’s paid off as Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are enjoying a breakthrough season as the club sit third in the table.
Lastly, Liverpool’s brilliantly astute and clever recruitment practices speak for themselves.
Perhaps it is no surprise to see Liverpool with the best net spend of the ‘Big Six’ on a mere £282m over the past nine seasons.
In fact, the Reds have actually made a profit in the 2024-25 campaign by only buying Federico Chiesa for £10m and raising £50m in sales from Fabio Carvalho (£20m), Sepp van den Berg (£20m) and Bobby Clark (£10m).
It continued a wise – and successful – transfer strategy that has seen Liverpool sell big and then wait to find the right players at the right time for the right price.
Man Utd ratings v Spurs
MANCHESTER UNITED slipped to a 12th defeat in the Premier League with Rasmus Hojlund coming under fire again.
Here’s how SunSport’s Katherine Walsh rated the Manchester United players against an underachieving Spurs side – who are now three places above them in 12th – in North London.
Andre Onana – 3
United can’t do anything with him between the sticks. Can’t be trusted to collect anything.
His opposite number Vicario showed him a thing or two after returning for the first time since Spurs thrashed Man City in November.
At fault for the first goal when he palmed out a relatively weak bouncing shot into Maddison’s path in the 13th minute.
Noussair Mazraoui – 5
An OK performance. Clever link-up play with Zirkzee but couldn’t get hold of Spence down the left-hand side.
Pulled out an excellent cross for the Dutchman’s headed chance late-on.
Matthijs de Ligt – 6
His clearance stopped an obvious 2-0 before the half-an-hour mark.
Harry Maguire – 5
A mixed bag. Long ball over the top for Hojlund’s chance in opening 10 minutes and went on a few attacking runs himself in the first half.
Did well to stop Dejan Kulusevski from having a go at the edge of the box. But bizarrely stopped in his tracks when a cross came flying into Son later on.
Diogo Dalot – 6
A difficult afternoon for the Portugal international as Son and Djed Spence left him for dead a few times.
Hesitated when asked to shoot from five yards to make it 1-0 but helped Onana out with some clearances too.
Patrick Dorgu – 4
A Prem debut to forget. He was almost invisible from the left-hand side. And lacked quality when asked to get involved more in the second half.
Was stupidly caught offside with Bruno Fernandes offloading a stunning cross pitch pass and booked late-on.
Casemiro – 5
Looked every bit a player that hasn’t played Premier League football for two months. Unsurprisingly booked for a late one on Son.
Bizarrely dropped to the turf asking for a free-kick when nobody touched him. Was forced to play 89 minutes with eight teenagers on the bench. A difficult afternoon, indeed.
Bruno Fernandes – 5
Interceptions and breaking up play is not a part of the captain’s game. An uncharacteristically poor cross left United open on the counter.
Did get back to stop Son from having a shot at Onana on the hour mark and started ticking in attack in the final 20 minutes.
Alejandro Garnacho – 4
Looked shaky and cut a frustrated figure after blazing over an absolute SITTER from 10 yards to level the scores.
A bit of a shocker and looked a completely different player to the one who got United into the fifth-round of the FA Cup last week.
Woke up a bit in the second half as Vicario kept him at bay with several superb stops. But the 20-year-old is clearly better off the bench.
Joshua Zirkzee – 6
The best of a desperately poor front three. There’s a street player in there and he’s great with his touches at times.
But curled wide from 23 yards, stuck a header wide in the 70th minute and kicked an air shot in the final five minutes.
Rasmus Hojlund – 3
Is Hojlund the worst No 9 in United’s recent history?
The young Dane, who was unlucky to have a chance saved by Vicario, was second best in every loose ball and kept losing possession.
He was even caught offside after a pass from an Onana goal-kick in the first half – how often do you see that happen?
