The astronomical amount lost by Manchester United over the past 5 years

Manchester United has recorded the highest financial loss on the European transfer market over the past five years, according to the CIES Football Observatory. The club has suffered an estimated depreciation of €405 million on external signings made since 2022, accounting for resale capital losses and current squad value declines. Globally, only Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal fared worse, registering a €502 million depreciation.

In contrast, several top European clubs posted substantially positive transfer balances over the same period. Eintracht Frankfurt topped the rankings with a net gain of €527 million, closely followed by Real Madrid at €526 million and Paris Saint-Germain in third place.