Shocking stats from last five years highlight Man United’s poor performance in the transfer market

Manchester United have made several questionable decisions in the transfer market following Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013.

Signing Antony from Ajax for £85 million in the summer of 2022 and selling him for just £21.7 million last summer is one of many moves that has come back to haunt the Red Devils.

The English giants have struggled in the market as a result, as was evident with their failure to sign a striker or left-back this summer. INEOS invested over £150 million to upgrade their midfield, signing Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba.

However, that has not been enough, as United are now 16th in the Premier League this season, with just one win in eight games in the league and two wins in 12 games overall.

United’s poor transfer record laid bare

According to The Sun, United have been ranked at the bottom of the pile across Europe by the Football Observatory with regards to the net value of their squad.

The Football Observatory have assessed the performances of clubs across Europe in the transfer market for the last five years. The Sun reports: “The figures from the Football Observatory track which clubs are the best and worst at increasing the value of players they have signed over a five-year period.”

“Their table shows a total valuation of players brought in in the last five years for each club. The study factors the profit or loss made on those players which have been bought and subsequently sold in the period. It also factors the appreciation or depreciation of players signed who are still at the club.”

Based on their evaluation, United have made a loss of £156 million on player transfers in the past five years, while their squad’s value has also dropped by £184 million.

United have displayed lack of plan in the transfer market

United have struggled to replicate the success of the Sir Alex Ferguson era, and one of the reasons could be their lack of planning in the transfer market. That trend has also continued in the last five years.

Apart from Antony, United also burned their hands with their pursuit of Rasmus Hojlund, signing him for £72 million and then letting him go for just £38 million. Moves for Jadon Sancho, who joined for £73 million in 2022 and left for free this summer, and Mason Mount, who is yet to live up to expectations after arriving in 2023, have severely hurt the club.

It is now reported that over the last five years, the Red Devils have lost a whopping £340 million on transfers.

Joshua Zirkzee was signed for £36.5 million, but is hardly getting game time. Andre Onana, who arrived from Inter Milan in a £47 million deal, is out on loan at Trabzonspor, with his Old Trafford career all but over.

If United are to get back to the crème de la crème of European football, they have to put in a lot more effort into the transfer market. Simply changing managers at will may no longer suffice.