Manchester United Expect To Spend Less On Transfers In The Next Year

Manchester United have cautioned their fans not to expect the same level of investment in players next year that they witnessed this summer.

In the 2022 summer transfer window United signed six players, Tyrell Malacia, Lisandro Martinez, Christian Eriksen, Antony, Casemiro and Martin Dubravka for fees that totalled £229 million.

This was the most United have ever spent in a single transfer window as they seek to return to the Champions League and regain their position as England’s leading club.

But United’s football director John Murtough, who spoke on Thursday as the club released their latest financial results, made it clear they would not come close to spending that much in the coming windows, this January and next summer.

“During the summer we made significant investment in the first team squad with the permanent addition of five regular starters, including a balance of experienced international players and younger, emerging talent,” Murtough said.

“We also saw a higher than usual number of departures, and this was an equally important part of refreshing the squad after the disappointing 2021-22 season.”

“We will continue to support Erik ten Hag in ensuring he has players with the right quality and characters to achieve success, while ensuring that investment remains consistent with our commitment to financial sustainability.”

“Overall, we are ahead of schedule in our recruitment plans as envisaged at the start of the summer, and we do not anticipate the same level of activity in future windows. As always, our planning focuses on the summer window.”

This summer also witnessed the departure of five first team players, Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic, Juan Mata, Jesse Lingard, and Edinson Cavani, all on free transfers, but this also made significant savings to United’s wage bill.

Murtough was keen to stress the most crucial arrival at Old Trafford this summer has been their new manager Erik ten Hag.

After a disappointing start in the Premier League, where United lost their opening two games to Brighton and Brentford, Ten Hag’s side has recovered to record four consecutive league wins.

This run has included important and symbolic wins over last season’s Champions League finalists Liverpool, who beat them twice in 2021-22, and Arsenal, who were unbeaten and top of the table when United beat them 3-1 at Old Trafford.

“The most important development during the 2021-22 season was the appointment of Erik ten Hag as manager,” Murtough said.

“After a thorough search and due diligence process it was clear to us that Erik was the strongest candidate, based on his outstanding coaching record, his commitment to the proactive, attacking football we want to play, and the vision and ambition he showed for the role.”

“There is still a long way to go, but we have already seen, during his first four months in charge, an increased unity, focus and drive that bodes well for the future.”

On Thursday United also announced a £115.5 million net loss, the biggest in their history, and that their net debt had risen by £95.4 million to a total of £514.9 million.

United’s fourth quarter financial results also showed their wage bill had increased by £61 million to a total of £384 million, which is now the largest in the Premier League.