Sir Jim Ratcliffe referred to Manchester United as the “dumb money” in football, so one can only speculate on his thoughts regarding an organization that sees such a poor return on staffing expenses. In football, a team’s wage bill has been a reliable indicator of success in recent years, even more so than transfer spending. However, Manchester United has defied this trend. Capology reported that they had the largest salary expenses in the Premier League in the previous season, yet they could only achieve an eighth place finish. Erik ten Hag believes that injuries played a major role in this setback, leading to millions of pounds being wasted on players who were unable to play. However, Manchester United has consistently been among the highest payers in the league. They have not topped the Premier League table in the past 11 years. The anticipated return on investment from the weekly player expenses has not materialized.
Additionally, United is expected to see an increase in their pre-season squad with the availability of a player. United must pass a significant Ineos transfer challenge following a mistake that cost them £80 million. Based on the data from the previous season, United’s projected salary expenses are £3.9 million per week, slightly exceeding Manchester City’s by around £100,000 despite City having a smaller team. In any case, the difference is noticeable. United not only paid excessively, but they also became an easy target for contract renewals under the leadership of the Glazers and Ed Woodward. Woodward believed his policy maintained the players’ value, but it actually resulted in some players becoming complacent and their contracts becoming a burden when they were unable to be sold.
