LONDON – Manchester United’s squad for the 2022-23 season were the most expensive ever assembled in Europe, according to a report released by governing body Uefa.
The European Club Finance and Investment Landscape report said United spent just over €1.42 billion (S$2.05 billion) on the squad that played that season, surpassing the previous mark of €1.33 billion spent by Real Madrid in 2020.
Erik ten Hag’s squad at the end of the 2022-23 season included big-money transfers Antony, Harry Maguire, Jadon Sancho and Casemiro. United’s rivals Manchester City were second for that season with a squad value of €1.29 billion.
The report, released on Feb 14, added that Real Madrid (€841 million), Man City (€836 million), Barcelona (€815 million) and Paris Saint-Germain (€807 million) had the highest revenues.
The English Premier League had nine teams in the top-20 earning clubs, with an average revenue of €323 million.
Spain’s La Liga was second with revenues of €3.3 billion, with Germany’s Bundesliga (€3.2 billion), Italy’s Serie A (€2.4 billion) and France’s Ligue 1 (€2 billion) rounding out the top five.
“In 2022, the revenue of England’s 20 top-tier clubs was almost as high as the combined revenue of all 642 clubs in the bottom 50 countries,” the report said.
English clubs also made up €764 million of the combined €3.2 billion of pre-tax losses recorded by clubs in 2022.
Uefa said the figures for pre-tax losses were positive “amid slowing wage inflation and renewed buoyancy in the transfer market”.
Meanwhile, Brentford announced the signing of Brazilian striker Igor Thiago from Club Brugge on Feb 14, in a move that is set to spark further speculation over the future of Ivan Toney at the Premier League club.
Thiago, who has scored 26 goals in 40 appearances this season, will join Brentford in July.
Toney is the subject of interest from the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea, and Brentford boss Thomas Frank conceded earlier in January that the 27-year-old is “likely” to be sold this summer.
“I’m very pleased that we have been proactive as a club,” Frank told the Brentford website on the news of Thiago’s arrival.
“We have signed a key player for a key position. Thiago is a very exciting striker who fits the role in our team.
“He is hard-working and a very good pressing player.
“He is also a physical presence, very good in the box and can link the play.”
Toney has missed most of the season after being hit with an eight-month ban for breaches of betting regulations.
However, he has shown little sign of rustiness after returning, scoring three goals in four games to help drag the Bees six points clear of the relegation zone. REUTERS, AFP
