According to a research by UEFA, Manchester United’s team has achieved the distinction of being the most costly squad ever formed. The team, including of prominent players such as Antony, Harry Maguire, Jadon Sancho, and Casemiro, accumulated a staggering £1.21bn in transfer fees by the conclusion of the 2023 fiscal year, surpassing Real Madrid’s previous record set in 2020.
Nevertheless, the statistics do not encompass recent acquisitions such as Mason Mount, Andre Onana, and Rasmus Hojlund. Manchester City, Chelsea, and Real Madrid are among the teams that have squads worth billions of euros.
According to the report, 105 European teams in the top division (which is 13% of the total) have a cross-investment relationship with one or more other clubs. In 2023, there were 31 acquisitions of controlling interests and seven acquisitions of non-controlling interests by consortiums with ownership in at least one other European club. Additionally, United is poised to become part of a consortium of clubs for investment purposes, as Ineos founder Sir Jim Ratcliffe is nearing the acquisition of a 25% ownership share in the club.
