Manchester United continue to dominate a particular Premier League table, but it's not the one their fans crave. Despite a colossal £450million summer outlay from rivals Liverpool, the Red Devils remain the undisputed leaders in net transfer spend over the past five years.
The Net Spend Kings: United's Costly Reign
An analysis of the last five seasons, beginning in the summer of 2021, reveals that Manchester United's net spend totals a mammoth £-684.61 million. This figure, calculated by subtracting income from player sales from expenditure on new signings, places them firmly at the summit. They narrowly edge out Arsenal, whose five-year net spend sits at £-675.77m.
United's position highlights a persistent trend at Old Trafford: heavy investment in the transfer market that is rarely offset by significant profits from player departures. This stands in stark contrast to the more balanced approach of some of their rivals.
Liverpool's Record Summer Fails To Shift The Balance
Liverpool's extraordinary summer window of 2025, where they broke their club-record transfer fee twice to sign Florian Wirtz (£100m) and Alexander Isak (£125m), resulted in a single-season net spend of £-228.6 million. This was the biggest in their history.
However, this splurge only elevated them to sixth in the overall five-year rankings with a total of £-426.77m. Their figure is a testament to a generally more strategic model, which included a positive net spend of £29.14m in their title-winning 2024/25 campaign.
For United, the past summer saw a net spend of £-154.34m, their second-highest in the period, as manager Ruben Amorim overhauled the attack with the signings of Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko, and Matheus Cunha for a combined sum approaching £200m.
The Premier League's Big Spenders: A Club-by-Club Breakdown
The data paints a clear picture of the division's financial heavyweights. Chelsea, despite spending over £1 billion since Todd Boehly's takeover, rank third with £-662.04m, having recouped large fees from sales. Tottenham Hotspur (£-569.24m) and Newcastle United (£-430.61m) complete the top five.
At the other end of the scale, Brighton & Hove Albion boast the league's most impressive financial model, recording a five-year net profit of £2.28 million despite consistent top-half finishes. Everton (£-12.13m) and Aston Villa (£-63.41m) also feature among the clubs with the lowest net spend.
The full five-year net spend table for every Premier League club is as follows:
1) Manchester United: £-684.61m
2) Arsenal: £-675.77m
3) Chelsea: £-662.04m
4) Tottenham Hotspur: £-569.24m
5) Newcastle United: £-430.61m
6) Liverpool: £-426.77m
7) Manchester City: £-346.56m
8) Nottingham Forest: £-328.86m
9) West Ham United: £-323.16m
10) Bournemouth: £-155.77m
11) Crystal Palace: £-145.95m
12) Sunderland: £-121.19m
13) Fulham: £-119.55m
14) Burnley: £-108.67m
15) Brentford: £-98.16m
16) Leeds United: £-75.4m
17) Aston Villa: £-63.41m
18) Wolves: £-48.92m
19) Everton: £-12.13m
20) Brighton: £2.28m
The figures underscore the vast financial disparities and contrasting strategies within England's top flight, with United's spending yet to translate into a Premier League title for over a decade.
