Man United top list of highest net spend in the last decade, highlights Glazer problem

Manchester United have a net spend of over a billion pounds in the last decade, which is the most out of any club in world football.

In second comes Manchester City, with just under a billion. Then PSG, Barcelona and Arsenal follow them in the list.

The top 10 highest spending clubs can be viewed below.

This window alone has seen the Reds buy over £200 million worth of talent, with Antony and Casemiro costing over £140 million between them.

Lisandro Martinez and Tyrell Malacia cost the club around £60 million, whist Christian Eriksen was bought on a free transfer.

However, it is the business in the past which has led to this extortionate number and a huge lack of success to show for it.

United's incomings whilst under the management of Ed Woodward was amateur for almost the entire decade. Partnered with the incompetence of the Glazer ownership and it's clear to see why United top the list.

Whether it was not getting the right targets or swapping a manager for another with a completely different style, meaning previous signings were surplus to requirements, United did it all.

The inability to plan for the long term also meant that many signings were unsuitable just a couple of years after joining the club. The pressure to then sign even more players then came and clubs would increase their prices because they knew United were desperate. It became a vicious cycle that they are still struggling to shrug off.

However, perhaps most importantly, United's net spend is overwhelming because the club cannot sell their players for high fees.

There are so many factors which come into why this is the case. David Beckham is still the club's fifth highest ever sale from when he left for Real Madrid in 2003 for £33 million.

Firstly comes the drop in form. Old Trafford has been a graveyard for many talent in recent years and their form often falls off a cliff due to the lack of long term planning at the club, and the inability to make a well-rounded squad due to management changes and a lack of spending when it matters.

United would splash the cash on occasion, especially when things were bad and they were not getting the Champions League revenue that came with being in the European competition. But, often manager's top targets were ignored.

This meant that the players that did come in usually were in a squad that wasn't prepared for the challenge and so they would then regress.

Another reason why the Reds can't sell players well is due to the ludicrous wage packages they give out. Other clubs are never prepared to give a high transfer fee when the wages are so ridiculous.

We've seen too many players leave on free transfers or for minimal amounts due to this. In fact, we've also seen the inability to get them off the books, with Phil Jones being a prime example in the current squad. He was given a new four-year contract at Old Trafford in February 2019.

With the club unable to move players on for significant fees like their competitors, and Woodward's incompetence in his role at the club, given to him by an equally incompetent ownership, it is no surprise that United embarrassingly top this list with minimal honours to show for it.

The jury is still out on the new regime. Many doubt whether things can seriously change under the current ownership. If they do, Erik ten Hag would've done a marvellous job.