Manchester United’s spending has been severely restricted by profit and sustainability (PSR) rules, and they have no plans to make any major signings this month, with even loan arrivals ruled out right now.
The Old Trafford club are unlikely to add any players to their squad before the January transfer window closes next Wednesday, and they believe the risk of long-term punishment is not worth a short-term fix.
A recent report from CIES Football Observatory has shown that Man United failed to generate much-needed income from the sales of non-academy players between 2014 and 2023, which could prove to be the difference between breaking Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules or not.
The report revealed the 50 most unprofitable clubs in the world between 2014 and 2023, and Man United are fifth on the list.
The Red Devils made €398 million on player sales within that period but spent €726m on recruitment, making losses of €328m (£280m).
Being the fifth-most unprofitable club for the signing and sale of non-academy players between 2014 and 2023 has not done Man United any favours, and it is clear to see why they are trying hard to avoid breaking FFP rules.
Spending heavily on the likes of Jadon Sancho, Paul Pogba, Romelu Lukaku, Angel Di Maria Antony, Casemiro, Donny van de Beek, Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund has not yielded much in terms of silverware for Man United.
They have not won the Premier League title since 2013 and still do not have a squad capable of challenging for the major trophies despite their spending spree.
Man United are expected to undergo a major squad overhaul in the summer after struggling to sell their underperforming stars this month.
They need to recruit quality players during the next transfer window, but the amount they will be able to spend will largely depend on how much they earn from sales.
