Manchester United can have no excuse
for their awful start to the new season as
it has been revealed that they boast the
most expensive squad ever assembled in
England.

United are not even in the Champions
League this season after David Moyes’
disastrous reign but the total value of
their underperforming players suggests
they should be at the very top of
European football, not losing to MK Dons
in the League Cup.


[MK DONS HAMMER ABYSMAL
UNITED]

The Daily Mail has added up the
combined transfer totals and worked out
that United’s squad is the first ever to
have cost in excess of £400 million -
£401.2m to be precise.
And, according to the paper’s figures,
their nearest challengers are local rivals
Manchester City, who thanks to Sheikh
Mansour’s huge investment since his
takeover in 2008 have assembled a
squad worth a total of £344.15m.
The two Manchester sides were fairly
close in the spending stakes until United
confirmed the signing of Angel Di Maria
last week, with the Argentina star
costing the club a British record £59.7m
from Real Madrid.


[DI MARIA JOINS UNITED IN RECORD
DEAL]
Di Maria was the fourth big arrival at
Old Trafford this summer, following
£30m Luke Shaw, £28.8m Ander
Herrera and £16m Marcos Rojo, as
United exercised the financial muscle
generated by their huge commercial, TV
and matchday income to good effect.


BIG FIVE SQUADS BY TOTAL
TRANSFER FEES, VIA DAILY MAIL 1.
Manchester United - £401.2m 2.
Manchester City - £344.15m 3. Chelsea -
£341.8m 4. Liverpool - £245.8m 5.
Arsenal - £209.5m
United’s race to the top of the squad-
value standings is no doubt a reflection
of the fact that in recent years the
academy graduates who cost nothing
from their youth ranks have gradually
retired, culminating with Ryan Giggs’
move into management this season,
leaving the club relying on expensive
imports.

Louis van Gaal with two of his summer
signings: Ander Herrera and Luke Shaw
As our table below demonstrates, United
have spent in excess of £10m on no less
than 18 members of their current squad.
(Transfer fees from 2012-13 season and
before taken from Soccerbase )
Further signings could follow, with
Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal, AC
Milan’s Nigel De Jong and Ajax star
Daley Blind still linked with moves which
could beat Monday night’s deadline.
And with Manchester City and Chelsea's
summer transfer work believed to be
basically done - bar a couple of comings
and goings - on September 2, United
could boast a squad which costs nearly
£100m more than their Premier League
rivals'.

The huge value of their squad only
serves to further highlight their rank
underperformance in the past year, and
means United really have no excuse for
their current failings.