According to the CIES Football Observatory, Manchester United is Europe's worst-performing club for player value appreciation, suffering a total depreciation of -€405 million since 2022 due to disastrous recruitment and squad devaluation.

While Manchester United continue to struggle for consistency on the pitch, their administrative and recruitment strategies have just been completely exposed as the absolute worst in European football.

According to the newly released CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post, the Red Devils have earned the embarrassing crown of being Europe’s ultimate "value graveyard" for players. 

The study, which ranks global teams based on the appreciation or depreciation in transfer value of non-academy players signed over the past five years, revealed that Old Trafford is where world-class talent goes to lose its worth.

Man United recorded a catastrophic total depreciation of -€405 million on signings made since 2022, making them the worst-performing club in Europe and second-worst globally, only sitting behind Saudi Arabia’s heavily subsidised Al-Hilal SFC (-€502 million).

Former Man United star Jadon Sancho | Getty Images

The CIES model calculates financial performance by tracking the balance between transfer fees paid and received for players who have already left, combined with the current market values of players still owned by the club.

United’s breakdown on the global charts paints a picture of absolute recruitment malpractice:

Man United's new striker Benjamin Sesko | Instagram(@manchesterunited)

This data proves that once a player signs for Manchester United, their market value immediately takes a massive hit. 

High-profile, expensive recruits have consistently failed to replicate their previous form at Old Trafford, driving their market value downward and making it nearly impossible for the club to recoup its massive investments.

To put United’s recruitment disaster into perspective, one only needs to look at the top of the CIES rankings.

Germany’s Eintracht Frankfurt tops the world with a spectacular appreciation of +€527 million. Right behind them is Real Madrid at +€526 million, fueled by shrewd transfer market strategies like signing French superstar Kylian Mbappe on a free transfer (now valued over €160 million) and watching Arda Guler’s value skyrocket from €30 million to €125 million.

While clubs like Paris Saint-Germain, SL Benfica, and cross-town rivals Manchester City round out the top five with sound sports policies, United continues to burn through cash with zero return on investment.

With over €1.3 billion in transfer volume moving through the club since 2022, United’s recruitment team has systematically overpaid for talent that depreciates almost immediately upon arrival. 

For any elite player looking to grow their career and market profile, the data sends a clear, terrifying warning: moving to Old Trafford right now is a certified career risk.