Manchester United's debt rises to £1.15bn after £90m additional borrowing and £191.7m summer spending
Quick Look
Manchester United confirmed borrowing an additional £90m since 30 June, bringing total debt to £1.15bn despite spending £191.7m on new players this summer, including Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans, and Carlos Baleba, with transfer fee obligations still significant.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Manchester United has been implementing cost-cutting measures since Sir Jim Ratcliffe became minority owner in 2024, while managing significant debt from previous seasons and ongoing transfer fee obligations.
Manchester United have borrowed another £90m since 30 June - and confirmed they spent £191.7m on new players this summer.
United bought Andrey Santos from Chelsea on 13 July, Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa on 14 July and Carlos Baleba from Brighton on 25 August.
The fees the club stated they spent on the trio at the time the transfers were announced added up to £153m, and it is not clear where the additional sum has been spent.
The club have been approached for comment.
Confirmation of the additional borrowing of £90m was included in a more detailed filing to the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday, following Wednesday's release of their 2025-26 accounts to 30 June, and showed their overall debt was still more than £1bn despite major cost-cutting measures implemented by Sir Jim Ratcliffe since he became minority owner in 2024.
United confirmed it made three further drawdowns from its revolving credit limit, on 29 and 31 July and 28 August, totalling £120m. It then paid back £30m on 21 September.
It takes United's overall debt to £1.15bn, made up of the historic debt, which now stands at £578m, the £200m outstanding on its revolving credit facility, and £375m in outstanding transfer fees.
That is a £72m reduction on the £447m they stated was owed in transfer fees in the 2024-25 accounts. However, it remains a large sum, with £104.8m due in between one and two years and £51.9m in between two and five years - with the remainder due in the next 12 months.
The club say payments for their most recent transfers "are due within the next five years".
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Manchester United will need to address transfer fee payment obligations through further financing or asset sales
Likely · Within months
Open Questions
- Where exactly the additional £38.7m beyond the stated £153m for the three summer signings was spent
- Whether the club will need further borrowing to meet upcoming transfer fee payments
- How the debt structure will affect future transfer activity and wage budget
