The true cost of Man Utd's shocking 5-year injury list - and it's the most in the Premier League

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Manchester United's injury costs over the last five seasons amount to a staggering £155million, the most in the Premier League . According to an in-depth study, United recorded either the highest or second-highest cost figure between the 2020/21 and 2024/25 seasons.

The data is part of the fifth edition of insurance intermediary group Howden's Men's European Football Injury Index. The report not only focuses on last season, when United had their worst campaign in 50 years, but also reflects on the past five years. During this time, United, along with Manchester City , Liverpool and Chelsea , incurred above-average injury costs.

After United's £155m came Chelsea on £137m and Manchester City on £104m. Injury cost is determined by a player's daily wage during their period of injury. As such, the absence of a high-earning key player results in higher costs than a few squad players on lower wages.

United's most expensive season in the period was the 2023/24 campaign, which resulted in a cost of £45.28million. The club fared better last season, with injury costs just under £28m, according to the study.

The lowest injury cost for United, a mere £14.5m, occurred during the 2020/21 season, when they finished second in the Premier League under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer . Over the recent five-year period, United suffered a total of 399 injuries, averaging nearly 80 per season.

Chelsea followed with 359 injuries, while Newcastle recorded 355. Despite their on-field struggles, United's injury tally last season actually fell to 68, the lowest figure during the period.

The research, which also examined the top divisions in Germany, Spain, Italy and France, documented 22,596 injuries at a cost of nearly £3billion over the five-year period. Premier League clubs accounted for 24 per cent of the injuries but bore 40 per cent of the costs, highlighting the financial gap between the English top flight and its European rivals.

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While costs have generally risen, the number of injuries has remained steady and, in some instances, even declined. However, there has been a rise in injury severity, particularly among players under the age of 21.

This has been linked to players' increasingly demanding schedules. Elite Football Performance and Injury Risk Expert, Dr Robin Thorpe, a former Man United consultant, said: "A concerning signal is the near 30 per cent increase in injury severity, indicating that players who do become injured are missing substantially more time.

"This rise in severity aligns with reduced recovery windows, cumulative fatigue, and the increasing density and sequencing of elite competition for a selection of teams.

"The vulnerability of young players is particularly striking. Across the top leagues, most notably in the Premier League, under-21 players sustain the most severe injuries despite accumulating the fewest minutes.

"This may point toward a systemic issue within player development pathways. In many cases, players may reach technical readiness for senior football before achieving the physical robustness required to tolerate its demands."

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