Thames: Manchester United pays £313.2 million, expected to be lower than Arsenal for the first time in the Premier League

According to the Times, Manchester United's annual salary expenditure is 313.2 million pounds, which is expected to be lower than Arsenal for the first time in the Premier League.

Manchester United released its 2025 financial report yesterday. The financial report showed that the club's salary expenditure was 313.2 million pounds, a decrease of 51.5 million pounds from the previous year (a decrease of 14.1%). The main reasons are the men's first teams participating in the Europa League this year (rather than the Champions League), the changes in the first team player lineup during the season, and the reduction in non-player personnel costs during the club restructuring.

This makes Manchester United the fifth highest-paid club in the Premier League, second only to Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal. This is the first time that Manchester United's salary expenditure has been lower than Arsenal since the Premier League era. Arsenal's salary expenditure is expected to increase significantly, while Manchester United's salary expenditure has dropped sharply in its 2025 financial report.

Manchester City had the highest salary expenditure in the 2022-23 season, at 413 million pounds, followed by Liverpool (386 million pounds), Manchester United (365 million pounds), Chelsea (338 million pounds) and Arsenal.

football finance expert Kieran Maguire said: "The failure to advance to the Champions League, coupled with the layoffs at Old Trafford, may lead to Manchester United's salary level being lower than Arsenal for the first time. These results show that returning to the Champions League is crucial if Manchester United wants to compete at the top level."

Manchester United's 2025 annual report shows that despite the team's failure to advance to the Champions League, the club's financial losses fell sharply last season, with revenue still hitting a record 666.5 million pounds.