Three charts that show the chasm between Manchester United and Brighton’s spending
Manchester United’s vast financial advantage over Brighton is illustrated by analysis of both clubs’ spending over the last decade as they prepare to meet in Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final.
When Manchester United last met Brighton and Hove Albion at Wembley Stadium in the 1983 FA Cup final replay, it was already a financial mismatch.
Although United were still a few years away from the all-conquering Sir Alex Ferguson era, they were seven-time English champions and had just finished third in the top flight.
Their captain, and two-goal star of the 4-0 replay win, was Bryan Robson, for whom they had smashed the British transfer record in a show of their spending power.
By contrast Brighton, whose relegation to Division Two had just been confirmed, were led by midfielder Jimmy Case, who they had received in part-exchange from Liverpool.
Since then – and as the two teams prepare to meet at Wembley again on Sunday in the FA Cup semi-finals – the financial gap between the clubs has widened dramatically
Brighton almost went bust in the 15 years which followed that cup final and it would take until 2017 for them to reach the Premier League.
United, meanwhile, embarked on a period of unprecedented success which coincided with football’s rapid commercialisation and became the world’s richest football club.
The enduring financial chasm will be evident when the sides face off this weekend, as research by academics at the CIES Football Observatory illustrates.
Squad cost
United have one of the most expensively assembled squads in the game – second only to neighbours Manchester City, in fact – according to CIES.
Their squad cost a total of €852m (£751m) in transfer fees, or €1bn (£881m) with potential add-ons included.
That is six times as much as Brighton’s squad, which cost just €140m (£124m) rising to €166m (£147m), the cheapest in the Premier League bar Brentford.
The numbers were compiled in September after the summer transfer window but were not affected significantly by January trading.
Net spend
The gulf is even greater when comparing the net spending of United and Brighton over the most recent five- and three-year periods.
United have had a net spend of €670m (£593m) since summer 2018, a figure topped only by Chelsea, CIES reported in February.
Brighton’s net spend over the same period was less than 10 per cent of United’s, at €56m (£50m).
Since summer 2020, meanwhile, the south coast outfit have actually made a net profit of €109m (£96m) from their transfer business compared with United’s €466m (£411m) net loss.
Overspend
It is not just in absolute and net terms that United have kept the purse-strings far looser than Brighton; they are also guilty of overpaying far more.
In fact United have overpaid for players more than any other club in the top five European leagues over the last 10 years, says CIES.
The north-west giants have paid €238m (£210m) above market value in that time on players such as Harry Maguire and Antony.
And what about Brighton, who have been revived by owner Tony Bloom, a professional gambler? They have paid €1m under market value for their signings in the last decade.
As was the case 40 years ago, United’s spending power dwarfs that of their FA Cup opponents.
But the fact that Brighton will line up against them at Wembley again is testament to their shrewd dealings and ability to cut their cloth accordingly.