Manchester United has racked up £155 million in injury costs over the past five years, making them the Premier League's most injury-hit club, according to a new report by insurance giant Howden released on Tuesday. The staggering figure reflects 399 separate injuries between the 2020-21 and 2024-25 campaigns, with the club's worst season costing £45.28 million in 2023-24 alone.
The findings come from Howden's fifth Men's European Football Injury Index, which analyzed injury data across Europe's top five leagues. Premier League clubs collectively paid over £1.2 billion in wages to injured players since 2020-21, representing a quarter of their total matchday revenue. Despite accounting for only 24 per cent of total injuries across the Big Five leagues, Premier League clubs bore 40 per cent of the costs due to significantly higher player wages.
Chelsea emerged as the most affected by the expanded football calendar, suffering 23 injuries between June and October following their Club World Cup triumph. This represents a 44 per cent increase compared to the same period the previous season. Manchester City, despite sustaining no injuries during the Club World Cup itself, recorded 22 injuries in the three months following the tournament after their round of 16 exit to Al Hilal.
Financial burden intensifies
The total injury bill across Europe's top five leagues reached nearly £3 billion over the past five years, covering 22,596 injuries. Manchester United topped the Premier League rankings, followed by Chelsea at around £140 million and Manchester City at £105 million. The average cost per injury across the Big Five leagues stood at €150,000, calculated based on players' full salaries paid during their entire injury duration.
James Burrows, Howden's head of sport, noted the Club World Cup initially «had a minimal impact on the overall number of injuries sustained.» However, he warned: «We expect to see the impact spike in the November to February period. That's where you see the most significant impact from summer tournaments.»
Young players most vulnerable
The report revealed a concerning 30 per cent increase in injury severity, with players missing substantially more time when injured. Young players face particular risk, with Premier League forwards under 21 sustaining an injury every 120 minutes of competitive domestic football over the past five years.
Dr Robin Thorpe, an elite football performance and injury risk expert and former Manchester United consultant, highlighted systemic concerns in player development. «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,» he stated. «The vulnerability of young players is particularly striking. [...] 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.»
The Premier League's high-velocity, transition-heavy style of play continues to generate the highest burden of muscle and hamstring injuries among Europe's top leagues. Dr Thorpe noted that «on-pitch performance strongly influences financial performance via league position, European qualification, commercial value and player asset appreciation, injuries impose a dual competitive and economic burden.»
Calendar sustainability questioned
Maheta Molango, chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association and Fifpro board member, responded to the findings by criticizing the current football calendar. «The Howden report demonstrates the impact of pushing players to their limits through a year-round schedule of football,» he said following the report's publication. «Serious injuries are always going to happen if players are not given proper breaks for rest and recovery. Players are exposed to an extreme schedule at a younger and younger age. That will have an impact on their careers and their wellbeing. The current calendar makes no sense for players, fans or clubs.»
Last season saw total injuries across the top five leagues rise slightly from 4,429 to 4,456, though total costs fell from £733 million to £592 million, suggesting fewer top-earning stars were sidelined. Premier League injuries fell for the fourth consecutive year to 958, with costs dropping by £70 million to £250 million.
Burrows emphasized that drawing comprehensive conclusions about calendar changes requires a longer assessment period. «It is too narrow a base of data,» he explained, adding that regarding the Club World Cup: «If we're looking at the Club World Cup we will be able to draw a more comprehensive conclusion in 12 to 24 months.»
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
