​

  ​ ​ ​

2026

  ​ ​ ​

2025

  ​ ​ ​

2024

​

  ​ ​ ​

£’000

  ​ ​ ​

£’000

  ​ ​ ​

£’000

Employee benefit expenses (Note 7)

(302,025)

(313,256)

(364,719)

Short-term and low value leases

(185)

(236)

(258)

Auditors’ remuneration: audit of parent company and consolidated financial statements

(617)

(615)

(670)

Auditors’ remuneration: audit of the Company’s subsidiaries

(117)

(117)

(190)

Auditors’ remuneration: audit-related services

​

(37)

​

(45)

​

(20)

Auditors’ remuneration: tax compliance and tax advice services

—

(6)

(12)

Foreign exchange losses on operating activities

(3,638)

(3,594)

(2,041)

Depreciation - property, plant and equipment (Note 13)

(19,544)

(15,676)

(14,998)

Depreciation – right-of-use assets (Note 14)

​

(808)

​

(1,046)

​

(1,248)

Depreciation - investment properties (Note 15)

(279)

(280)

(280)

Amortization – intangible assets (Note 16)

(211,813)

(196,373)

(190,123)

Sponsorship, other commercial and broadcasting costs

(13,958)

(14,459)

(16,645)

Retail, merchandising and e-commerce costs

​

(44,189)

​

(36,571)

​

(11,518)

External Matchday costs

(26,125)

(33,953)

(29,940)

Travel and entertaining costs

​

(6,400)

​

(8,811)

​

(13,708)

Legal, professional and consultancy costs

​

(10,010)

​

(12,567)

​

(15,697)

Property and utility costs

(32,201)

(31,120)

(33,666)

Other operating expenses (individually less than £10,000,000)

(21,740)

(28,335)

(25,019)

Exceptional items (Note 6)

(8,209)

(36,626)

(47,778)

​

(701,895)

(733,686)

(768,530)