On Wednesday, Manchester United suffered a shocking penalty shootout loss to Grimsby Town after a 2–2 draw in regulation, resulting in their elimination from the EFL Cup’s second round. It was a major upset for the Red Devils, who boast a vastly superior budget compared to their fourth-division rivals. The financial disparity becomes even clearer when comparing the market value of Bruno Fernandes to that of the entire Grimsby Town squad.
According to the specialist site Transfermarkt, Bruno Fernandes currently has a market value of €50 million (approximately $58 million), reflecting his global star status and his significant role within the team.
The League Two club, on the other hand, has a roster valuation far below that of the Portuguese midfielder. Transfermarkt lists Grimsby Town’s total market value at just €3.6 million ($4.18 million). In other words, every player on the Grimsby roster combined is worth less than 10% of Fernandes’ valuation.
And that gap widens even further when comparing Grimsby’s squad to Manchester United’s most expensive player. Benjamin Sesko, who joined from RB Leipzig this summer, currently holds the highest valuation in the squad at €70 million — nearly 20 times more than Grimsby Town’s entire roster.
How much is Grimsby Town’s most valuable player worth?
One of the heroes of Grimsby Town’s historic advancement to the EFL Cup’s third round was their goalkeeper. Christy Pym made a crucial save during the penalty shootout, denying Manchester United the win when they were just one conversion away. His stop on Matheus Cunha kept Grimsby alive and proved to be a turning point in the eventual victory.
According to Transfermarkt, Pym is the highest-valued player on the Grimsby Town squad. The 30-year-old goalkeeper is listed at €350,000, which puts him €50,000 ahead of the next most valuable player on the team, center-back Harvey Rodgers.
Manchester United vs Grimsby Town: The financial gap
Not only was the penalty shootout win historic, but the 2–2 draw in regulation was itself a remarkable achievement for Grimsby Town, considering the enormous distance between the two clubs. Those differences are evident in the star power on the pitch — and even more so in the numbers.
If the total value of Grimsby Town’s roster (€3.6 million) looked small next to Bruno Fernandes’ valuation, the comparison with Manchester United’s full squad is even more staggering. Transfermarkt estimates the Red Devils’ squad value at €887.2 million — making it 246 times more expensive than Grimsby Town’s.