The football world is full of money, and nowhere is this more evident than in the transfer market. Some clubs, fueled by ambition, wealthy ownership, or a combination of both, have assembled squads worth eye-watering cash.
From £100 million strikers to wages that most people could only dream of; football money is insane.
But that doesn’t always constitute success, and while the big clubs across Europe can spend big, it’s not always wise to just throw money around.
After all, Leicester City won the league with a squad worth £28.8 million. So, can money really buy success?
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5. PSG (£802 million)
For a while, PSG were the new kid on the block amongst the European elite and managed to cultivate a frontline of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.
On paper, it should have been the greatest attacking force since, well, Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez. But they now find themselves lagging back.
Although they continue to dominate in France, they are yet to win the big one: a Champions League trophy. It’s the one they want the most.
With the news Kylian Mbappe will be leaving come the end of the season, you wonder what will come next for the Saudi-backed giants.
They have put a lot of money into this squad with one goal, European glory. Could that finally pay off this year? It seems unlikely.
4. Real Madrid (£882 million)
Madrid have a history of spending big on the best players from around the world. But the days of Zinedine Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo are far behind them and they find themselves fourth in the spending charts.
While Florentino Perez demands trophies, perfection, and a new ‘Galacticos’ era, the reality is they just can’t keep up with the Premier League’s spending.
It makes sense many of these sides would push for a Super League given how much they stand to make from it.
But Madrid still have a star-studded cast and have been the most dominant club in Europe over the past twenty years, winning the Champions League more than anyone else.
Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Jr., Eduardo Camavinga, and Aurelien Tchouameni seem to be ushering in a new era for Los Blancos, one in which they aren’t the spending powerhouse from before.
3. Chelsea (£927 million)
Chelsea’s ownership and transfer policy is a strange one, one that has bought them little to no success thus far.
While they have seemingly bought in a huge array of brilliant young players from around the world, things seem crazy at the Bridge and there is a distinct lack of a real plan.
In this list, it’s Chelsea who have made the least progress. They currently sit 10th in the table, and although they have a chance to redeem themselves in the League Cup final against Liverpool, it seems unlikely.
But with all this money spent across multiple avenues and a whole host of top youth prospects, surely success is just around the corner…
2. Manchester City (£1.1 billion)
City’s squad boasts world-class talent like Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland. But aside from starters, City often have a bench worth upwards of 100 million.
They seem to stockpile world class talent in every single position across the pitch. Jack Grealish arrived in Manchester for £100 million and now struggles to get regular game time.
But the success under Pep Guardiola is undeniable. Last year’s treble is proof that they are one of the greatest teams ever assembled.
His ability to keep players happy with limited game time is astounding, and although he may have won everything, there is still a drive for further perfection.
Manchester City’s blueprint has bought them untold success. Was it money well spent?
1. Manchester United (£1.22 billion)
There is no surprise that Manchester United find themselves top of the list.
A football club that transcends the sport, with a bank account to match. But it’s been a rough few years for United.
With their noisy neighbours replicating their incredible treble success, the clubs seem to be heading in different directions.
The Red Devils hold the (dubious) honour of having the most expensive squad in the world.
Big-money signings like Jadon Sancho and Antony haven’t yet translated to consistent dominance, raising questions about value for money.
They also seem to have a huge problem with ownership and how the club continues to be run. Manchester United fans will be hoping that soon their deep pockets will once again transfer into success.
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