The CIES Football Observatory recently published the list of the football clubs that have spent the most on transfers in the last ten years. The observatory body added up the net spend of the top European clubs from the 2012-2013 season. Interestingly, the outcome of the calculation left some wondering whether money buys success.
Some of the critics of the list had to wonder about the role of money in the success of clubs because some of the top spenders in the last ten years are yet to win as much as those who spent less in the same time frame.
For instance, Real Madrid which used to be the highest spenders on transfers have taken the back seat in the last ten years. Their net spend on transfer in the last ten years is just €179 million despite winning four UEFA Champions League titles within the same time frame.
A club like Liverpool which have been very successful in recent years, have a net spend on transfer worth just €347 million in the last ten years. And a less successful club like West Ham United have a net spend of €374 million in the same time frame.
Below are the top ten Football clubs that have spent the highest amount of money on transfers
- Manchester United – €1,075bn
Manchester United have spent a whopping €1,075 billion since the summer of 2012 which make them the football club that have spent the highest amount of money on transfers in the last ten years.
Despite the huge net spend, Manchester United have managed to win just one Premier League title, one Europa League, and two league cups within the time frame.
- Manchester City – €984 million
Manchester City are the second on the list of football clubs that have spent the highest amount of money on transfers. From the summer of 2012 to date, they have spent €984 million.
The huge net spend have helped the club to win eleven domestic titles and yet to win them a UEFA Champions League title within the time frame.
- Paris Saint Germain – €941 million
Paris Saint Germain are third on the list of football clubs that have spent the highest amount of money on transfers since 2012. The French club has spent €941 million in the last ten years.
Despite the huge spending, they are yet to win the UEFA Champions League title but they have been dominating domestic football since then.
- Barcelona – €650 million
FC Barcelona are the 4th net spenders in the last ten years. The Spanish giants have spent €650 million and yet the club which has won a couple of European and domestic titles within the time frame desperately needs to rebuild to return to reckoning.
- Arsenal – €583 million
Arsenal have not been playing European football for a couple of years now but they are 5th on the list of football clubs that have spent the highest amount of money on transfers in the last ten years. Even though they have spent €583 million, they have managed to win just four FA Cups in the last ten years.
- Juventus – €561 million
Juventus are 6th on the list of football clubs that have spent the highest amount of money on transfers. They have spent €561 million in the last ten years which has not won them a UEFA Champions League title yet.
- AC Milan – €432 million
AC Millan are 7th on the list of football clubs that have spent the highest amount of money on transfers. The Italian club have spent €432 million on transfers in the last ten years which is yet to win them any title.
- Everton – €429 million
Surprising, relegation-threatened Everton football club have spent a whopping €429 million in the last ten years. Despite such a huge investment, they are yet to win a major title. They currently struggling to survive relegation.
- Aston Villa – €424 million
Aston Villa have a net spend of €424 million on transfer and they are yet to win any major title despite the huge investment. They can only boast of surviving in the Premier League.
- Chelsea – €413 million
Chelsea football club have a net spend of just €413 million with a lot to show for the huge investment. In the last ten years, they have been able to establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with in European club football.
The Athletic publishes a table from the CIES Football Observatory today detailing net transfer spend over the past decade. That’s not always the full picture, but it does make for grim reading for Everton, Villa and Newcastle fans. pic.twitter.com/n6uxaeWKVL
— Beyond The Last Man (@BeyondTLM) April 15, 2022
