Modern football is unfortunately driven by money, but does spending mean success? Not so, according to a new study by football financial experts. Manchester United has been the country's top spender over the past ten years and has little to show for it.
Both Manchester clubs have topped the list of highest spenders over the past ten years, but only one of them has spent the most. It turns out that Manchester United have spent over a billion pounds (net spend) since 2012 and Manchester City have spent just under a billion.
However, the similarities between the two clubs stop there. While Manchester City have enjoyed considerable domestic success, within the same time frame Manchester United's trophies include a Europa League and an FA Cup, both ushering in the era of Louis Van Gaal and Jose Mourinho.
Unlike the big spenders, Liverpool \(14th) have spent less than half that of United and City, winning both the Champions League and the Premier League within that time. Adding a few finals and an ongoing title challenge, while keeping net expenses to a minimum, is nothing short of an outstanding achievement from Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool's backroom staff.
Premier League clubs have six of the ten biggest net spenders, as Arsenal (5th), Everton (8th), Aston Villa (9th), and Chelsea (10th) all make up the top ten in Europe. European giants PSG, Barcelona, Juventus and AC Milan make up the other four places.
Big names dropping out of the top ten include Bayern Munich and Inter Milan, with Real Madrid not even making it to the top twenty. The rest of the list is dominated by Premier League clubs, with 14 of the 20 all coming from England.
The CIES Football Observatory have released the list online, which has shocked many football fans and led some clubs to start asking questions as they throw ridiculous money away with nothing to show for it.
I think it's safe to say money definitely doesn't guarantee success! 🙇♂️ pic.twitter.com/cRGsK8EPCo
— 90min (@90min_Football) February 8, 2022