The top 5 most expensive teams across Europe – A list compiled from the stats taken from football-observatory.com and Optastats. The numbers mentioned below are not the market value of a team or a particular player, instead they represent the amount spent by the respective teams to assemble their current squad.
The likes of Bayern Munich and Barcelona who boasts some world class players all round the park might not be featured on the list. This is due to the fact that these clubs despite buying few of their star players, play hosts to some of their academy products or players whom they bought at a very young age.
If you are interested in knowing the current market value of these teams, please do check out this list from the transfermarkt.co.uk. So, lets look at the top 5 most expensive squad across Europe currently.
5. PSG: 365.9 million pounds
The Ligue 1 champions have managed to sneak in at the last place. Qatar Investment Authority, who hold almost 70% of the clubs’ share, have invested heavily in the Parisians. The likes of Thiago Silva, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Lavezzi, Lucas Moura and Edinson Cavani have all contributed to the increase in the squad value of PSG.
4. Chelsea: 376 million pounds
The 12-13 Champions League winners are 4th in this list with a squad worth £376 million pounds, thanks to the West London outfit’s wealthy and enthusiastic owner in Roman Abramovich. With their recent buys of Oscar, Hazard, Marin, Moses in 12-13 season while buying many prospects and stars in Torres, Ba, Schurrle, Salah, Matic and David Luiz, the Blues have accumulated a very expensive set of players since the Russian bought the club back in 2003.
3. Manchester United: 394.9 million pounds
For a club who are languishing at 7th in the Premier League table behind Everton and Tottenham Hotspur, it comes as a shock to find them third in the list of the most expensive squad in Europe. Although they have been having a poor season in a very long time, their squad value have only increased with the recent signings of Juan Mata and Marouane Fellaini since David Moyes took over from Sir Alex Ferguson last summer.
2. Manchester City: 435.1 million pounds
The noisy neighbours of Manchester United won the 11-12 Premier League title after splashing cash in the likes of Nasri, Clichy and Aguero. Man City have lined up the second most expensive team in the world and have an enviable star studded team with the likes Aguero, Yaya Toure, Kompany and David Silva among others. Man City have wealthy and generous owners who have invested in the present as well as the future of the club and thus, they have a very expensive squad.
1.Real Madrid: 536 million pounds
As one would expect, Real Madrid are the costliest team in the world in terms of money spent to line up their current squad. With the recent record signing of Gareth Bale for £85.3m, Real have added to the tremendous quality of star value which they already possessed in the form of Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo and others such as Karim Benzema, Luka Modric, Angel Di Maria etc. Other signings in the form of Isco and Illarramendi have also been some big money moves. Mardid have offloaded some players in order to balance the finances with the sale of Ozil, Higuain and Callejon. Chairman Florentino Perez has vowed to have one big signing every year.