Chelsea
recorded the highest net-profit of any club in world football in the last
two transfer windows, according to newly published data.
Serving a transfer ban last summer after being deemed to have breached FIFA
regulations on the recruitment of young players, Chelsea spent just €45m
(around £38m) to turn Mateo Kovacic's loan from Real Madrid into a permanent
deal.
The west Londoners made a further €205m (£173.7m) in player sales, stemming
largely from the €100m plus add-ons sale of Eden Hazard to Real Madrid.
By contrast, Real Madrid posted €181m in negative balance on transfers,
according to research by the CIES Football Observatory.
Aston Villa were also low down on the list, second only to Real, spending
€172m on players following their promotion from the Championship and earning
just €3m in return for an €169m balance.
Overall Premier League clubs fared poorly, having the largest net deficit of
any of Europe's top five leagues and accounting for a combined €844m (£715m)
more in outgoings than money they earned.
Chelsea, who posted losses of £96.7m in the latest financial results , are
the only Premier League side to feature in the top 10 of clubs in terms of
net earners.
Top ten in highest net spend - € millions
| Club |
Spent |
Earned |
| Chelsea |
45m |
250m |
| Benfica |
64m |
230m |
| Ajax |
64m |
201m |
| Sporting CP |
29m |
121m |
| RB Salzburg |
28m |
103m |
| Lille |
99m |
168m |
| Hoffenheim |
65m |
134m |
| Sampdoria |
42m |
99m |
| PSV Eindhoven |
42m |
98m |
| Empoli |
20m |
70m |
Benfica, who earned €113m from the sale of Joao Felix to Atletico Madrid in
summer 2019 window, came second with a €166m net profit, with Ajax in third
with €137m - aided by the departures of Matthias De Ligt to Juventus and
Frenkie De Jong to Barcelona.
Manchester United, meanwhile, placed fourth and Tottenham fifth, with spends
of €151m and €141m more than they earned respectively. Arsenal came 11th
spending €85m more than they earned in player sales.
Swansea City, who offloaded Oli McBurnie to Sheffield United and Dan James
to Manchester United in big-money moves, placed 14th in best net-spend,
Bottom ten in net spend - € millions
| Club |
Spent |
Earned |
| Real Madrid |
330m |
149m |
| Aston Villa |
172m |
3m |
| Barcelona |
288m |
122m |
| Manchester United |
244m |
93m |
| Tottenham Hotspur |
204m |
63m |
| Monaco |
211m |
90m |
| Internazionale |
235m |
124m |
| Juventus |
235m |
141m |
| Fiorentina |
137m |
44m |
| Hertha BSC |
117m |
25m |
And Crystal Palace, who also sold right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka to Manchester
United, were the only other British club in the top 20, placing two places
higher in 12th.
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