If you’re going to get to the top of elite European football, you’re going to need to spend plenty of money in the transfer market.
It’s no surprise 16 of the top 20 clubs who had the highest total squad cost for the 2017 financial year were in the Champions League this season.
UEFA, European football’s governing body, have released their benchmarking report for 2019 allowing us to peruse information about the top sides’ accounts.
One element UEFA has analysed is how much the clubs have spent on players in their quests for glory.
So, which European teams had splashed the most cash on the squad by the end of the 2017 financial year? Find out below.
20. Benfica – Squad cost for the 2017 financial year = €228million (£200.05m)
19. Borussia Dortmund – Squad cost for the 2017 financial year = €233million (£204.44m)
18. Everton – Squad cost for the 2017 financial year = €244million (£214.09m)
17. Monaco – Squad cost for the 2017 financial year = €265million (£232.52m)
16. Atletico Madrid – Squad cost for the 2017 financial year = €278million (£243.92m)
15. Tottenham Hotspur – Squad cost for the 2017 financial year = €280million (£245.68m)
14. Napoli – Squad cost for the 2017 financial year = €290million (£254.45m)
13. AC Milan – Squad cost for the 2017 financial year = €330million (£289.55m)
12. Roma – Squad cost for the 2017 financial year = €344million (£301.83m)
11. Liverpool – Squad cost for the 2017 financial year = €390million (£342.19m)
10. Inter Milan – Squad cost for the 2017 financial year = €394million (£345.70m)
9. Bayern Munich – Squad cost for the 2017 financial year = €415million (£364.13m)
8. Barcelona – Squad cost for the 2017 financial year = €429million (£376.41m)
7. Arsenal – Squad cost for the 2017 financial year = €508million (£445.73m)
6. Paris Saint-Germain – Squad cost for the 2017 financial year = €525million (£460.65m)
5. Juventus – Squad cost for the 2017 financial year = €529million (£464.16m)
4. Chelsea – Squad cost for the 2017 financial year = €531million (£465.91m)
3. Manchester United – Squad cost for the 2017 financial year = €751million (£658.94m)
2. Real Madrid – Squad cost for the 2017 financial year = €790million (£693.16m)
1. Manchester City – Squad cost for the 2017 financial year = €800million (£701.94m)