Which clubs have the costliest squads in world football?

CIES Football Observatory recently released data on the costliest teams in world football. Research showed that English Premier League teams dominated the rankings for costliest teams. The likes of Manchester City and Manchester United both featured high on the CIES’s rankings. Big spenders from the European continent also featured prominently. In some cases, having the costliest squd hasn’t translated over to trophies. Let’s look at the top five teams in world football with the costliest teams.

5. Chelsea

Premier League big spenders, Chelsea, come in at No. 5 on the list of costliest world football squads. The Blues spent heavily in the 2020 offseason to acquire Hakim Ziyech, Kai Havertz, and Timo Werner.

4. Barcelona

The Spanish giants are the only team in the top five hailing from Spain. Barcelona are in a trophy drought currently and could see it grow. Barcelona could also lose Lionel Messi next season which would affect their squad salary ranking.

3. Manchester United

The Red Devils may not have won the Premier League since the days of Sir Alex Ferguson, but that hasn’t stopped them from spending heavily on players. Manchester United’s squad is valued at €888m. Despite having gaps in their team, the amount is incredibly high for little in return.

2. Paris Saint-Germain

PSG comes in second as having world football’s costliest squad. The likes of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe lead the way in salaries at the Parisian club. If Lionel Messi joins the side next offseason, it could lead them to overtake the No. 1 team on this list.

1. Manchester City

The English club lead the way when it comes to costliest squads. The amount of money spent by Manchester City in recent years nearly got them banned from the Champions League. However, UEFA’s ban was overturned by the Court of Sport of Arbitration. Manchester City’s squad is worth €1036m