5 clubs that earned the most from selling players after Financial Fair Play was introduced
With the dawning of Financial Fair Play regulations, UEFA saw to it that clubs around Europe cut their massive spending and effectively ensured that transfer outlay would not spiral out of control. With sanctions threatening to remove teams from the Champions League or reduce their squad strength depending on the shortfall, UEFA meant business.
Since 2010, clubs have hence curbed their spending and looked to sell players with profits in mind. While a few clubs did fall short of the expected targets, there were many that made healthy profits from player transfers.
More: Which club has spent the most in the transfer market since Financial Fair Play was introduced?
5) FC Porto – € 382m
Since 2010, Porto have won the Portuguese Primeira Liga thrice – all three of which came as part of a hat-trick of titles between 2010/11 and 2012/13. The club have a rich history and was arguably the last club that wasn’t a heavyweight that lifted the Champions League title in 2004 under Jose Mourinho.
The club also have a reputation of producing players with the potential to become world class. In turn, they have also signed on many players from the smaller clubs. Their primary source of income hinges on developing players and selling them to the bigger clubs in Europe for a handsome profit.
Since 2010, they have sold players such as Falcao, Hulk, James Rodriguez, Joao Moutinho, Jackson Martinez, Danilo, Alex Sandro, Fernando, Juan Iturbe, Eliaquim Mangala, Nicolas Otamendi, Bruno Alves and Raul Meireles. One look at that list and one wonders what kind of team Porto would have fielded had they retained their top players.