Ranking the Premier League top 6 by cost per trophy
The Premier League is home to some of the richest clubs in the world. In the competitive world of football, clubs often need to invest heavily in player transfers in order to achieve success.
With a fortune at stake, the pressure is high to secure the best players who can perform on the field and deliver results. This means that clubs must be willing to spend large sums of money to acquire top talent, whether it be through scouting, bidding wars or by paying high wages.
While there is no guarantee that spending big on transfers will always translate to success on the pitch, it is often viewed as a necessary step towards achieving glory in the world of football. Without further ado, let's take a look at the cost per trophy of the Premier League top six.
(Note: The Community Shield has not been counted as a trophy here)
#6 Tottenham Hotspur - €634 million per trophy
Tottenham Hotspur have spent less than the rest of the Premier League top six except for Arsenal. They have spent €1.91 billion but have received very little reward. Spurs have won just three major trophies in the Premier League era.
Spurs' most impactful signings since the start of the Premier League era are Gareth Bale, Christian Eriksen, Luka Modric, Rafael van der Vaart and Son Heung-min.
Tottenham Hotspur have been subjected to a lot of criticism due to their propensity for choking at crucial moments and their lack of success is largely attributed to this flaw.
#5 Manchester City - €203 million per trophy
The takeover by the Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008 helped transform Manchester City into an absolute footballing powerhouse. City's coffers are deep and they have managed to rope in world-class players on a regular basis and this has helped them become one of the most successful sides in Europe.
City have spent €2.86 billion in the Premier League era and have managed to win 14 trophies. Some of their most impactful signings are Sergio Aguero, Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling, Yaya Toure, Vincent Kompany, David Silva and Riyad Mahrez.
All these players have played a significant role in their successes. City have also made mistakes in the transfer window but they have done a pretty good job overall.
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#4 Chelsea - €145 million per trophy
During the Roman Abramovich era between June 2003 and May 2022, Chelsea grew massively. Blessed with the financial resources most clubs could only dream of, the Blues were able to attract top talent from all across the globe and that translated to a great deal of success on the football pitch.
Chelsea have spent €3.52 billion and won a total of 24 trophies in the Premier League era. But they ought to be a little more cautious when it comes to breaking the bank to sign players.
A number of big-money signings like Romelu Lukaku, Kai Havertz, Alvaro Morata, Christian Pulisic and Kepa Arrizabalaga never delivered to the levels expected of them. Some of their most impactful signings of the Premier League era are Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Deco, Diego Costa, Petr Cech and Eden Hazard.
#3 Liverpool - €127 million per trophy
Liverpool have enjoyed a great deal of success under Jurgen Klopp in recent years. The Merseysiders have done a pretty good job when it comes to their transfer market activity. They have sold well and bought well.
The Merseysiders have won 17 trophies in the Premier League era and have spent €2.16 billion. Some of their biggest signings of the Premier League era are Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Fernando Torres and Xabi Alonso.
The likes of Salah, Van Dijk, Firmino and Mane have played a crucial role in helping Liverpool establish themselves as one of the best football teams on the continent in recent years.
#2 Arsenal - €125 million per trophy
Arsenal enjoyed significant success in the Premier League under Arsene Wenger, even going unbeaten in the 2003-04 league campaign. They haven't had the financial resources of Manchester United, Manchester City or Chelsea, but the Gunners have managed to stay in the mix.
Some of the club's most important signings during this era include French striker Thierry Henry, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in Premier League history.
Dutch forward Dennis Bergkamp is another great signing and French midfielder Patrick Vieira was also another key player in Arsenal's success under Wenger. They've won a total of 15 trophies in the Premier League era.
#1 Manchester United - €98 million per trophy
Manchester United have the best money spent per trophy ratio among the Premier League top six. They have spent a total of €2.44 billion but have also won 31 trophies in the Premier League era.
Some of the club's best signings include Eric Cantona, who was brought in by Sir Alex Ferguson in 1992 and went on to inspire United's dominance in the early years of the Premier League.
Then there is Cristiano Ronaldo, who was signed from Sporting Lisbon in 2003 and became one of the greatest players in United's history. Another massive signing was Nemanja Vidic, a defender who joined the club in 2006 and played a key role in United's success in the late 2000s.
Other notable signings include Roy Keane, Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie, all of whom played crucial roles in United's title-winning teams. These players, among others, helped establish Manchester United as one of the most successful clubs in English football history.
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