Man Utd rock bottom, Arsenal top: Prem sides ranked by their market vs purchase value profit/loss
Roughly €500m separates Arsenal and Manchester United as we rank Premier League clubs based on the profit/loss of their market vs purchase squad value.
All values are courtesy of the great folk over at transfermarkt…
20th) Manchester United
Market value: €887.3m
Purchase value: €1.04bn
Profit/loss: €-150.72m
It’s hardly a shock that Manchester United find themselves in this position given their recent failings in the transfer market. On the evidence of United’s first four games of this season, Erik ten Hag’s rebuild of the Premier League club still requires a fair bit of work as the ramifications of past overspending leave them needing to chase their tails to catch up on some of their rivals.
19th) Chelsea
Market value: €925.5m
Purchase value: €1.01bn
Profit/loss: €-87.70m
Man Utd and Chelsea are the only two Premier League sides with a squad purchase value of over €1bn and the Big Six duo find themselves at the bottom of this table. The Blues will not be too dismayed by their position, though. Todd Boehly’s huge investment has largely gone into signing young players whose market value *should* increase during the length of their seven/eight-year contracts.
18th) Tottenham Hotspur
Market value: €726.3m
Purchase value: €760.55m
Profit/loss: €-34.25m
Spurs’ ranking in this table has been hampered by the sale of Harry Kane as their squad’s market value has taken a hit in the absence of their academy product. Angeball is dead fun though, so at least there’s that.
17th) Wolves
Market value: €309.38m
Purchase value: €328.50m
Profit/loss: €-19.12m
Now for a team that will be around the relegation places in real life this season. Wolves had a stinker of a summer transfer window, losing a brilliant manager and most of their best players. Despite this, their past flaunting in the transfer market and current lack of quality leaves them in the loss bracket.
16th) West Ham United
Market value: €443.15m
Purchase value: €456.90m
Profit/loss: €-13.75m
Like their London rivals Tottenham, West Ham’s placing has been impacted by a high-profile exit, with Declan Rice’s switch to Arsenal sending the Hammers way down to 16th. But a loss of €13.75m is not too shabby and David Moyes’ side are quickly proving their pre-season doubters wrong, with summer signing James Ward-Prowse contributing to their superb start to the new campaign.
15th) Sheffield United
Market value: €135.68m
Purchase value: €135.39m
Profit/loss: €285k
Onto the profit-makers we go, then. We start with newly-promoted Sheffield United, who let Sander Berge and Iliman Ndiaye leave prior to their return to the Premier League. They have been replaced by Gustavo Hamer and Cameron Archer to bolster Paul Heckingbottom’s squad (and their overall purchase value), but they still look set to be involved in a serious relegation scrap.
14th) Newcastle United
Market value: €601.5m
Purchase value: €569.15m
Profit/loss: €32.35m
Newcastle United’s place in this table will alter dramatically in the coming years as they continue to utilise their Saudi wealth. Should they continue on their current trajectory of spending well, they will shoot up this league.
Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali celebrate.
13th) Burnley
Market value: €229.55m
Purchase value: €184.5m
Profit/loss: €45.05m
The Clarets are a very different animal under Vincent Kompany compared to how they were the last time they were in the Premier League. They invested expertly to help them win the Championship at a canter in 2022/23, but up to now, this has not translated well to life in the top flight.
12th) AFC Bournemouth
Market value: €337m
Purchase value: €286.54m
Profit/loss: €50.46m
After Gary O’Neil inspired Bournemouth to avoid relegation last season, the club’s American owners have splashed out over £100m this summer to give the Premier League outfit a better chance of kicking on under new head coach Andoni Iraola.
11th) Luton Town
Market value: €85.3m
Purchase value: €24.75m
Profit/loss: €60.55m
Luton Town are highest-placed out of this season’s three promoted sides, but their low squad purchase value highlights what they are up against this term.
10th) Everton
Market value: €359.25m
Purchase value: €283.12m
Profit/loss: €76.13m
The Toffees’ summer transfer business was baffling to say the very least and their squad is not much better than the one that just stayed up last season. At least they signed a new striker, though.
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9th) Crystal Palace
Market value: €333.45m
Purchase value: €228.99m
Profit/loss: €104.47m
The Eagles were among the lowest spenders in the Premier League this summer, but Roy Hodgson has a great core of players at his disposal even following Wilfried Zaha’s departure. Eberechi Eze, Michael Olise and Marc Guehi in particular are high-value assets that they could do with keeping around.
8th) Nottingham Forest
Market value: €401.18m
Purchase value: €291.97m
Profit/loss: €109.21m
Forest really were the saviours of deadline day as Steve Cooper’s made seven (!) new signings. They were mocked for recruiting 27 new players last season but the bulk of these additions were positive and they are on track to establish themselves as a Premier League club once again.
7th Fulham
Market value: €295.9m
Purchase value: €184.7m
Profit/value: €111.2m
The Cottagers were a major surprise package last term but they have been impacted by the Saudi Pro League, who have snatched Aleksandar Mitrovic for a huge fee. The Serbian’s goals will be sorely missed but the money earned from cashing in on the forward has been used to snap up Calvin Bassey, Alex Iwobi and Timothy Castagne.
6th) Liverpool
Market value: €827.3m
Purchase value: €663.75m
Profit/loss: €163.55m
Liverpool have the lowest squad purchase value out of the Big Six clubs and these figures are proof that their method of signing up-and-coming talents works, as the majority of their players have bettered themselves since moving to Anfield.
5th) Aston Villa
Market value: €607.7m
Purchase value: €437.49m
Profit/loss: €170.21m
Aston Villa’s large summer outlay has given Unai Emery a better chance of turning the club into one that consistently qualifies for Europe and this has been a long time coming. The ex-Arsenal boss is loving life back in the Premier League and with newbies such as Moussa Diaby and Pau Torres, they are heading in the right direction.
4th) Brentford
Market value: €365m
Purchase value: €182.05m
Profit/loss: €182.95m
Brentford’s unbeaten start to the new season gives the indication that they will not be hindered too much by the absence of Ivan Toney, with Bryan Mbeumo stepping up with four goals in four games. The London outfit is run on a sustainable model and respected head coach Thomas Frank is perfectly suited to them.
3rd) Brighton and Hove Albion
Market value: €383.8m
Purchase value: €197.32m
Profit/loss: €186.48m
The best-run club in the Premier League lands in third spot. Brighton are years ahead in terms of their recruitment structure as they continue to pick out gems that make them a fortune down the line. This profit margin is only going to increase as Evan Ferguson and Kaoru Mitoma continue to prosper.
2nd) Manchester City
Market value: €1.18bn
Purchase value: €998.52m
Profit/loss: €192.18m
The Treble winners are showing no signs of an impending slump following Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez’s exits as they are already on the march towards another Premier League title. Over £200m has been spent on new signings this summer as Pep Guardiola’s gradual overhaul continues and the head coach’s track record suggests even Jeremy Doku will prove to be a bargain down the line.
1st) Arsenal
Market value: €1.11bn
Purchase value: €765.14m
Profit/loss: €344.36m
The Gunners will certainly be thrilled if the actual Premier League table looks like this next May and they have come a long way under Mikel Arteta. Their core of sensational young talents includes low-cost attacking pair Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, who have helped them burst onto the title scene.
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