Chelsea Tops UEFA’s Costliest Squad List

A fresh UEFA analysis claims that Chelsea’s team at the end of the 2024 financial year was the most expensive ever formed. With an incredible €1.66bn (£1.39bn), the big-spending Blues’ team exceeded Real Madrid’s former peak recorded in 2020 (£1.12bn).

Nine of the 20 most costly teams in 2024 have been created in England, with West Ham’s costing more than Barcelona’s or AC Milan’s financial capability emphasized by. Based on their whole pay bill, nine English teams also ranked in the top 20 in Europe.

The analysis revealed among the top 20 teams the percentage of income consumed by wages ranged from 42 per cent at Tottenham to 91 per cent at Aston Villa.

Teams striving to comply with UEFA’s squad cost rules, which from next season will limit spending on player wages, transfer and agents’ fees, will cause player wage growth to be at 4.5% among the early reporting clubs for 2024 compared to 2023 – much below the revenue growth level.

The analysis revealed that the operating margins of clubs were being undermined by a rapid rise in the salaries of technical and administrative staff. With double-digit pay growth recorded in 16 of the 20 leagues studied in the analysis, they rose across Europe by 19% in 2023.