March 12 – English Premier League side Chelsea hold the most valuable squad in world football according to new figures from the CIES Football Observatory, with the London club topping the latest global ranking of aggregate transfer value.
The study estimates Chelsea’s playing assets at €1.732 billion, spread across a hugely bloated squad of 54 players – not including their plethora of loanees spread across Europe but particularly in Strasbourg.
Completing the podium are Manchester City at €1.608 billion and Real Madrid at €1.541 billion – City edging ahead unlike when the two met at the Bernabeu last night.
Chelsea also recorded the most balanced distribution of value across their squad, with teenage Brazilian forward Estêvão Willian the highest individual asset at €123 million – representing just over 7% of the total.
That contrasts sharply with FC Barcelona, ranked fourth overall at €1.389 billion, where the model values Lamine Yamal alone at €351.6 million – roughly a quarter of the Catalan club’s squad valuation. That’s to be expected when holding the most valuable player in CIES statistical model history.
Behind that top four – Chelsea, Manchester City, Real Madrid and Barcelona – come Arsenal (€1.348 billion) and Paris Saint-Germain (€1.346 billion), underlining the continued financial dominance of Europe’s major leagues.
Elsewhere in the rankings, FC Bayern Munich lead German clubs with a squad value of €1 billion, while FC Internazionale Milano top the Italian representatives at €820 million.
Further down the list, SL Benfica are the highest-valued side in Portugal at €549 million, PSV Eindhoven lead the Netherlands (€400 million), and Club Brugge KV head the Belgian contingent (€347 million).
Outside Europe, Brazilian giants SE Palmeiras rank as the most valuable non-European squad in the study with a total estimated value of €322 million. It’s worth noting that had Palmeiras kept their two greatest young talents – Estêvão and Endrick – their valuation would be north of the €500m mark.
The figures reflect Chelsea’s recruitment strategy built on assembling one of the youngest – and deepest – talent pools in elite football. The jury is still out on whether that financial investment translates into sustained success on the pitch. If last night’s 5-2 defeat to PSG in the Champions League is anything to go by, probably not.
To see the full data, click here.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1773346289labto1773346289ofdlr1773346289owedi1773346289sni@g1773346289niwe.1773346289yrrah1773346289
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