Dolla dolla bills y'all: Analyzing the 25 most valuable soccer clubs in the world

With transfer market expenditure constantly rising over time, soccer teams spending hundreds of millions of dollars to maintain a squad that can properly compete in its respective league is now the norm, not the exception. Financially strong squads shell out previously unthinkable amounts of money to chase sporting excellence, recruiting the world’s most sought after stars in a never-ending game of cat and mouse with rival clubs. 

Recently, we analyzed the top 25 most expensive transfers in history, with 20 signings on the list boasting a price tag of over $100 million. The trend is clear: teams are spending more money than ever to strengthen their squads -even through the COVID-19 pandemic- and will likely continue to do so unless something drastic takes place. UEFA Financial Fair Play (FFP) is in place, but rules have been changed to allow clubs to inject more money than normal to reduce the negative financial impact of the pandemic, and will be reviewed to “encourage and release investments”, according to UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin. 

Before FFP is amended in what reports state could include a salary cap and a “luxury tax” on transfers, the current landscape includes six clubs valued at over a billion dollars and another 14 worth at least $500 million, using numbers published by Transfermarkt. Said figures consider only player market value, which is determined by taking factors such as age, on-field performance, reputation and potential into account. Before things do change, take a look at the 25 most valuable soccer clubs in the world and how they made it onto the list. 

25: Real Sociedad (LaLiga). Player market value: $443.3 million. 

Top 5 most expensive players in the squad: 

1. Mikel Oyarzabal: Spanish, 24 years old, left winger, $82.65 million.
2. Mikel Merino: Spanish, 25 years old, central midfielder, $47.2 million. 
3. Alexander Isak: Swedish, 21 years old, striker, $47.2 million. 
4. Robin Le Normand: French, 24 years old, center-back, $26 million. 
5. Portu: Spanish, 29 years old, right winger, $23.6 million. 

24: Wolverhampton Wanderers (Premier League). Player market value: $461.7 million. 

Top 5 most expensive players in the squad: 

1. Rubén Neves: Portuguese, 24 years old, central midfielder, $53.1 million. 
2. Pedro Neto: Portuguese, 21 years old, left winger, $41.3 million. 
3. Leander Dendoncker: Belgian, 26 years old, center-back / defensive midfield, $35.4 million. 
4. Adama Traoré: Spanish, 25 years old, right winger / right-back, $35.4 million. 
5. Raúl Jiménez: Mexican, 30 years old, striker, $33 million. 

23: Aston Villa (Premier League). Player market value: $482 million. 

Top 5 most expensive players in the squad: 

1. Emiliano Martínez: Argentine, 29 years old, goalkeeper, $41.3 million. 
2. Emiliano Buendía: Argentine, 24 years old, right midfielder, $41.3 million. 
3. Leon Bailey: Jamaican, 24 years old, right winger, $41.3 million. 
4. Douglas Luiz: Brazilian, 23 years old, defensive midfielder, $41.3 million. 
5. Ollie Watkins: English, 25 years old, forward, $37.8 million.

22: Atalanta (Serie A). Player market value: $490.3 million. 

Top 5 most expensive players in the squad: 

1. Robin Gosens: German, 27 years old, left-back, $41.3 million. 
2. Duván Zapata: Colombian, 30 years old, striker, $39 million. 
3. Luis Muriel: Colombian, 30 years old, striker, $35.4 million. 
4. Ruslan Malinovskyi: Ukrainian, 28 years old, attacking midfielder, $35.4 million. 
5. Merih Demiral: Turkish, 23 years old, center-back, $33 million. 

21: AS Roma (Serie A). Player market value: $494 million. 

Top 5 most expensive players in the squad:

1. Lorenzo Pellegrini: Italian, 25 years old, central midfielder, $47.2 million. 
2. Nicolò Zaniolo: Italian, 22 years old, right midfielder / right winger, $47.2 million. 
3. Tammy Abraham: English, 23 years old, striker, $44.9 million. 
4. Jordan Veretout: French, 28 years old, central midfielder, $39 million. 
5. Gianluca Mancini: Italian, 25 years old, center-back, $35.4 million. 

20: Sevilla (LaLiga). Player market value: $509 million. 

Top 5 most expensive players in the squad:

1. Jules Koundé: French, 22 years old, center-back, $71 million. 
2. Diego Carlos: Brazilian, 28 years old, center-back, $53.1 million. 
3. Lucas Ocampos: Argentine, 27 years old, left winger / striker, $47.2 million.
4. Youssef En-Nesyri: Moroccan, 24 years old, striker, $47.2 million. 
5. Joan Jordán: Spanish, 27 years old, central midfielder, $35.4 million. 

19: Everton (Premier League). Player market value: $545.1 million. 

Top 5 most expensive players in the squad:

1. Richarlison: Brazilian, 24 years old, striker, $65 million. 
2. Dominic Calvert-Lewin: English, 24 years old, striker, $53.1 million. 
3. Lucas Digne: French, 28 years old, left-back, $41.3 million. 
4. James Rodríguez: Colombian, 30 years old, attacking midfielder, $33 million. 
5. Michael Keane: English, 28 years old, center-back, $29.5 million. 

18: AC Milan (Serie A). Player market value: $551.2 million. 

Top 5 most expensive players in the squad:

1. Franck Kessié: Ivorian, 24 years old, central midfielder, $65 million. 
2. Theo Hernández: French, 23 years old, left-back, $59 million. 
3. Ismaël Bennacer: Algerian, 23 years old, defensive midfielder, $49 million. 
4. Ante Rebić: Croatian, 27 years old, left winger, $38 million. 
5. Fikayo Tomori: English, 23 years old, center-back, $33 million. 

17: RB Leipzig (Bundesliga). Player market value: $597 million. 

Top 5 most expensive players in the squad:

1. Dani Olmo: Spanish, 23 years old, attacking midfielder, $59 million. 
2. André Silva: Portuguese, 25 years old, striker, $53.1 million. 
3. Christopher Nkunku: French, 23 years old, attacking midfielder, $50.7 million. 
4. Angeliño: Spanish, 24 years old, left-back, $41.3 million. 
5. Lukas Klostermann: German, 25 years old, center-back, $31.9 million. 

16: Napoli (Serie A). Player market value: $611.3 million. 

Top 5 most expensive players in the squad:

1. Piotr Zieliński: Polish, 27 years old, attacking midfielder, $59 million. 
2. Victor Osimhen: Nigerian, 22 years old, striker, $59 million. 
3. Kalidou Koulibaly: Senegalese, 30 years old, center-back, $56.7 million. 
4. Lorenzo Insigne: Italian, 30 years old, left winger, $56.7 million. 
5. Hirving Lozano: Mexican, 26 years old, right winger, $53.1 million. 

15: Arsenal (Premier League). Player market value: $647.6 million. 

Top 5 most expensive players in the squad:

1. Bukayo Saka: English, 20 years old, left winger, $76.7 million. 
2. Thomas Partey: Ghanaian, 28 years old, defensive midfielder, $47.23 million. 
3. Martin Odegaard: Norwegian, 22 years old, attacking midfielder, $47.23 million. 
4. Nicolás Pépé: Ivorian, 26 years old, right winger, $41.3 million. 
5. Kieran Tierney: Scottish, 24 years old, left-back, $37.8 million.

14: Leicester City (Premier League). Player market value: $650 million. 

Top 5 most expensive players in the squad:

1. Wilfred Ndidi: Nigerian, 24 years old, defensive midfielder, $70.8 million. 
2. Youri Tielemans: Belgian, 24 years old, central midfielder, $65 million. 
3. James Maddison: English, 24 years old, attacking midfielder, $65 million. 
4. Çağlar Söyüncü: Turkish, 25 years old, center-back, $53.1 million. 
5. Wesley Fofana: French, 20 years old, center-back, $47.2 million. 

13: Borussia Dortmund (Bundesliga). Player market value: $668 million. 

Top 5 most expensive players in the squad:

1. Erling Haaland: Norwegian, 21 years old, striker, $154 million. 
2. Jude Bellingham: English, 18 years old, central midfielder, $65 million. 
3. Raphael Guerreiro: Portuguese, 27 years old, left-back, $47.2 million. 
4. Giovanni Reyna: American, 18 years old, attacking midfielder, $44.9 million
5. Manuel Akanji: Swiss, 26 years old, center-back, $35.4 million. 

12: Inter Milan (Serie A). Player market value: $677 million. 

Top 5 most expensive players in the squad:

1. Lautaro Martínez: Argentine, 24 years old, striker, $94.5 million. 
2. Nicolò Barella: Italian, 24 years old, central midfielder, $76.7 million. 
3. Milan Skriniar: Slovak, 26 years old, center-back, $71 million. 
4. Alessandro Bastoni: Italian, 22 years old, center-back, $71 million. 
5. Stefan de Vrij: Dutch, 29 years old, center-back, $59 million. 

11: Juventus (Serie A). Player market value: $756.1 million. 

Top 5 most expensive players in the squad:

1. Matthijs de Ligt: Dutch, 22 years old, center-back, $88.5 million. 
2. Federico Chiesa: Italian, 23 years old, right winger, $82.65 million. 
3. Paulo Dybala: Argentine, 27 years old, center forward, $59 million. 
4. Álvaro Morata: Spanish, 28 years old, striker, $53 million. 
5. Arthur Melo: Brazilian, 25 years old, central midfielder, $47.2 million. 

10: FC Barcelona (LaLiga). Player market value: $798.1 million. 

Top 5 most expensive players in the squad:

1. Frenkie de Jong: Dutch, 24 years old, central midfielder, $106.2 million. 
2. Pedri: Spanish, 18 years old, central midfielder, $94.5 million. 
3. Marc-André ter Stegen: German, 29 years old, goalkeeper, $71 million. 
4. Ansu Fati: Spanish, 18 years old, left winger, $71 million. 
5. Ousmane Dembélé: French, 24 years old, right winger, $59 million. 

9: Tottenham Hotspur (Premier League). Player market value: $823 million. 

Top 5 most expensive players in the squad:

1. Harry Kane: English, 28 years old, striker, $141.7 million. 
2. Heung-min Son: South Korean, 29 years old, left winger, $100.3 million. 
3. Tanguy Ndombélé: French, 24 years old, central midfielder, $59 million. 
4. Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg: Danish, 26 years old, central midfielder, $47.2 million. 
5. Cristian Romero: Argentine, 23 years old, center-back, $41.3 million. 

8: Atlético de Madrid (LaLiga). Player market value: $891.6 million. 

Top 5 most expensive players in the squad:

1. Marcos Llorente: Spanish, 26 years old, central midfielder / right-back, $94.5 million. 
2. João Félix: Portuguese, 21 years old, attacking midfielder, $94.5 million. 
3. Jan Oblak: Slovenian, 28 years old, goalkeeper, $82.7 million. 
4. Koke: Spanish, 29 years old, central midfielder, $71 million. 
5. Antoine Griezmann: French, 30 years old, striker, $71 million. 

7: Real Madrid (LaLiga). Player market value: $925 million. 

Top 5 most expensive players in the squad:

1. Casemiro: Brazilian, 29 years old, defensive midfielder, $82.7 million. 
2. Federico Valverde: Uruguayan, 23 years old, central midfielder, $76.8 million. 
3. Thibaut Courtois: Belgian, 29 years old, goalkeeper, $71 million. 
4. David Alaba: Austrian, 29 years old, center-back / left-back, $65 million. 
5. Eduardo Camavinga: French, 18 years old, central midfielder, $65 million. 

6: Bayern Munich (Bundesliga). Player market value: $1.006 billion. 

Top 5 most expensive players in the squad:

1. Joshua Kimmich: German, 26 years old, defensive midfielder / right-back, $106.2 million. 
2. Leon Goretzka: German, 26 years old, central midfielder, $82.7 million. 
3. Serge Gnabry: German, 26 years old, right winger, $82.7 million. 
4. Alphonso Davies: Canadian, 20 years old, left-back, $82.7 million. 
5. Kingsley Coman: French, 25 years old, left winger, $76.8 million. 

5: Liverpool FC (Premier League). Player market value: $1.03 billion. 

Top 5 most expensive players in the squad:

1. Mohamed Salah: Egyptian, 29 years old, right winger, $118 million. 
2. Sadio Mané: Senegalese, 29 years old, left winger, $100.3 million. 
3. Trent Alexander-Arnold: English, 22 years old, right-back, $88.5 million. 
4. Andrew Robertson: Scottish, 27 years old, left-back, $76.8 million. 
5. Alisson: Brazilian, 28 years old, goalkeeper, $71 million. 

4: Chelsea FC (Premier League). Player market value: $1.04 billion. 

Top 5 most expensive players in the squad:

1. Romelu Lukaku: Belgian, 28 years old, striker, $118 million. 
2. Mason Mount: English, 22 years old, attacking midfielder, $88.6 million. 
3. Kai Havertz: German, 22 years old, attacking midfielder, $82.7 million. 
4. Timo Werner: German, 25 years old, striker, $76.8 million. 
5. N’Golo Kanté: French, 30 years old, defensive midfielder, $65 million. 

3: Manchester United (Premier League). Player market value: $1.1 billion. 

Top 5 most expensive players in the squad:

1. Jadon Sancho: English, 21 years old, right winger / attacking midfielder, $118 million. 
2. Bruno Fernandes: Portuguese, 27 years old, attacking midfielder, $106.2 million. 
3. Marcus Rashford: English, 23 years old, striker, $100.4 million. 
4. Raphaël Varane: French, 28 years old, center-back, $82.7 million. 
5. Paul Pogba: French, 28 years old, central midfielder, $71 million.

2: Paris Saint-Germain (Ligue 1). Player market value: $1.178 billion. 

Top 5 most expensive players in the squad:

1. Kylian Mbappé: French, 22 years old, striker, $189 million. 
2. Neymar Jr.: Brazilian, 29 years old, attacking midfielder / left winger, $118 million. 
3. Lionel Messi: Argentine: 34 years old, attacking midfielder / right winger, $94.5 million. 
4. Marquinhos: Brazilian, 27 years old, center-back, $88.6 million. 
5. Gianluigi Donnarumma: Italian, 22 years old, goalkeeper, $76.8 million. 

1: Manchester City (Premier League). Player market value: $1.185 billion. 

Top 5 most expensive players in the squad:

1. Kevin De Bruyne: Belgian, 30 years old, attacking midfielder / central midfielder, $118 million. 
2. Raheem Sterling: English, 26 years old, left winger, $106.2 million. 
3. Phil Foden: English, 21 years old, left winger / attacking midfielder, $94.5 million. 
4. Rúben Dias: Portuguese, 24 years old, center-back, $88.6 million. 
5. Bernardo Silva: Portuguese, 27 years old, right winger, $82.7 million.