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Thanks to its global appeal, club football is a lucrative business. There is a lot of money involved when it comes to football at the highest levels. Extravagant spending and costly mistakes are all part of the game. But when the risks do pay off, the clubs and their brands grow, which then leads to more opportunities for expansion.
Football clubs have been given a major reality check by Covid-19. With matchday revenue plummeting to unforeseen levels, clubs had to work out elaborate plans to manage their finances. Even then, not many clubs have managed the financial crisis caused by the pandemic well enough to come out of it unscathed.
This summer's transfer window has been an extraordinary one. We've seen plenty of high-profile deals go over the line and if you look at the numbers closely, you can see a power shift gradually taking place.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five of the most valuable clubs in the world.
(Numbers courtesy: Transfermarkt)
#5 Liverpool - €880 million
Liverpool have had some wonderful seasons in recent times under Jurgen Klopp. The German coach led them to the UEFA Champions League title in the 2018-19 season. The Merseysiders then won their first league title of the Premier League era in the 2019-20 season.
However, Liverpool had a rather forgettable outing in the 2020-21 season. They were hit hard by long-term injuries to players like Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip, Jordan Henderson and Joe Gomez, among a few others.
Liverpool's reliable front three are arguably not as good as they used to be a couple of seasons ago. Salah is still at it but Mane and Firmino have struggled to find form. They haven't invested heavily in the summer either. Ibrahima Konate was their only signing of the summer and he arrived on a deal worth €40 million.
#4 Chelsea - €882 million
Chelsea's fortunes have changed drastically since January. The Blues had invested heavily in the summer of 2020. They brought in a lot of quality personnel. Players like Kai Havertz, Timo Werner, Ben Chilwell, Hakim Ziyech and Edouard Mendy were all signed up.
Even though most players did not hit the ground running, the team became much more organized following the appointment of Thomas Tuchel. The Blues won the UEFA Champions League in the 2020-21 season.
They signed Romelu Lukaku from Inter Milan on a deal worth a club-reco €115 million this summer. They've also added Saul Niguez to their midfield on a loan deal and now have one of the strongest and deepest squads in Europe.
#3 Manchester United - €937 million
Manchester United are steadily progressing under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The sullen days under Jose Mourinho feel like a distant memory and the Red Devils boast one of the most star-studded squads in Europe.
Manchester United made three grand signings this summer. They signed Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund for €85 million. Raphael Varane has been roped in from Real Madrid for €40 million. They then broke the internet by announcing the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo from Juventus for €15 million.
Manchester United are definitely title-contenders in the Premier League this season. With stars like Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes playing some great football, we could be in for a season littered with exciting performances from the Red Devils.
#2 Paris Saint-Germain - €997 million
Paris Saint-Germain have had a great summer transfer window. They already had a roster that featured some of the best footballers in the world. Now they've gone and added Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos, Achraf Hakimi, Gianluigi Donnarumma and a few other top players as well over the summer.
PSG's bid for UEFA Champions League glory has got them close but they just haven't been able to seal the deal yet. After getting Kylian Mbappe to stay, PSG are now favourites to go all the way in Europe's elite competition.
Paris Saint-Germain are one of the richest and resourceful football clubs in the world and they have shown a lot of ambition in recent years.
#1 Manchester City - €1.04 billion
Pep Guardiola has transformed Manchester City into serial winners but it has not come for cheap. The Cityzens have invested heavily in the transfer market to improve their squad and they have also reaped the benefits of doing so.
City's rise from a Premier League mid-table club to the most valuable side in the world over the past decade and a little more is quite astounding. The City Football Group have backed Pep Guardiola massively but the club are yet to achieve their goal of winning the Champions League.
In all fairness, they did come quite close last season and lost out to Chelsea in the final. The reigning Premier League champions have added the talismanic Jack Grealish to their squad and will be looking to mount a challenge on all fronts this season.
