Runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City are packing more financial power than any other club in world football, according to a new study.
The Soccerex Football Finance 100, which ranks the world’s top teams based on both their playing and fixed assets, money in the bank, owner potential investment and debt, was published yesterday.
City lead the way ahead of Arsenal with English clubs dominating the top 10. Tottenham are fifth on the list ahead of seventh-placed Manchester United, with Chelsea in ninth.
“Manchester City, one of the most famous cases of significant foreign investment changing a club’s status and potential, top the rankings,” the study concludes. “Their owner’s high potential investment value is complimented by a strong performance by the club across each of the verticals.
The study used five variables – players, fixed assets, cash reserves, potential owner investment and net debt – to give an overall score based on financial results from 2015/16.
The report though suggests that City should be looking over this shoulders at Arsenal who have the monetary muscle to “invest significantly” in the transfer market.
The north London club also have the lowest net debt (£8m) of any other team from England, with Chelsea’s £800m recorded as the largest of clubs in the top 100.
David Wright, the Soccerex Marketing Director, said: “The results highlight how the global football landscape has shifted over the past two decades.”
