The Uefa report paints a similar picture to other research such as the annual Deloitte Money League – with Premier League clubs bringing in far more revenue (£6.2bn in 2023) than other European leagues.
However, English clubs reported a combined loss of £728m before tax.
TV rights deals are showing signs of plateauing, so clubs need to maximise matchday income and commercial and sponsorship revenues to try to offset significant spending on transfers, wages and running costs in order to turn a profit.
The report outlines some eye-watering spending figures:
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Four European clubs have squads that cost more than 1bn euros (£830m) to assemble by the end of 2024, and all are English – Chelsea (1.7bn euros/£1.4bn), Manchester City (1.3bn euros/£1.1bn), Manchester United (1.1bn euros/£920m), and Arsenal (1bn euros/£840m).
Chelsea’s 2024 squad was found to be “comfortably the most expensive ever assembled”, 24% higher than the previous record – the 2020 Real Madrid squad. The report also says Chelsea spent almost 2bn euros (£1.7bn) in transfer fees in the five-year period to 2024.
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Four of the five most profitable clubs – by pre-tax profits – in 2024 were German: Bayern (£53m), Borussia Dortmund (£41m), Lazio (£34m), Leipzig (£31m), Eintracht Frankfurt (£27m).
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Three of the five least profitable clubs in 2024 – by pre-tax losses – were English: Juventus (£164m), Chelsea (£93m), Aston Villa (£84m), Roma (£63m), Liverpool (£55m).
Plumley says: “Each individual club will have its own reasons for doing it, but raising ticket prices doesn’t shift the dial massively in terms of the overall picture of the finances.
“I get that costs have gone up, we understand that side of the equation, but this is where it really grinds with fans.”
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