The money in the Premier League is reaching astonishing heights, and there are now more clubs with a billionaire owner than those without one. Indeed, only Brentford, Norwich, Burnley, Watford, Leeds United, and Brighton & Hove Albion are not currently owned by billionaires. So, who are the wealthiest teams, and what do these fortunes mean for the future of the English game?
Newcastle United
For years, Newcastle United fans have had to put up with the stringent reign of Mike Ashley, but the Sports Direct owner has now departed to usher in a new era at the club. The Magpies are the richest team in the Premier League with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia behind them. The consortium is led by the Crown Prince of the Middle Eastern country, Mohammed bin Salman, and is said to be worth in the region of £320 billion.
Newcastle is now expected to become one of the biggest clubs on the planet in the next few years, but they will first have to try to stave off relegation in the 2021-22 season. At the time of writing, they are evens with 888sport to go down. According to the list of best betting sites for 2021, the site has a £30 bonus when you bet £10. It also comes with a £10 casino bonus, but players should be careful to read the terms and conditions first as there are wagering requirements on winnings. Punters might want to think twice about betting on Newcastle to go down now, as they may be able to buy their way out of trouble in January.
Manchester City
Manchester City became by far the richest club in the English top-flight in 2008 when they were purchased by Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the founder of the Abu Dhabi United Group for Development and Investment. Sheikh Mansour is worth an estimated £22.9 billion and has invested heavily in the club and its infrastructure.
Newcastle will be hoping to follow in City’s footsteps and rise to the top of the table over the next few years. It will take many wise investments, but over time they should be able to build a squad worthy of challenging for the top honours.
Chelsea
Chelsea was one of the first teams to be transformed by billionaire investment when Roman Abramovich purchased the club for £140 million in 2003. The Russian mogul is worth £9.6 billion and has pumped a vast amount of his wealth into turning the London club into two-time Champions League winners and five-time Premier League champions.
Prior to that purchase, the only time Chelsea had won the top flight was in the 1954-55 season. Abramovich swiftly moved for one of the hottest young managers on the planet, Jose Mourinho, and the Portuguese presided over the early years of the Blues’ success, giving them the foundations to build upon in the years that followed.
How Will This Impact Football in the Future?
With so much money being pumped into clubs in the top tier, will the Premier League reach a stage at which money can no longer act as the main method of bringing success to a club? Think about it. If every club can buy any player they want, it levels the playing field somewhat. This has already been seen with Chelsea and Manchester City, and it means that clubs have to invest in other areas to get the extra edge.
A prime example of money not being the answer to every problem is at Everton. Farhad Moshiri is worth £1.9 billion and has spent over £500 million since he took over in 2016. But the club is seemingly going backwards because the money hasn’t been invested wisely.
Manchester City has a model that other teams will aim to follow in the future. The City Football Group has effectively franchised the Premier League champions, and now owns sister clubs in various leagues around the world. This helps in nurturing young talent and allows them to reach more fans and generate revenue in this way.
It seems like it won’t be long before nearly every team in the Premier League is owned by a billionaire, and the ones that aren’t won’t be able to cut it. When this comes to fruition, clubs will need to employ other tactics to get the edge, as it will mean that they can’t simply buy success anymore.
