The list of the biggest spending clubs in Europe over the last two seasons consists of two Germans (Bayern Munich & Borussia Dortmund), two Spanish teams (Real Madrid & Barcelona), two French clubs (PSG & Monaco), two from Russia (Zenit & Anzhi) and three teams from the Premier League (Chelsea, Manchester United & Manchester City).
The most interesting thing to see is the Serie A really not being involved when it comes to the biggest and most expensive transfers, unless it involves selling a player. However, Napoli and Juventus seem to be a bit unlike the others with their ability and motivation to spend big, while thinking big as well.
Borussia Dortmund – €76.7 Million
Dortmund are an excellent example that years of running things the right way financially eventually enable you to spend big on quality players. It began with Marco Reus and Julian Schieber last summer, and has continued with Henrikh Mkhitaryan (€27.5 million), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Sokratis of Werder Bremen this summer.
Manchester United – €78 Million
While Manchester United love to disassociate themselves with clubs like Manchester City and Chelsea, they tend to splash a lot of cash on new arrivals as well, only they usually miss out on their most expensive targets. Last summer (and later during the season) they signed Robin van Persie (for €30.7 million), Shinji Kagawa, Wilfried Zaha, Angelo Henriquez, Alexander Buttner and Nick Powell. This summer, so far, has only been about Guillermo Varela, who cost them €1.75 million.
FC Barcelona – €103 Million
Barcelona don’t usually bring too many players from outside the club – their youth system just might be the best in the world, which provides them with enough for players for most positions. But when they do purchase players, it’s usually the expensive ones, like Jordi Alba and Alex Song last summer, and Neymar being the crown jewel this summer, while bringing Bojan back from Italy and then loaning him out again (this time to Ajax) cost a lot of money as well.
Zenit – €103.7
Most of Zenit’s spending these last two seasons can be summed up with two names – Hulk and Axel Witsel, while Neto and Milan Rodic cost a little bit as well.
Real Madrid – €106 Million
A little bit more than their eternal rivals, but spread out over a lot more players, and there’s a huge difference between last summer and this one in the amount of players coming in, which fits the whole managerial switch thing. Last season it was Luka Modric and Diego Lopez who cost money, and this summer it has been Isco, Asier Illarramendi, Dani Carvajal and Casemiro from Brazil.
Bayern Munich – €127.3 Million
The European champions have been very busy over the last two years, first in trying to bring back the European and German title, and now by cementing their place at the top of Europe, while allowing Pep Guardiola to enjoy the vast resources at his disposal. Javi Martinez (costing €40 million) has been their most expensive signing, but Mario Mandzukic, Xherdan Shaqiri and Dante cost quite a lot of money last year, while Thiago Alcantara and Mario Gotze are grabbing the headlines this time around.
Anzhi – €128.9 Million
Willian has been their most expensive signing over the last two seasons, arriving from Shakhtar for €35 million, but Andrey Eshchenko, Lassana Diarra, Ewerton, Lacina Traore, Chris Samba, Aleksandr Kokorin, Igor Denisov and Aleksey Ionov are also worth mentioning.
Chelsea FC – €146.6 Million
Who says Roman Abramovich doesn’t spend a lot of money anymore? Last season it was Eden Hazard, Oscar, Victor Moses, Demba Ba, Wallace (18-year old Brazilian), Cesar Azpilicueta and Marko Marin, and this summer it’s been a little less busy with Marco van Ginkel and Andre Schurrle.
AS Monaco – €168.6 Million
It began with minor spending last season on players like Lucas Campos (17-year old Argentine), Emmanuel Riviere, Mounir Obbadi, Delvin Ndinga and Jakob Poulsen to help the team make it out of Ligue 2. This summer? Insanity, with Falcao, James Rodriguez, Joao Moutinho, Jeremy Toulalan, Anthony Martial and Nicolas Isimat-Mirin arriving to make them the biggest spenders in 2013.
Manchester City – €173 Million
Even when Manchester City have a slimmed down summer like last one, they end up spending around €62 million, bringing in Javi Garcia, Matija Nastasic, Scott Sinclair, Maicon and Jack Rodwell. This summer? Less players, more money spent – Stevan Jovetic, Alvaro Negredo, Fernandinho and Jesus Navas.
PSG – €257.9 Million
The Edinson Cavani signing alone almost puts them in the top 10, and while PSG seem a little less aggressive than in the past, they still spend more than anyone else. This summer? Cavani, Lucas Digne and Marquinhos, while last season they spent their money on Lucas Moura, Gregory van der Wiel, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva, Marco Verratti and Ezequiel Lavezzi.