Besides Leicester, every club to have won the Premier League after Sheikh Mansour bought Manchester City in 2008 has spent more than £1billion since that day.
And it comes as no surprise that the number of trophies won by each of those clubs descends in keeping with how much cash they’ve splashed.
In other words, money talks in football – and nobody has thrown it around more than Saturday’s lunchtime opponents Chelsea and Man City in recent years.
Following their takeovers by super-rich men in the noughties, both clubs have more than doubled the amount of trophies in their cabinet.
Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal might have history on their side, but as Man City and Chelsea prepare for their title showdown on Saturday, the present belongs to them.
Of course, it was these two sides which contested the 2020/21 Champions League final, with the Blues emerging to ensure European success continues to elude City.
Manchester United remained dominant before 2013 and Liverpool have re-established themselves as a winning club in recent years, but they are way behind Chelsea and City in both the trophy table and the spending charts since 2008.
Most trophies won by English clubs since 2008
Man City – 13
Chelsea – 10
Man United – 9
Arsenal – 4
Liverpool – 3
With Newcastle set to follow the mega-rich owner model created by Chelsea and City, the following statistics will give them hope of a bright future.
The Blues, first and foremost, have spent a staggering £2.1billion since Roman Abramovich took over in 2003, the most of any top-flight club by far, resulting in 16 trophies – more than anyone else in those 19 years.
Chelsea spending under Abramovich
2003-04: £153m
2004-05: £149.9m
2005-06: £82.5m
2006-07: £80.2m
2007-08: £53.2m
2008-09: £37.5m
2009-10: £27m
2010-11: £109.4m
2011-12: £86.9m
2012-13: £91.2m
2013-14: £115.7m
2014-15: £124m
2015-16: £86.9m
2016-17: £119.5m
2017-18: £234.4m
2018-19: £187.9m
2019-20: £40.5m
2020-21: £222.5m
2021-22: £108m
GRAND TOTAL: £2.1billion
And while City are yet to win the Champions League, they are England’s most successful club since Mansour’s takeover in 2008, with 13 trophies in that time, having spent £1.8bn.
Man City spending under Mansour
2008/09: £141.6m
2009/10: £132.6m
2010/11: £165.2m
2011/12: £82m
2012/13: £55.8m
2013/14: £104.4m
2014/15: £92.5m
2015/16: £187.4m
2016/17: £193.5m
2017/18: £285.8m
2018/19: £70.7m
2019/20: £150.1m
2020/21: £114.8m
GRAND TOTAL: £1.8billion
Chelsea have been second-best in that period with 10 trophies, spending £1.6bn over the last 14 years.
Man United – traditionally the biggest spenders in England before the new era – are closest to them but still way behind, lifting nine trophies since 2008 and splashing £1.4bn on players.
Man United spending since 2008
2008/09: £40.7m
2009/10: £24.6m
2010/11: £26.4m
2011/12: £56.1m
2012/13: £68.8m
2013/14: £69.4m
2014/15: £175.8m
2015/16: £140.4m
2016/17: £166.5m
2017/18: £178.6m
2018/19: £74.4m
2019/20: £211.3m
2020/21: £75.4m
2021/22: £126m
GRAND TOTAL: £1.4billion
Meanwhile, both Liverpool and Arsenal have spent more than £1bn in that time, but rank well below Chelsea and City when it comes to trophies.
The point? Perhaps success can be bought in football – and everyone who accused City and Chelsea of buying the league will feel vindicated all these years later.
But, as Man United have shown in recent years, money on its own only gets you so far, if it’s not invested wisely.
Chelsea and City are not only the biggest spenders on transfers in the Premier League, they’re also the biggest investors in their academies.
It’s just one example of how they use their brains as well as their wallets.
That said, having the biggest wallet clearly helps.
Newcastle’s new owners will no doubt watch the clash between City and Chelsea on Saturday with aspirations to follow in their footsteps.
Everybody else, meanwhile, will be looking on in envy, or perhaps disdain at a game which symbolises how success in football is, sometimes, all about money.
Listen to Man City vs Chelsea live on talkSPORT at 12.30pm on Saturday!
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