A new UEFA analysis says Chelsea’s 2024 squad was the most expensive ever. The big-spending Blues’ team was worth €1.66bn (£1.39bn), surpassing Real Madrid’s 2020 record (£1.12bn). Nine of the 20 most costly squads in 2024 are from England, with West Ham’s costing more than Barcelona’s or AC Milan’s. Nine English clubs were in the top 20 European wage bill rankings.
The survey indicated that wages devoured 42% of income at Tottenham and 91% at Aston Villa among the top 20 clubs. Player wage growth was 4.5% among early reporting clubs for 2024 compared to 2023, well below revenue growth, as teams work to comply with UEFA’s squad cost rules, which will limit spending on player wages, transfer, and agents’ fees to 70% of revenue next season.
The survey indicated that technical and administrative staff wages were rising rapidly, cutting clubs’ operating margins. In 2023, they rose 19% across Europe, with double-digit wage rise in 16 of 20 leagues.
