New report lists the most expensively assembled club squads in World Football – Interesting! | OneFootball

A new report has given details of the most expensively assembled club squads in World Football.

The CIES Football Observatory giving an up to date list (see below), as of 15 September 2025.

This follows a huge summer of spending on new signings.

The Premier League dominating things in recent months.

The new transfer window record of well over £3billion by the 20 Premier League clubs, was more than the combined spending of the 76 clubs in the other four main European leagues (La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue 1).

The CIES Football Observatory detailing the 100 clubs worldwide, who having committed the most money in transfer fees (including add-ons regardless of actual payment) to recruit their current first team squad players.

Chelsea tops the list with a total investment of €1,314m (approx £1.141m, which is £1.141billion), all amounts below are in Euros.

What you have to take into account as well, is that these figures below are for the current squads of each of the clubs. So this doesn’t include signings who are currently loaned out. In Chelsea’s case, they currently have 17 players loaned out and many of these were bought in for serious money.

I have listed the 42 most expensively assembled club squads in World Football.

This new CIES Football Observatory report showing that 22 of the 42 most expensive are English clubs…

As you can see, they have Newcastle United listed in ninth place with a squad that has cost an estimated €816m (approx £708m). With the most expensive signing being Nick Woltemade at €80m (Which is the £65m guaranteed to Stuttgart, plus £4.3m in potential future add-ons).

As you can see, all of the top six above are Premier League clubs, whilst eight of the top eleven are as well.

Whilst making it 22 English clubs out of the top 42 are Sunderland, with a spend on their current squad of €235 (approx £204m).

The overwhelming dominant financial power of English football, Premier League clubs