Transfers: Manchester United FC has the most expensive squad in the European Top 5 in 2023-24 (CIES)

Manchester United FC (Premier League) is the club in the European Top 5 to have spent the most on building its 2023-24 squad, with €1.15bn committed in transfer fees, according to the CIES Football Observatory in its "weekly post" published on 13/09/2023. The CIES presents the top 100 teams in the world according to the cost of assembling their squad for the current season.

Manchester United have moved up one place since last season. It shares the podium with two other English clubs: Chelsea FC (€1.134bn) and Manchester City FC (€1.042bn), leaders for the previous three seasons. Paris Saint-Germain (Ligue 1 Uber Eats) remain in fourth place (€1bn).

Al-Hilal SFC (Saudi Pro League) broke into the Top 20 in 2023-24 (18^th) thanks to the €382m spent on recruiting Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior (BRA), Rùben Neves (POR) and Kalidou Koulibaly (SEN), among others. The Saudi club, the only club from outside the European Top 5 to feature in the top 20, are ahead of FC Barcelona (LaLiga EA Sports, 19^th).

"Four teams head the list with investments of at least one billion euros: three English clubs…