Essay
CIES Observatório do Futebol analyzed transfers over the last ten years and Benfica recorded the best balance between profits and expenses.
The CIES Observatório do Futebol published a study on the transfers of the 100 most active clubs in terms of volume of transactions in the market during the last decade. And Benfica is in the lead, with 764 million euros.
But there are more Portuguese clubs in the top-10. Sporting is in fifth place, with a positive balance of €376 million, and FC Porto is in sixth place, with 352. In 12th place is Braga, with a profit of €222 million.
Returning to the top of the list, Ajax (434ME), Red Bull Salzburg (422ME) and Monaco (402ME) follow Benfica.
In the opposite direction, Manchester United has the biggest negative balance: there are negative 1.396 million euros, between purchases and sales. Chelsea, with 1033 ME, is right behind and then PSG, with 1010 ME. Arsenal, Manchester City, Newcastle, Barcelona, Tottenham, Milan and West Ham round off the « negative top-10 ».
As a curiosity, analyzing only the year 2023 (which includes two market windows), Villarreal has the best balance, with 117 million euros in profit.