Data and statistics website Transfermarkt has produced an updated ranking of all 20 Premier League clubs based on which offer the best value for money based on the fees paid for their current squad members, minus those out on loan.
Transfermarkt's ranking works out their purchase value against what they’d be worth at current value, with Mikel Arteta’s currently coming out on top at the end of the 2022-23 season, with their squad now worth 374.54m euros (31.1%) more than it was when they were purchased respectively.
Unsurprisingly, shrewd operators Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford closely with squads worth over 50% more than they paid for follow. So who's towards the top and who's further down the bottom?
Every Premier League squad ranked from best value to worst
1. Arsenal
Premier League runners-up Arsenal top the list and have purchased well over the years to usurp the rest of the pack bar Manchester City. £155m was spent last season on eight players, but the £200m they have already put on just three players this summer will put their ranking to the test.
2. Brighton & Hove Albion
It’s no surprise the club which has bought the likes of Pervis Estupian, Kaoru Mitoma, Moises Caicedo and co rank highly on this list. Brighton has been an example to other clubs in how to find gems and also make the occasional huge profit in the past few seasons and the Seagulls don’t seem to be vying from their strategy.
3. Brentford
Brentford too have been shrewd operators under Thomas Frank and promotion to the Premier League has only helped increase the value of the likes of David Raya, Josh DaSilva and Bryan Mbeumo. Sustaining their place in the top flight with their recruitment strategy has been key to their success in these rankings.
4. Manchester City
It’s easy to label Manchester City’s current success as down to the money they have, but their squad is 16.5% more valuable than it was when they were first bought by Pep Guardiola. While they have spent big on world stars, signings such as John Stones and Julian Alvarez have contributed, as well as homegrown talent Phil Foden.
5. Liverpool
When Liverpool have gone big, they’ve gone big. The likes of Alisson and Virgil Van Dijk have commanded huge fees, but the market values of the likes of Mo Salah have shot up over the years. Homegrown talents such as Trent Alexander-Arnold and Curtis Jones have also contributed to Liverpool’s top-five position.
6. Aston Villa
Aston Villa’s transfer business has been a lot more effective in the past couple of seasons. Emi Martinez’s value rose after the World Cup at the end of last year, while the likes of Ezri Konza and Ollie Watkins have also proven to be huge value for money, but Villa are spending big again this summer.
7. Crystal Palace
Palace’s knack for developing young talent like Marc Guehi, Tyrick Mitchell, Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze in particular sees the London side well inside the top 10. Palace did well to stay afloat last season after Roy Hodgson returned, but they’ve increased the value of their squad by 36.1%.
8. Nottingham Forest
Newly-promoted Nottingham Forest were by far the most active club in last summer’s transfer window, but their adaption and survival in the Premier League has seen the value of most of their players rise over the past 12 months. Homegrown Brennan Johnson is largely responsible for that as his market value has skyrocketed.
9. Tottenham Hotspur
Daniel Levy has never been one for parting with cash for the sake of it, and while Tottenham’s squad value has only gone up by 8.8%, it’s still worth pushing towards the 800m mark. That in large is thanks to Harry Kane’s current 90m valuation as a homegrown player, and Spurs have taken hits on other players bought who haven’t had the desired impact.
10. Fulham
Fulham appear to have stopped yo-yo’ing between leagues and have sustained themselves financially in the Premier League with some solid buying. Fulham haven’t seen any particular huge swings either way in their squad, but there’s been enough successes to see them just make the top 10.
11. Everton
It’s been a mixed bag for Everton over the years in the transfer market but they remain just in the green after a second straight last day survival. Some of their shrewder young signings contribute to that value, as does impressive midfielder Amadou Onana as the Toffees look to get back on track this season.
12. Luton Town
At a purchase of just over €10m, Luton’s squad is by far the cheapest in the league, with nobody else even under €100m. A surprise promotion by its very definition has seen the value rise, with the Hatters squad now valued 79.6% more than it was after so many players impressed in the Championship.
13. Newcastle United
As Newcastle spend more and more money since their takeover by PIF, the value goes up and up, meaning it is now just 6.5% more valuable than it was bought for. They have though generally got their big signings of late spot on, while even the slow-starting Joelinton has gone up in value, though money spent this summer will test them out.
14. Bournemouth
Bournemouth is another club which has had to be clever to sustain themselves in the Premier League and they are now seeing the rewards for it. Youngsters Dango Ouattara and Hamed Traore are now classed as their most valuable players, while Philip Billing has seen a solid rise.
15. Burnley
Under Vincent Kompany, Burnley have returned to the Premier League at the first time of asking and due to a solid turnover of players last summer, many of those purchased by Kompany are responsible for their minor rise in value, such as Jordan Beyer, Anass Zaroury and Arijanet Muric.
16. Sheffield United
Fellow newly-promoted side Sheffield United are the last team in the green, with a difference in value of just over €1m. They have returned with many of the players who got relegated and saw their values drop, but the rise of duo Iliman Ndiaye and Anel Ahmedhodzic see the Blades just on the right side of the line.
17. Wolves
Wolves are the first team in the red with their squad currently valued around €8m less than it was bought for. While they have some attractive options such as Matheus Nunes and Max Kilman, some of the team’s older players such as Craig Dawson, Pablo Sarabia and Nelson Semedo have seen values drop.
18. West Ham United
West Ham United are too in the red and also have one of the biggest differences in average ages from when they were purchased, with a difference of almost three years. Declan Rice’s departure has seen their most valuable asset disappear, so that’s meant a hit on the current squad for the Hammers.
19. Chelsea
Given Todd Boehly’s scattergun approach in the transfer market since buying the club, it’s little surprise Chelsea’s value has dropped over €50m since many were bought. After one of their most disappointing Premier League campaigns, with a difference of -5.8%, the Blues come in second bottom.
20. Manchester United
Given Manchester United’s squad has been assembled for just over €1bn, the most in the league, it would be hard to create a value larger than that. United’s deficit though is €161.72m, much more than any other club and a difference of -19.1%, with the likes of Eric Bailly, Donny van de Beek and Anthony Martial seeing some of the biggest drops in valuation.
