UEFA has released their annual report on financial health of football entities across Europe and according to recent financial details Manchester United is not only the club with highest yearly revenue but also has the highest net debt. The interesting fact that even with the highest revenue United has failed to reduce their net debt which stands at €536 million and thats around 25% increase compared to last fiscal year. We take a look at clubs with highest net debt across Europe.
*the following numbers are based on FIFA’s financial play debt definition. Which exclude many factors but mainly focus on “bank overdrafts and loans, other loans and accounts payable to related parties less cash and cash equivalents” and “net player transfer balance”
| NO.# | CLUB | NET DEBT (numbers converted to dollar) |
| 1 | Manchester United | $570 million (risen by 18% largely down to brexit as US dollar strengthend to GBP. However club remain in excellent financial condition with $711m in yearly revenue generated in 2015-16 season without Champions League) |
| 2 | SL Benfica | $351 million (Benfica’s finances has been mismanaged for best part of last decade and club is trying hard to get out of massive debt they owe to local portugese banks) |
| 3 | Inter Milan | $325 million (in worst possible financial situation and things not looking bright with inter posting another $78 million net loss in 2016. |
| 4 | Valencia | $303 million |
| 5 | FC Barcelona | $298 million (has managed to reduce their net debt from from $340m to $298m thanks to record revenue of $670m generated in 2015-16. However they are clean in FIFA/UEFA books as their debt do not fall into fair-play regulations) |
| 6 | QPR | $297 million (most of the debt is owed to club’s owners ($158m owed to Asia Sdn Bhd owned by Fernandes, another $40m to Mittal family etc. According to some reports QPR has paid back all the debt) |
| 7 | AC Milan | $265 million (in 2016 club sold for around $826 million to chinese company including the debt. Goldman Sachs to intervene in clubs debt restructuring) |
| 8 | Chelsea* | technically debt free but Roman Abramovich’s $1 billion investment counts if he decides to sell the club. |
| 9 | CSKA Moscow | $238 million |
| 10 | Galatasaray | $236 million |
| 11 | Real Madrid | $250 million approx (Madrid has more debt than just $250m. But non of their net debt falls into FIFA fair-play regulations.) |
| 12 | Juventus | $222 million |
| 13 | AS Roma | $221 million |
| 14 | Sunderland | $221 million |
| 15 | PSG | $198 million |
| 16 | Fenerbache | $176 million |
| 17 | Dinamo Moskva | $174 million |
| 18 | Atletico Madrid | $174 million |
| 19 | Liverpool | $174 million |
| 20 | Olympic Lyon | $169 million |
| 21 | AS Monaco | $157 million |
| 22 | FC Kopenhavn | $146 million |
| 23 | FC Schalke | $145 million |
UEFA really should start using FAIR PLAY and tell these teams to work on lowering their debts fast but for now they shouldn’t be allowed to be in the CL or Uefa Cup games.
This is so unfair to those teams in Europe with no debts at all !!!
Uefa Maffia!