Squad values ​​2023: BVB among the biggest losers – England dominates winners

Looking back to 2023

A total of 17 clubs were able to record an increase of over 100 million euros in terms of squad value in 2023, and Bayer Leverkusen is the only German club among them. However, the “Werkself”, which is flying high under coach Xabi Alonso, narrowly misses the top 10 of the biggest winners, which is dominated by English teams. Six Premier League clubs are at the top, with only Real Madrid and Al-Hilal SFC breaking through the dominance in fourth and fifth place.

Last year, the “Royals” were able to break the billion mark in squad value for the first time since 2020, with an increase of 179 million euros. The only decisive factor for this was the signing of Jude Bellingham (20), who came to Madrid with a market value of 120 million euros and increased this by a further 60 million euros with his outstanding first six months at Real.

At Al-Hilal, too, investments of over 350 million euros for stars such as Neymar (31), Malcom (26), Aleksandar Mitrovic (29) and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (28) increased the squad value, and at the end of the year there was an increase of 172.7 million euros. The transfer boom in the financially strong Saudi Pro League means that with Al-Ahli (11th place), Al-Nassr (17th place) and Al-Ittihad (23rd place) a total of four clubs from the desert state are in the top 25 of the biggest winners land – only England (twelve) has more clubs.

Arsenal FC recorded the biggest increase last year – by a significant margin. The strong performances as league leaders for weeks and the signing of top-class players such as Declan Rice (24) and Kai Havertz (24) resulted in an increase of 349 million euros. The lead over Newcastle United in second place in the winners ranking is over 150 million euros. The podium is completed by Manchester City, the most valuable team in the world with 1.29 billion euros.

Man City ahead, Bayern 6.
Most valuable squad in the world
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From a German perspective there are two clubs in the top 25. The still unbeaten Bundesliga leaders Leverkusen, second in the 2023 annual table, showed a golden touch on the transfer market in the summer. New additions like Victor Boniface (23) and Alejandro Grimaldo (28) made an immediate impact and ensured an increase of 141.7 million euros in the generally strong Alonso team: twelfth place. In 18th place, VfB Stuttgart, the surprise team of the current season, just missed the 100 million mark. The squad value of league leader FC Bayern (931.7 million euros) remained virtually unchanged in 2023, with a minimal loss of 2 million euros in the end.

BVB is among the biggest losers in terms of squad values ​​in 2023

The big losers in 2023 also include two Bundesliga clubs. After missing the championship, the Bellingham sale and a mixed first half of the season at Borussia Dortmund resulted in a loss of 77.2 million euros, making BVB one of the seven biggest losers. At Eintracht Frankfurt it was also the last-minute transfer of Randal Kolo Muani (25) to PSG that caused a drop of 58.1 million euros. The fact that the devaluation was not even higher is thanks to big market value winners such as Hugo Larsson (19), Willian Pacho (22) and Omar Marmoush (24).

Among the three biggest losers are Leicester City (first place) and Southampton FC (third place), two Premier League relegated teams, who traditionally had to give up numerous top performers in the summer and, together with Europa League participants FC Villarreal, in second place only clubs lost more than 100 million euros. The LaLiga club lost a handful of regulars such as Nicolas Jackson (22; Chelsea) and Pau Torres (26; Aston Villa) and are only in mid-table. Other struggling top clubs such as Ajax Amsterdam (fourth place) and Olympique Lyon (sixth place) are also high up in the losers ranking.

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