Takeovers of the big footballing powerhouses are usually long-winded affairs with plenty of intense speculation surrounding the would-be new owners. They are also not exactly cheap deals which adds to the time to reach a conclusion.
Here are the top five most expensive deals of all time.
5 – Paris Saint Germain – 80million Euros in 2011
Before PSG were taken over by the Qatari Sports Investment Group in 2011, they were seen as one of the most underwhelming, underachieving clubs in Europe.
The capital club never really used to fight for titles but they certainly did once the money started rolling in.
Early marquee signings included Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who helped fire them to four successive league titles, and David Beckham, who ended his career there.
The club is now worth way more than what they initially paid and every big player around Europe seems to get linked with a move to the Parc Des Princes.
The Champions League still evades them, but they are the dominant force in French football.
4 – Chelsea – 155million Euros in 2003
Roman Abramovich’s era is coming to an end and it can be argued the leap into massive spending on players came to normality due to Chelsea.
It’s easy to forget that in the summer of 2003, Chelsea were in dire financial straits and they needed some serious financial help.
Abramovich came in and spent enormously to achieve success in the Premier League, with Jose Mourinho guiding them to back-to-back titles.
Two Champions League titles have followed and while there has always been short-term thinking at the Blues, it has never failed to yield results.
Chelsea are up for sale for a reported £3billion and are one of the global powers of the sport.
3 – Manchester City – 233million Euros in 2008
Manchester City’s rise from an also-ran mid-table Premier League club to one of the game’s most recognisable brands has been utterly unprecedented.
The football world gasped when Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan ploughed investment into the club and vowed to make them one of the most competitive sides in the world.
Success wasn’t instant – City didn’t win their first league title until 2012, which they achieved in legendary dramatic circumstances thanks to Sergio Aguero’s late winner at QPR on the final day of the season.
However, they have sustained themselves at the top and, particularly since Pep Guardiola took over in 2016, are now always viewed as the team to beat.
2 – Liverpool – 333million Euros in 2010
When Liverpool were taken over by the Fenway Sports Group in 2010, they were in the midst of a 20-year run without winning the top-flight title.
Rafa Benitez’s time as manager had just ended and Roy Hodgson’s short-lived reign had begun – the Reds were now struggling to qualify for Europe.
John Henry took over from the loathed George Gillett and Tom Hicks and like City, it was a slow process in terms of getting them back to the top.
Brendan Rodgers came close to winning the league but it was Jurgen Klopp who ushered in a new era of optimism at Anfield.
In 2020, they finally reclaimed their title and that came a year after winning a sixth European Cup.
1 – Manchester United – 878million Euros in 2005
Manchester United were (and arguably still might be) by far the biggest and most lucrative club in the world during the 2000s and that led to a monster takeover by the Glazer family.
They increased their minority stake to buy the club outright in a move that was widely condemned by sections of the fan-base, who saw it as detrimental to the club’s values.
In truth, their stint has been one of failure post-Sir Alex Ferguson – the Red Devils have not won the Premier League since the Scotsman retired and still don’t look close to doing so, despite the huge expenditure and experimentation with numerous different managers.
There have been some signs of improvement but generally, there is dissatisfaction at the club regarding the owners with the green and gold scarves a visible symbol.
Proof that endless pocket space doesn’t always lead to success.
