SAN FRANCISCO, June 03, (THEWILL) – The 2014/15 finances of Premier League teams have been investigated by the Guardian, which reveals just how many are in massive amounts of debt.
No data was available for 2015/16 season Premier League clubs AFC Bournemouth, Watford, and Norwich City, as they were not in the league at the time information was collected.
17. Crystal Palace – 2014/15 debt: £0
Crystal Palace went into administration in 2010, but that seems a lifetime ago. Thanks to owner Steve Parish and a few other investors, they finished the 2014/15 season with £18 million in the bank.
16. Manchester City- 2014/15 debt: £0
City is debt free despite a massive wage bill of £194 million in the last season and ended the 2014/15 season with a cash balance of £8 million thanks to the club’s owner, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
15. West Bromwich – 2014/15 debt: £0
West Brom survived a relegation scare to finish 14th in the league with a wage payroll at £70 million, which is 73% of its turnover. There are rumours chairman Jeremy Peace wants to sell the club.
14. Leicester City – 2014/15 debt: £6 million ($9 million)
Leicester’s debt could be ten times higher and it would still have been worth it to win the Premiership — which it did last season, against odds of 5000/1. Having a Thai gambling tycoon owner willing to write off over £100 million of the club’s previous debts in 2014 didn’t hurt either.
13. Arsenal – 2014/15 debt: £6 million ($9 million)
A big team with small debts, Arsenal hasn’t tasted Premier League glory in a while but it continues to be a major presence at home and in Europe. Arsenal is doing fine money-wise.
12. Tottenham – 2014/15 debt: £21 million ($30 million)
Tottenham looked like a Premier League contender until the end. Money from Champions League action next season will help offset the cost of a new stadium, which has just been given planning permission and will open in 2018.
11. Swansea – 2014/15 debt: £21 million ($30 million)
Long-time shareholders in Swansea are due to make a killing as interest from US investors intensifies, with shares worth £1 million in 2002 now said to be worth £100 million.
10. Everton – 2014/15 debt: £31 million ($45 million)
Businessman Farhad Moshiri purchased a 49.9% stake in Everton last February, and plans for a new stadium in Goodison Park continued in earnest.
9. Aston Villa – 2014/15 debt: £31 million ($45 million)
Relegated several weeks before the Premiership even finished, a sale to a Chinese businessman Tony Jiantong Xia was confirmed last week.
8. Stoke City – 2014/15 debt: £33 million ($48 million)
Its Chairman Peter Coates also owns gambling company bet365, which is based in the city and on the team’s shirt. It will also be the next sponsor of the team’s stadium.
7. Southampton – 2014/15 debt: £48 million ($70 million)
The team finished sixth in the league thanks partly to the great management of Ronald Koeman and £33 million in loans from new Chairman Katharina Liebherr.
6. West Ham – 2014/15 debt: £67 million (£98 million)
West Ham is planning a move to the Olympic Stadium, which will massively increase match day revenues. Owners David Sullivan and David Gold have also lent the team £49 million at 7% interest.
5. Newcastle – 2014/15 debt: £81 million ($119 million)
Newcastle’s 2015/16 relegation only added to Sports Direct billionaire Mike Ashley’s woes, having invested tens of millions on expensive, ill-considered players who changed nothing.
4. Liverpool- 2014/15 debt: £95 million ($139 million)
Liverpool FC is a global brand, and that was enough for American investor group Fenway Sports to buy the team in 2010 for £300 million.
3. Sunderland – 2014/15 debt: £139 million ($204 million)
Another Premier League team, another American owner, Sunderland was bought by Ellis Short in 2008, who proceeded to plough tens of millions into the club over the years.
2. Manchester United- 2014/15 debt: £255 million ($373 million)
Manchester United is the most valuable team in the world due to its huge brand and revenues of over £400 million a year but has a mountain of debt incurred since the Glazer family took over the club.
1. Chelsea – 2014/15 debt: £1.1 billion ($1.6 billion)
Thanks to Russian owner Roman Abramovich’s legendary spending on Chelsea since he bought it in 2003, the club’s debt is now more than four times the amount of United’s.
Story by David Oputah
