Benfica, Ajax, Porto the experts: 2000s net-spend table includes no Premier League clubs

These 20 are the best in the world when it comes to buying players and flipping them for profit. Here is the ranking of the clubs with the lowest net spend since the summer of 2000.

Figures are via Transfermarkt , which deals in Euros. Converting into sterling makes no sense and would frankly take too much effort.

The 20 biggest net spenders are here…

20) Empoli (Italy)
Expenditure: €109.86m
Income: €343.29m
Net spend: €233.42m

Empoli’s record sale is Guglielmo Vicario, who joined Tottenham for €20million last summer. They would be 23rd without that transfer.

19) Gremio (Brazil)
Expenditure: €100.36m
Income: €335.89m
Net spend: €235.53m

Gremio broke the €100m spending mark this summer, spending on four new recruits.

18) AZ Alkmaar (Netherlands)
Expenditure: €163.82m
Income: €415.52m
Net spend: €251.71m

Dutch clubs are pretty good at this. You’ll see.

17) Atalanta (Italy)
Expenditure: €767.61m
Income: €1.02bn
Net spend: €252.73m

Only five of the top 27 receive over €1bn this century and Atalanta are the only club outside of the top four to do so.

16) Corinthians (Brazil)
Expenditure: €224.73m
Income: €458.93m
Net spend: €234.20m

The second of seven South American teams in the top 20.

15) PSV (Netherlands)
Expenditure: €432.47m
Income: €693.28m
Net spend: €260.82m

PSV have made big money from the sales of Hirving Lozano, Cody Gakpo, Memphis Depay, Noni Madueke and Ibrahim Sangare.

14) Internacional (Brazil)
Expenditure: €131.03m
Income: €412.41m
Net spend: €281.39m

Their profit would be even greater if Leandro Damiao joined Spurs.

13) Boca Juniors (Argentina)
Expenditure: €217.53m
Income: €510.62m
Net spend: €293.09m

Some great players have played for Boca over the years. Carlos Tevez was sold twice for over €10m.

12) SC Braga (Portugal)
Expenditure: €133.71m
Income: €437.41m
Net spend: €303.70m

Braga have signed and sold 685 players this century.

11) Sao Paulo (Brazil)
Expenditure: €177.58m
Income: €491.32m
Net spend: €313.75m

Sao Paulo received a world-record €31.5m from Real Betis for Denilson back in 1998.

10) Santos (Brazil)
Expenditure: €124.34m
Income: €471.27m
Net spend: €346.93m

Neymar. Rodrygo. Robinho. This club love a techy winger.

9) Udinese (Italy)
Expenditure: €463.34m
Income: €865.19m
Net spend: €366.88m

Udinese’s next signing will be their 1000th of the century.

8) Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia)
Expenditure: €115.63m
Income: €466.86m
Net spend: €351.23m

Fair play to Dinamo Zagreb, who have a great record when it comes to developing and selling youth players.

7) River Plate (Argentina)
Expenditure: €248.37m
Income: €601.48m
Net spend: €353.11m

These South Americans know what they’re doing, don’t they?

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6) Red Bull Salzburg (Austria)
Expenditure: €289.98m
Income: €684.92m
Net spend: €394.94m

We all know about Salzburg and their proven philosophy.

5) Sporting (Portugal)
Expenditure: €547.29m
Income: €973.26m
Net spend: €425.97m

The sale of Manuel Ugarte last summer was not enough to leapfrog Bruno Fernandes as Sporting’s record sale.

4) Lille (France)
Expenditure: €502.76m
Income: €1bn
Net spend: €500.24m

Nicolas Pepe and Victor Osimhen brought in €155m alone.

3) Ajax (Netherlands)
Expenditure: €684.34m
Income: €1.3bn
Net spend: €618.4m

Ajax probably have the best reputation for selling players but they are third best when it comes to net spend.

2) Porto (Portugal)
Expenditure: €798.51m
Income: €1.5bn
Net spend: €699.06m

Being second comes down to consistently getting between €25-45m for their best players. Otavio became their record sale last summer, joining Al-Nassr for €60m.

1) Benfica (Portugal)
Expenditure: €943.59m
Income: €1.81bn
Net spend: €867.65m

Benfica are selling extraordinaires. Just look at how far in front they are.

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