Arsenal claimed victory in the 2020 FA Cup.
This summer has been exceptionally busy as clubs aim to enhance their squads with significant signings ahead of the new season, which has officially begun. While some European competitions have already kicked off, three of the top five leagues – the English Premier League, LaLiga, and Ligue 1 – start this weekend, with the Bundesliga and Serie A following next weekend. For leading European clubs, the objective is clear: to secure trophies.
Different clubs have varying goals based on their resources and status, but top teams are primarily evaluated by their success in claiming titles. The rich histories and impressive trophy collections of clubs such as Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Liverpool greatly contribute to their reputations as some of the world’s biggest football institutions. These elite clubs invest hundreds of millions in the transfer market to support their managers in the pursuit of success, which inherently creates immense pressure. Utilizing data from Transfermarkt, we’ve assessed which managers have invested the most since their last major trophy win, excluding one-off matches and super cups.
Which managers have spent the most since their last major trophy?
For fairness, we have not included expenditures from the current summer of the 2025/26 season, as it is impossible to win silverware before the season officially starts. Any transfers that take place after July 1, 2025, will fall under the 2025/26 season per Transfermarkt, meaning deals from the temporary Club World Cup window will be accounted for. According to the graphic below, Mikel Arteta is the leading spender among all managers since last securing a major trophy, having invested €778 million.
The Arsenal manager has received substantial backing from the north London club, yet he has narrowly missed out, finishing second in three consecutive Premier League seasons. Although Arteta won the FA Cup in his debut season with Arsenal in 2019/20, he has not managed to secure another major trophy in the past five seasons, with the Gunners claiming two Community Shields, which are not regarded as major honors.
Two current Premier League managers follow in the spending rankings, with Unai Emery having expended €430 million since winning the Europa League with Villarreal in 2021, and Manchester City investing €392 million in Pep Guardiola’s squad since their FIFA Club World Cup triumph in 2023. Emery’s managerial career has taken him through Villarreal and Aston Villa since his Europa League victory, while Guardiola has remained with Manchester City. Other notable managers in the top ten spending list include Diego Simeone, Erik ten Hag, and Xabi Alonso.
Does Mikel Arteta need to win a major trophy this season?
It is clear that Arteta has transformed Arsenal since taking over from Emery in December 2019. He inherited an aging squad with inflated egos, but he has successfully assembled a strong team filled with elite-level talent. Currently, Arsenal boasts the third most valuable squad in the world, valued at €1.32 billion.
Additionally, Arsenal has the most valuable starting XI among English clubs, with six of their players included in the most valuable combined XI of the Premier League. Although Arteta has made significant progress at Arsenal, the pressure to avoid another trophyless season is mounting. It is particularly pronounced considering the club has invested over €1.02 billion since winning the FA Cup in 2020.
