Top 20 Clubs Revealed
The landscape of football business has transformed significantly over the past few decades, particularly evident during transfer windows. In the past, wealthier clubs would easily acquire the best talents from smaller clubs; however, financial fair play regulations enforced by national federations and UEFA have forced even the largest clubs in Europe to be more strategic in balancing their finances through player sales. Some clubs have not only managed to keep pace with, but have even outperformed historically successful academies in selling top talents. While fans often recognize the highest spenders in the transfer market, it raises the question: which clubs have generated the most revenue from player sales in 2025? Today’s edition of Transfermarkt dives into the statistics to reveal the answer.
When we compile a list of the top 20 clubs worldwide based on income from player sales during both the January and summer transfer windows, the results are quite telling. Several clubs are well-known for consistently selling high-quality players each season. For instance, Sporting ranks 19th with €131 million in player sales, Stade Rennais follows in 16th place with €141 million, while Brighton sits in 14th with €148 million. Porto is in 10th place, earning €188 million, and Bundesliga teams RB Leipzig and Eintracht Frankfurt secure the 7th and 5th spots with €195 million and €206 million, respectively. Each of these clubs frequently ranks among the highest earners from player sales year after year.
Additionally, Bayer Leverkusen and Bournemouth have distinguished themselves with particularly lucrative summer transfer windows. Leverkusen achieved an impressive 86% of their annual earnings through player sales in the summer, offloading key players including Florian Wirtz for €125 million and Jeremie Frimpong for €40 million. Meanwhile, Bournemouth faced significant losses from their solid defense, selling Ilya Zabarnyi, Dean Huijsen, and Milos Kerkez for a combined €172 million, alongside Dango Ouattara’s unexpected transfer for €43 million.
As noted earlier, several major clubs in Europe are navigating the transfer market by striving to earn as much as they spend. Aston Villa, positioned 11th on the list, generated €167 million from player sales since the beginning of 2025. Newcastle is right above them in 8th with €189 million, while also ranking 6th in total spending on new players. Liverpool and Chelsea stand out as well, with Liverpool earning €220 million from player sales to largely counterbalance their €483 million in spending, and Chelsea’s €354 million acquisition of new players fully supported by €363 million in player sales during the same timeframe.
