Top 10 Premier League clubs with the most debt as of 2023

Premier League clubs with the most debt get into this situation because of stiff competition. They all spend handsomely to buy the best players, employ the best coaches and administration staff, build top-notch training and playing facilities, etc. Maintaining a club, its players, workers, and facilities also require money. Discover the top 10 Premier League clubs with the most debt in 2023 below.

Since football is among the most lucrative sports globally, people expect clubs to thrive in all seasons. These are unrealistic expectations because clubs are in business. Hence they make losses and profits like other business organizations. Canceling matches due to COVID-19 19 put some football teams in financial struggles, but some were already struggling before the pandemic.

Which Premier League club has the most debt?

Most globally celebrated football clubs have endured and survived financial difficulties severally over the years. Premier League club's net debt increased by 4% by the end of the 2020/21 season (£3.9 billion to £4.1 billion). This confirms that high-paying leagues are sometimes less profitable than the public assumes. Below are the Premier League clubs' finances in 2023 (net debt in sterling pounds and US dollars) as reported by Deloitte UK.

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10. Everton - £58 million ($70.05 million)

Although Everton has posted a loss of over £100 million for the third successive year, it will not be held in breach of Premier League profit and sustainability rules in 2023. COVID largely contributed to its £120.9 million deficit for the financial year ending June 2021. The club's current net debt is £58 million.

9. Southampton - £62 million ($74.88 million)

Southampton's £62 million debt is partly caused by three bank loans with different payment terms. The club had a £12.5 million loan repayable by 2022 at a 1.1% interest rate. Its £78.8 million loan is repayable by 2025 at a 9.1% interest rate.

8. West Ham United F.C - £89 million ($107.48 million)

West Ham United was one of the two largest revenue losers in 2021 due to COVID. Its match-day income in 2021-22 was £41.3 million. The figure was £40.8 million higher than the 2020-21 games played behind closed doors due to COVID-19. West Ham's net debt in 2023 is £89 million.

7. Liverpool F.C - £232 million ($280.18 million)

Liverpool is the seventh Premier League club with the most debt in 2023, with a net debt of £232 million. Despite losing $48 million from ticket, commercial, and broadcast revenue during COVID, Liverpool FC showed loyalty to the local community by using its Anfield stadium as a testing and vaccination center.

6. Leicester City F.C - £237 million ($286.22 million)

According to the Foxes' 2019/2020 season financial statement, COVID caused a significant revenue loss to Leicester City. In 2020, the club acquired additional land to expand its King Power Stadium. Despite help from its owners, the Srivaddhanaprabha family, Leicester City's debt increased to £237 million in 2023.

5. Newcastle United - £338 million ($408.20 million)

Newcastle United's net debt of £338 million is way more than the £100 million debt Mike Ashley inherited at the club in 2007 as a new owner. He does not plan to sell it because he wants to build it. Mike paid £140m for the club, expecting a debt of £70 million but discovered it has a £100 million deficit. Hence, he had an extra £30 million to pay.

4. Brighton & Hove Albion F.C - £360 million ($434.76 million)

In 2018, Brighton & Hove Albion's $203 million debt was the second-largest of all debts English football clubs owed. They maintained and increased players' salaries during the COVID pandemic while other clubs laid off staff to reduce wages. The club currently owes £360 million, and its owner, Tony Bloom, has faced numerous challenges in financing player signings and other developments.

3. Manchester United F.C. - £424 million ($512.06 million)

Manchester United's debt decreased from £514.9 million (2021) to £424 million (2022). Man-U ranks among the top 50 football revenue earners and the world's wealthiest football teams. The club recorded a 92.1% loss in broadcast revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2. Tottenham Hotspurs - £726 million ($876.77 million)

Tottenham's debt of £726 million is about $876.77 million. The rising deficits are linked to the over £1 billion Tottenham Stadium's construction project (2014 to 2019). The facility was transformed to meet the standards of an American football field. The 62,303-capacity state-of-the-art stadium is a significant landmark for Tottenham and London.

1. Chelsea F.C - £1.38 billion ($1.67 billion)

Chelsea is one of the world's most valuable football clubs but is also among the Premier League clubs with the most debt in 2023. Its chairman, Bruce Buck, explained that the global COVID-19 pandemic greatly influenced the club's financial performance. According to a Forbes report, Chelsea owes its biggest debt (almost the entire debt) to its former owner, Roman Abramovich. Its new owner, Todd Boehly, raised around £800 million in debt to reshape the club.

Why are football clubs in debt?

Premier League clubs' financial losses are caused by high expenditure, which makes it difficult for most clubs to operate without financial help. According to the Price of Football, club expenditures include operation costs, taxes, staff and players' wages, player transfers, stadia and training facilities construction, and renovation.

How much debt are Premiership teams in?

Which club has the highest debt?

Chelsea is currently the Premiership football club with the highest debt in the world. Below is a list of football clubs with high debts:

Which club has the most debt in 2023?

Chelsea is the Premier League club with the most debt. It has a £1.38 billion net debt and owes most of it to its ex-owner, Roman Abramovich. The club's new owner, Todd Boehly, raised around £800 million in debt to reshape the club. Hence, it is still far from being considered one of those Premier League clubs with no debt.

Which club has no debt in Europe?

Paris Saint Germain is among the few renowned football clubs with no debt in 2023. In the 2021/22 season, PSG generated 654.2 million euros in revenue (nearly 100 million euros more than the previous year).

Which are the most profitable Premier League clubs in 2023?

Premier League clubs' highest earners are showing significant growth in all revenue streams this year. The following ten teams are the most profitable Premier League clubs in 2023. They have a strong financial performance (in Euros) as follows:

Premier League clubs with the most debt also rank highly globally, wealth-wise, and in pitch performance. Despite incurring significant losses, these clubs serve local communities as event venues and their countries as tourist attraction sites. Most stadiums owned by Premier League clubs also accommodate other sports and athletics.

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