Saints have the 7th most expensive squad in the PL

I haven't noticed this being posted before - apologies if I've missed it. Sometimes it doesn't feel like it but it appears that we really have spent a significant amount of money on our players. CIES have assessed the cost of teams across Europe and we're up there in 7th in the Premier League.

A couple of things strike me.
Firstly, that table looks quite feasible as an end of season table except for the fact that Liverpool appear to grossly underperform their spend while Arsenal outperform significantly.

Secondly, the huge discrepancy between the top and the rest is horrible. Can we ever beat it?


http://www.football-observatory.com/IMG/pdf/wp116_eng.pdf

Vin

 

I don't think that can be net spend surely? Or does it include wages?

 

About right when you think that what you spend influences your league position.

 

I think it's what your squad is worth, it doesn't account for who you have sold to get them.

 

Doesn't surprise me. We're the 7th richest club, according to certain estimations of Liebherr fortunes. Others have us as rich as 4th. Depends how much of it you count. What's certain is that plucky little Southampton FC is no longer plucky or little. Nor are we punching above our weight.

 

Basically confirms what we all know - apart from the odd team who over or under achieves due to great or bad management you are what you spend. The league table in the broad sense is determined before a ball is kicked.

 

Doesn't stop me going though because beating this flawed rigged system is very satisfying for those that mange it

 

Mange = manage

Hmmm

 

We have seriously underachieved if we have spent more than Atletico Madrid, Dortmund, everyone in France apart from PSG, and most clubs in Serie A including Milan.

 

Or that those teams have more money to spend as they finished higher, chicken and the egg.

 

7th most expensive team in the Premier League. You can't directly compare like for like. It's like living in London or MId-Wales, we have to pay the going rate for the property. The player cost just isn't as great elsewhere in Europe and the rest of the world.

 

We may have spent big on incoming transfers but well balanced (financially) by substantial sales of our best players
We probably are still cost neutral (ins vs outs)

 

In the Echo, it said our net spend this summer was 3 million in.

 

I'm interested how that can be assessed - they are playing in different leagues against different opposition. Who's to say how we'd perform if transported lock, stock and barrel to Serie A?

Vin

 

And last season we would have been even more in credit however I get the feeling that the club puts away the total wages of the contract at the start so that the wages don't drain the day to day cash flow of the club.
Also this transfer window we had to pay out to get rid of Danni which will have made a dent in the funds

 

We're 16th in Europe according to that list.

How's that fire sale coming along?

I guess on these numbers we're expecting 7th? Our squad expense would have gone up from last summer by about £35m.

 

Exactly.