The Premier League is arguably the most exciting in world football and almost certainly the richest, with a whole host of billionaire owners who have ploughed fortunes into their respective clubs across England’s elite division.
Businessmen, sheikhs, media moguls, attorneys, entrepreneurs and a well-known poker player are amongst those who sit at the helm and more often than not, are ready to splash the cash to try and generate a return on their investment.
Here at SportsLens, we rank the 20 richest Premier League owners for club’s competing in the 2023/24 season.
20. Luton Town – David Wilkinson (£25.74m)
Luton Town are the newest Premier League members and have more than held their own so far this season. The Bedfordshire-based club are owned by a fan-based consortium called Luton Town FC 2020 and David Wilkinson is the current chairman and has been for five years.
Wilkinson is a life-long Hatters fan and has a reported net worth of £25.74m. The biggest signing during his reign was the £5m spent on Ryan Giles in the summer, which is also their record signing.
19. Burnley – Alan Pace (£190m)
It’s been three years since Velocity Sports Raptors, the sports investment branch of American management firm ALK Capital, took control of Burnley and they have since welcomed YouTubers Dude Perfect on board as well as former NFL star J.J. Watt and his wife as minority investors.
However, Alan Pace, who is the managing partner of ALK Capital whereby he made most of his fortune, is listed as the club’s chairman and is thought to have a net worth of approximately £190m. Burnley’s biggest signing in this era was the £16.1m capture of Zeki Amdouni in the summer of 2023, which is also a club-record.
Saudi Takeover and return to the top flight (2013–present)
Prince Abdullah at Sheffield United in 2013.
In September 2013, Abdullah bin Musaid Al Saud of the House of Saud had bought a 50 per cent stake in United's parent company "Blades Leisure Ltd". pic.twitter.com/1ZNOpDMEhX
— Adam #SellBeforeWeDai (@aabiscuit) May 4, 2023
18. Sheffield United – Abdullah bin Musaid Al Saud (£158m)
It’s been 10 years since Abdullah bin Musaid Al Saud secured a 50% stake in Sheffield United, who were plying their trade in League One at the time. Since acquiring the Blades parent company, Blades Leisure Ltd back in 2013, the Premier League strugglers have enjoyed mixed fortunes on the pitch.
In 2019, Prince Abdullah, who made his fortune after founding a paper manufacturing company in Saudi Arabia, assumed full control of the club after buying out former co-chairman Kevin McCabe and he has an estimated worth of £158m. In terms of the biggest signings, £22.5m was laid out for forward Rhian Brewster in the summer transfer window in 2020.
17. Brentford – Matthew Benham (220m)
Matthew Benham, the data-analytics whizz behind Smartodds, is an Oxford University graduate and has owned Brentford since June 2012. One of Benham’s first purchases when he fully acquired the west Londoners was to buy land which is where the Brentford Community Stadium not sits.
Benham’s net worth is understood to be in the region of £220m, making most of his fortune via founding Smartodds, owning Matchbook betting exchange and for his roles working in finance in the city of London. The most expensive signing to date is £23m defender Nathan Collins, again, another club-record signing.
16. Nottingham Forest – Evangelos Marinakis (£489million)
Media mogul Evangelos Marinakis has owned Nottingham Forest football club since 2017, and oversaw their return to the top-flight in 2022. The Greek businessman made the majority of his fortune after he founded Capital Maritime & Trading Corp.
He is estimated to be worth a cool £489m and as well as owning Forest, he also owns Greek side Olympiacos. Marinakis wants to get the Reds back into Europe by 2027 and the biggest signing to date is the £30m laid out to sign Ibrahim Sangare in 2023.
"Everything Tony Bloom has touched appears to have turned to gold!" 🤩@SamMatterface is this week's guest on the Official BHA Podcast with @_PaulHayward and @GM_83! 🙌🎙️
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) November 21, 2023
15. Brighton & Hove Albion – Tony Bloom (£1.03bn)
English entrepreneur Tony Bloom made the vast majority of his fortune via property, sports gambling and poker, which earned him the moniker ‘The Lizard.” Bloom saved his boyhood club Brighton from extinction in 2009 and they’ve gone on to establish themselves as a top-half Premier League club in recent years.
An estimated net worth of £1.03bn has certainly helped the Seagulls in recent years, as well as their excellent business they conduct in the transfer market. Bloom is also an investor in Belgian side Royale Union Saint-Gilloise. The biggest signing in his 14 years was for the capture of Joao Pedro from Watford for £30m in 2023.
14. Bournemouth – William P. Foley (£1.26bn)
Former American attorney William P. Foley is the proud owner of south coast side Bournemouth. Foley is the chairman of the Cherries and only took control of the club as recently as December 2022. He is also the chairman of Fidelity National Financial, Cannae Holdings and Black Knight Financial Services. He also owns NHL side, the Vegas Golden Knights and has a stake in French side FC Lorient.
Foley made his fortune via his business activities and is currently worth £1.26bn. Whilst an army cadet, Foley made $40,000 which he invested into the stock market in his spare time before eventually moving into corporate law. Under his stewardship, the most expensive signing at the Vitality Stadium was for the signature of fellow American Tyler Adams in the summer transfer window.
13. Manchester United – Glazer Family (£3.71bn)
It may come as a surprise to some to see Manchester United‘s owners rank fairly low but in reality, the Glazer family’s £3.71bn estimated worth is not to be scoffed at. The American’s have been at the helm since 2005 and although it’s no secret they are looking to sell the club, they’ve not entertained a suitable offer just yet.
Brother’s Joel and Avram took full control after their father’s passing in 2014 and have often come under fan criticism with many Red Devils supports happy to see the back of them. The Glazer’s made their fortune via Malcolm’s – the father – business activities involving property and real estate. The biggest signing to date is the £89.3m laid out for Paul Pogba in 2016.
Crystal Palace’s chairman, Steve Parish, and the club’s biggest investor, John Textor, have fallen out despite the American increasing his stake to more than 40% when he completed his takeover of Lyon last month.
Story: @ed_aarons https://t.co/qcBcij9zuI
— Guardian sport (@guardian_sport) January 19, 2023
12. Crystal Palace – John Textor, David Blitzer, Josh Harris & Steve Parish (£4.34bn)
Steve Parish has been the Crystal Palace chairman since 2010 and the club list him alongside David Blitzer, Josh Harris and John Textor as owners. Collectively, they have an estimated wealth of £4.34bn which make them the twelfth richest owners in the Premier League.
Americans Harris, Textor, and Blitzer have invested money into the Eagles starting in 2015 and they made their fortune via a range of business ventures. Belgian forward Christian Benteke is still their most sizeable addition to the first-team scored, and also the record signing at £27m.
11. Tottenham Hotspur – Daniel Levy & Joe Lewis (£4.58billion)
Daniel Levy is the longest serving chairman currently in the Premier League and has held the position at Tottenham Hotspur since 2001. However, Joe Lewis’ ENIC International LTD are listed as the club owners and major shareholders. Since October 2022, the majority ownership has been passed to the Lewis Family Trust.
The 86-year old generated his large amount of wealth via a range of business activities and investment. Between himself and Levy, they have a net worth of £4.58bn. The biggest signing during their reign was for Tanguy Ndombele in 2019, costing £54m which again, is the club’s record signing.
10. Wolves- Guo Guangchang, Liang Xinjun & Wang Qunbin (£5.45bn)
In 2016, Guo Guangchang bought Wolves for a fairly modest £45m and between himself and Liang Xinjun and Wang Qunbin of the Fosun Group, it’s been a healthy investment after overseeing Wolves’ return to the Premier League and European football.
Guangchang generated his wealth from his business activities for the Shanghai-based conglomerate Fosun Group and the owners have been very well received by the Molineux faithful. In terms of their biggest signing, Matheus Cunha takes the honour after setting the club back £43.3m in the summer of 2023.
BREAKING: A Czech-based billionaire is within days of agreeing the purchase of a big stake in West Ham United that could lead to a full takeover.
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) October 28, 2021
9. West Ham United – David Sullivan & Daniel Kretinsky (£5.76bn)
David Sullivan and the late David Gold bought boyhood club West Ham in 2010 after previously owning Birmingham City. The duo made their cash in the soft porn industry and via magazine publishing, and have gone on to oversee many changes in east London, including the club moving to the London Stadium in 2016.
Daniel Kretinsky owns 27% of the club and the Czech businessman was formerly a lawyer in his native country, and now acts as a club director. The Hammers enjoyed their first ever European title in 2023 and their biggest signing under Sullivan and Kretinsky, who boast a joint fortune of £5.76bn, is for Lucas Paqueta, who set them back a club-record £51m.
8. Fulham – Shahid Khan (£6.24bn)
Shahid Khan has been the owner of Fulham since 2013 and has witnessed a number of promotions and relegations from the Premier League. The Pakistani-American billionaire is also the owner of NFL side Jacksonville Jaguars and made his £6.24bn fortune through a range of business ventures.
Khan is also the co-owner of wrestling promotion All Elite Wrestling alongside his son. He bought the Cottagers for an estimated £150-200m and the biggest signing to date under his ownership was the £25.9m signing of Jean Michael Seri in the 2018/19 campaign.
7. Liverpool – John W. Henry & Tom Werner (£7.74bn)
John W. Henry and Tom Werner acquired Liverpool FC in 2010 and are reportedly worth £7.74bn. The duo have seen the club win the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and EFL Cup in recent years and have overseen the expansion of Anfield.
Henry is the head of Fenway Sports Group and it was rumoured he was looking to sell the Merseysiders but has gone on to deny those claims. The American accumulated his wealth in a range of business activities and also owns MLB’s Boston Red Sox. The biggest signing under Henry and Werner so far was for Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk, who cost £75m.
Josh Wander and Don Dransfield heading down the Goodison tunnel.
The 777 Partners pair are about to see Goodison at its bear-pit best this afternoon 🔵
Follow all the action here 👉 https://t.co/b4acmVVH6S pic.twitter.com/WNsgdaM78x
— Connor O'Neill (@ConnorOn95) November 26, 2023
6. Everton – 777 Partners (£8bn)
777 Partners announced in September 2023 they were set to buy Everton FC but there have been delays in the acquisition of the Toffees. Nonetheless, we’ve given them sixth spot in the list as they do boast a net worth of £8bn, surpassing Merseyside rivals Liverpool owners John W. Henry’s.
The American firm have stakes in other clubs including Sevilla, Genoa, Standard Liege, Red Star, CR Vasco da Gama, Hertha Berlin and Melbourne Victory. Naturally, no signings have been made it but it’s very likely 777 will invest in January should the takeover get the green light.
5. Aston Villa – Wes Edens & Nassef Sawiris (£9.39 bn)
Nassef Sawiris – who owns a stake in Adidas – and Wes Edens are the current owners of Aston Villa and boast an joint fortune of £9.39bn. The former assumed the role of club chairman in 2018 and helped saved the club from administration five years ago, when they were in the Championship.
Sawiris inherited his fortune from his father, who was the founder and owner of Orascom Group conglomerate and the Egyptian has often backed Villa managers in the transfer market. Under Umai Emery, the club has returned to European football and a currently vying for a UEFA Champions League place. The biggest signing so far is for Moussa Diaby, who cost £51.9m from Leverkusen in 2023.
4. Arsenal – Stan Kroenke (£10.18bn)
Another American businessman on the list is Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke. It was only in 2018 that Kroenke – who has a net worth of £10.8bn – assumed full control of the club via Kroenke Sports & Entertainment. He had been on the board of directors since 2008 and he also other sports teams including the LA Rams, Denver Nuggets and Colorado Rapids.
Over the years, Kroenke has been hit and miss with the Arsenal fans but current manager Mikel Arteta has certainly been backed in the transfer market, with a first Premier League title since 2004 on the horizon. The biggest acquisition under Kroenke was the £100m laid out for Declan Rice in 2023.
🚨🔵 | BREAKING & OFFICIAL
Todd Boehly’s consortium have completed the takeover of Chelsea. pic.twitter.com/lXWpchPnfN
— Chels. (@ChelsXtra_) May 30, 2022
3. Chelsea – Todd Boehly, Hansjorg Wyss, Mark Walter (£12.47bn)
Todd Boehly, Hansjorg Wyss and Mark Walter earn a podium place after coming third on the 20 richest Premier League owners list. The trio of businessmen, operating under BlueCo, purchased Chelsea from outgoing owner Roman Abramovich in May 2022 for £4.35bn, the biggest transaction ever completed for a sports team. Collectively, their net worth stands at £12.74bn.
Boehly has not been shy of spending money on new players but has yet to see a return on his hefty outlay – but it’s still early on under his reign. Boehly is also owns a majority stake in Ligue 1 side Strasbourg. The 2023 summer signing of Moises Caicedo is Boehly and British football’s biggest outlay, costing £115m.
2. Manchester City – Abu Dhabi United Group, Silver Lake (£17.37bn)
The Abu Dhabi United Group have been the proud owners of Manchester City since 2008 and what a journey it’s been so far. A whole host of world class stars have plied their trade at the Etihad and numerous accolades and titles have been won, including the UEFA Champions League in 2023. Sheikh Mansour is listed as the club’s full owner, and he is the vice president of the UAE as well as being part of the royal family of Abu Dhabi.
Mansour has overseen a number of changes in the blue half of Manchester in his 15 years at the helm. Although City face 115 FFP charges, the Cityzens are arguably the best side in world football and have one of the game’s greatest ever managers in Pep Guardiola leading them on. The biggest signing to date is the £100m capture of Jack Grealish in 2021.
1. Newcastle United – Saudi Public Investment Fund, RB Sports & Media, PCP Capital Partners (£489bn)
In October 2021, the £300m takeover of Newcastle United meant the Magpies claimed top spot on our list. The Saudi Public Investment Fund alongside RB Sports & Media and PCP Capital Partners are worth a truly eye-watering sum, £489bn. Nobody else in the Premier League comes remotely close to their vast wealth.
Yasir Al-Rumayyan is listed as the club chairman and since Eddie Howe has been in charge, UEFA Champions League football has already returned to St James’ Park and the club owners will certainly have their eye on the Premier League title in the not so distant future. Alexander Isak is the most costly signing to date, setting the club back just £63m.
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