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Where does Premier League money come from and go?

The Premier league’s net interest payable increased in 2022 from £126m to £193m, with over half of this amount coming from just two clubs, namely Manchester United £62m and Tottenham £41m.

Much of the Premier League’s debt increase had come via loans from club owners with this “soft” debt rising by nearly a billion between 2017 and 2020. Four clubs had over £200m owner debt in 2022: Brighton £406m, Everton £381m, Leicester City £266m and Arsenal £218m.

The largest external debt in 2022 by far was at Tottenham £853m and Manchester United £636m with these two clubs accounting for nearly 60% of the division’s loans on their own. The next highest was Everton £174m.

There will be a new record high gross transfer spend in 2022/23, amounting to £2.7 bn per Transfermarkt, largely thanks to Chelsea’s incredible outlay of more than half a billion since Todd Boehly’s arrival,

Premier League clubs have spent £3.3 bn on capital expenditure in the last decade, including £2.2 bln in the last five years, mainly on stadium and training ground developments, though this peaked in 2018 and 2019 with around £600m in both seasons.

Tottenham were responsible for over 40% of this infrastructure investment with a £1.4 bln outlay since 2013, followed by Manchester City £361m (including City Football Group expenditure) and Liverpool £262m.

The only Premier League club that has consistently paid dividends to its owners is Manchester United, who account for £156m of the £187m payments in the last decade, averaging an annual £22m over the last seven years.

The £696m equity provided in 2022 was easily the highest ever, mainly coming from Everton £229m, Chelsea £161m, West Ham £124m, Tottenham £97m and Newcastle United £79m.

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