Spanish giants Barcelona have been ranked as one of the top three worst transfer balance dating back to five years ago, according to the report from CIES football observatory. The Catalans are one of the worst teams in European football with a negative transfer balance. This is coming on the back of the news that Barcelona are neck deep in debts of around $1.5bn. Since 2016, Barcelona have a transfer deficit of $571m. It was revealed that Barcelona splashed the sum of $1.42m on transfers within the period under review and recouped $849m in the sales of players to put the club in third place for transfer deficit behind the Manchester duo of Manchester United and Manchester City.

Premier League leaders Manchester City are the kings of transfer deficit as they have spent $765m more than the sales made from the transfers of their players. Manchester United are in second place with a negative transfer balance of $711m. Manchester City spent  $1.22bn on transfers within the period of the last five years, while the Red Devils spent $1.008bn under the same period. As observed by CIES, the debts incurred by Barcelona is not entirely due to the lucrative contract given to star player Lionel Messi in 2016.

After Barcelona, next Champions League opponents PSG are in fourth place with the negative transfer balance of $551m, while Italian giants Inter Milan have a transfer deficit of $468m and are in fifth spot as a result. Four clubs from the Premier League are in the top ten in addition to the Manchester duo of Manchester City and Manchester United. Those clubs are Everton in sixth position, Aston Villa in seventh spot and the London duo of Chelsea and Arsenal in ninth and tenth position respectively. AC Milan are the other team in the top ten at eighth spot.