12 managers spent €1b+ 

Jose Mourinho, Diego Simeone & Co. - Which managers have spent most money on transfer fees?

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The money being spent in football has got more and more out of control throughout the years. Clubs continue to spend €100s of millions each season in an attempt to build the best squads possible to compete at the top level. But which managers have splashed out the most money on transfers in the history of the game? Of course, in a modern football club structure, the manager alone is not solely responsible for incomings and outgoings, but they are still sure to benefit from their club spending big money. Here at Transfermarkt, we have compiled a list of the bosses to spend the most cash, with some of the best names to sit in the dugout in the past few decades featuring.

The managers that have spent the most money on transfers

Leading the way is the winning machine that is Pep Guardiola. Across his time at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City, the Spaniard has spent a mouth-watering €2.45b on players. In that time he has won a sensational 39 trophies, which goes to show a lot of the money spent has been well spent. His record signing was Jack Grealish, who was signed by Man City from Aston Villa in 2021 for €117.5m. 

In second place is ‘the special one’ José Mourinho. The Portuguese tactician, who has won 26 trophies, has spent €1.96b on transfers in his managerial career. The most expensive of which was Paul Pogba, who Mourinho’s Man United paid €105m for from Juventus in 2016. The legendary Carlo Ancelotti takes third – the current Real Madrid boss has a total expenditure of €1.79b spent throughout his long and successful career, in which he has won 31 trophies. He is followed by Atlético Madrid manager Diego Simeone, who has also spent €1.52b during his managerial career.

In fifth is Italian Massimiliano Allegri, having spent €1.48b throughout his career. Sixth goes to Antonio Conte, with the Italian having spent €1.36b – he has won just nine career trophies despite that spend. In seventh is Chilean coach Manuel Pellegrini with a total spend of €1.29b. Aston Villa boss Unai Emery takes eighth with a spend of €1.28b. In ninth is current England manager Thomas Tuchel, who has a career spend on transfers of €1.22b, with former Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp completing the top 10 with a spend of €1.15b.