How much have Manchester City spent on squad? Team value and total transfer fee costs for current players

Manchester City have some of the deepest pockets in world football and the club's owners, including an entity run by Sheikh Mansour of the United Arab Emirates' royal family, have spared little expense in an attempt to build it into one of the globe's most successful teams. The list of transfer fees paid for their current squad (below) is a clear sign of their ambition.

But the spending power of Man City owners City Football Group, and the construction of their network of clubs around the world, has often come under the microscope. Manchester City even received a ban from European cup competitions in 2020 for alleged breaches of Financial Fair Play rules, only for the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to reinstate City. 

In February 2022, the Premier League charged City with more than 100 alleged rule breaches related to finances, with an independent commission set to investigate and rule on the case.

A club statement said: “Manchester City FC is surprised by the issuing of these alleged breaches of the Premier League rules, particularly given the extensive engagement and vast amount of detailed materials that the EPL has been provided with.

🏆 Manchester City lift the Premier League trophy! pic.twitter.com/bEC3r7yzJV

— Sporting News Football Club (@sn_footballclub) May 21, 2023

“The club welcomes the review of this matter by an independent commission, to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence that exists in support of its position. As such, we look forward to this matter being put to rest once and for all.”

All the questions and chatter haven't prevented the football staff at City from constructing one of the behemoths in world football. Coached by one of the sport's all-time great managers, Pep Guardiola, they have won their fourth Premier League title in five seasons and will face Inter Milan for their first UEFA Champions League crown, as well as taking on Manchester United in the FA Cup final for what could be a Treble.

Sporting News takes a deeper dive into Man City's spending spree over the last decade, its most expensive transfers, and the how much their current squad cost as they continue to chase more glory on both domestic and European fronts. 

When did the current owners buy Manchester City?

Formerly seen as a stable yet unspectacular Premier League club, Manchester City changed the face of English football forever when they were acquired by the Abu Dhabi United Group on Sept. 1, 2008. 

The downfall of its previous owner, ex-Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, saw his assets frozen and it placed the Blues in a precarious financial position.

But in stepped Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his consortium to take over the club for over $350 million (£210 million) and set about making Manchester City one of the biggest clubs in the world.

How much money have Manchester City's owners spent?

Roughly speaking, the owners of Manchester City have spent an estimated $2 billion since completing the takeover of the club back in 2008. 

Many high-profile names have graced the Etihad Stadium, beginning with former Real Madrid man Robinho. On the same day the Abu Dhabi United Group changed the footballing stratosphere of the club, the Brazilian was acquired from Real Madrid in a shock transfer worth up to $60 million (£38.7 million), which was a British transfer record at the time.

In terms of similar high-profile additions in the early years of City's rise, Yaya Toure and Sergio Aguero were both brought in for handsome fees of $40 million (£27 million) and $56 million (£36 million) a year apart, eventually going down as modern day legends at the club. 

To get to the more eye-watering sums of money that the Blues have spent in the last decade or so, you need to fast forward a few seasons. 

🤑 Manchester City have a bench worth over €500m this afternoon against Chelsea:

Ederson
Ruben Dias
John Stones
Ilkay Gundogan
Rodri
Kevin De Bruyne
Bernardo Silva
Erling Haaland
Jack Grealish#MCICHE pic.twitter.com/O5ZF9YJzyY

— Sporting News Football Club (@sn_footballclub) May 21, 2023

Incredibly, 10 players have broken the £50 million mark when signing for Manchester City, all having been acquired since the 2015-16 campaign. In that year, Raheem Sterling joined the side from Liverpool for a fee of $70 million (£57 million), making him at the time the most expensive player transfer in history. 

Kevin De Bruyne later topped that figure, swapping Wolfsburg for Manchester in the same campaign, in a deal worth $83 million (£68.4 million) which to date makes him the second most expensive conquest in the club's history. Riyad Mahrez, Ruben Dias, and Joao Cancelo come just behind the Belgium superstar to make up the top five with their three combined fees totaling over $220 million (£180 million). 

Last but certainly not least, Jack Grealish is City's first player to be purchased for over £100 million pounds, joining from boyhood club Aston Villa in the summer of 2021. Standing at $129 million (£105.75 million), Grealish is the most expensive transfer in British football history. 

Jack Grealish becomes Britain's first £100m player! 🌟

Enjoy a look back at the Top 10 most expensive British transfers...

(Via Transfermarkt) pic.twitter.com/viS3ySHhXI

— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) August 5, 2021

How much did Manchester City's current squad cost?

Overall, Manchester City's current squad cost more than $1.1 billion (£895 million) to assemble, making it one of the most expensive squads in world football. 

The list of player acquisition costs are organized in order of transfer fees as reported by Transfermarkt.