CHELSEA made the biggest net profit of any club in the world in the last two transfer windows, according to newly-released data.
The West Londoners, who served a transfer ban last summer after breaching FIFA rules on the recruitment of young players, spent just 38million on Mateo Kovacic.
Meanwhile, they managed to recoup an eyewatering 211million in sales.
This left them with a cool 173million profit – more than any other club in the world.
The CIES Football Observatory found that at the other end of the scale Real Madrid – who paid Chelsea an initial reported 84million plus add-ons for Eden Hazard last summer – were 153million in negative balance when it came to transfers.
Astonishingly, Premier League new boys Aston Villa were second to the Spanish giants, spending 145million and earning just 3million, for a balance of -142million.
Premier League clubs had the biggest net deficit of Europe’s big five leagues, spending 713million more than they earned.
Only Ligue 1 showed an overall profit, with their clubs making 90million.
Chelsea were the only Premier League team in the top ten in terms of net earners, something which should help them post improved financial figures for the 2019-20 season.
This will be a welcome boost for the Blues, having recorded a loss of 96million for the year ending June 30, 2019.
Benfica, who sold Joao Felix to Atletico Madrid last summer for a reported 113m, were in second place with a net profit of 140million, while Ajax were 116million up in third.
The Dutch giants made a fortune after selling star youngsters Matthijs De Ligt and Frenkie De Jong to Juventus and Barcelona respectively last summer.
Villa were joined in the top ten in terms of negative balance by Manchester United and Tottenham in fourth and fifth respectively, who spent 127million and 119million more than they earned.
Elsewhere in the Premier League, underachieving Arsenal were in 11th place, having spent 72million more than they earned.
