10 managers who have spent the most money on transfers in the last decade

There are plenty of managers who have spent huge sums of money on players. Sometimes, their investments pay off while sometimes the players become expensive flops and the manager is criticised for investing too much money.While most of the managers on this list have managed to win multiple trophies, 2 managers who are among the top 10 in terms of expenditure on transfers have failed to win a single trophy! Everyone in the top 10 list has managed more than a single club in the last decade with the exception of Arsene Wenger.Two of the managers are currently without a club while some highly respected managers like Diego Simeone, Massimiliano Allegri and Luis Enrique don't figure in the top 10 showing that success can be achieved without money.

#10 Brendan Rodgers - 411.58 million

Brendan Rodgers is a manager who almost miraculously guided Liverpool to the Premier League title. The Ulsterman is considered to be one of the brightest young managers in the game.

Rodgers believes in his teams keeping possession of the ball and playing a flowing passing game with the ball always moving; defensively, he likes his team to put a lot of pressure on the opposing team. Steven Gerrard also praised Brendan Rodgers as the best man-manager he had ever seen.

Rodgers has managed 4 clubs – Watford, Reading, Swansea and Liverpool with his time at Swansea and Liverpool being most famous. However, Rodgers was ultimately sacked at Liverpool for his failings in the transfer market.

The Ulsterman spent € 411.58 million bringing in 51 players in the last decade. However, his inability to win a single major trophy led to him being replaced by Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool.

#9 Mark Hughes - 432.53 million

A name which not many people would have expected to be on this list, Mark Hughes the current Stoke City manager comes in 9th spot. What makes his inclusion even more surprising is the fact that apart from Manchester City, Hughes has managed teams which are more mid-table to bottom half teams.

The former Manchester United star in the last decade has managed 5 clubs which are – Balckburn Rovers, Manchester City, Fulham, Queens Park Rangers and Stoke City, his current club.

Hughes has not had a smooth managerial career having been sacked both by Manchester City and Queens Park Rangers.

The Stoke City manager has spent €432.53 million on transfers bringing in 46 players to the various clubs he has managed. However, he is one of the only two managers on the list to not win a single major trophy in the last 10 years.

#8 Louis Van Gaal - 478.48 million

Current Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal is the eighth name on this list. The veteran Dutchman is a respected manager and he has managed three clubs AZ Alkmaar, Bayern Munich and Manchester United in the last decade.

The Dutchman also took over as Netherlands manager for two years between 2012-2014 which helped him bring down his expenses in the transfer market.

Van Gaal has made quite a few signings at Manchester United with his most notable ones being the acquisition of Di Maria, Luke Shaw, Daley Blind, Schneiderlin and Herrera. The jury is still out on Van Gaal's signings with Di Maria already being sold to PSG.

Van Gaal has spent € 478.48 million on purchasing 40 players in the last decade. All those new signings and expenses on transfers have helped the veteran Dutch manager secure 4 major trophies although he is yet to win a major trophy with Manchester United.

#7 Arsene Wenger - 479.82 million

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger surprisingly makes the list of 10 managers who have spent the most in the transfer market. Arsenal fans have long been imploring Wenger to spend more in the transfer market and they might have a case as Arsenal have only managed to win 2 FA Cups in the last 10 years.

The Frenchman lost some of his key players such as Henry, Fabregas and Van Persie and only in recent times has the Frenchman bought in truly world class players such as Cazorla, Ozil and Sanchez. The investment has partially paid off as Arsenal have won two FA Cups back to back and they are still in the race for the Premier League title.

Although not known as a big spender, Arsene Wenger has spent €479.82 million bringing in 52 players. Wenger is the only manager on this list who has remained manager of the same club in the last 10 years.

#6 Rafael Benitez - 527.64 million

Rafael Benitez is the only manager in the history of football to have won the UEFA Super Cup, UEFA Cup, UEFA Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup. Although he had a rough stint as Real Madrid manager, Benitez has had some wonderful achievements in his managerial career.

The Spaniard has managed some illustrious clubs in the last decade such as Liverpool, Inter Milan, Chelsea, Napoli and Real Madrid. In the last decade, he is most famous for his time at Liverpool making some astute signings such as Fernando Torres and Javier Mascherano.

Benitez has shelled out € 527.64 million on 62 players in the last decade. He has also won eight trophies in this period making him a successful manager.

The Spaniard is currently out of a job but he is being linked to struggling Premier League side Newcastle.

#5 Pep Guardiola - 545.50 million

The most successful manager in the last decade trophy wise, Pep Guardiola comes 5th on this list. Although his Barcelona side were mainly made of La Masia graduates, Guardiola did make some big signings such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Alexis Sanchez and Cesc Fabregas.

The Spaniard started his coaching career as Barcelona B manager in 2007 before he moved on to become the first team’s manager in 2008. Guardiola had a hugely successful four-year spell at Barcelona winning the treble in the 2008-2009 season.

After he left Barcelona citing fatigue as the main factor, Guardiola took a one year sabbatical following which he became the manager of German team Bayern Munich. He also made some high-profile signings here such as Thiago and Arturo Vidal.

The Spaniard has managed to win Bundesliga titles in his 2 seasons at Bavaria so far, however, the Champions League title has eluded him.

Guardiola has spent €545.50 million purchasing 30 players in the last decade. With the Spaniard set to manage cash-rich Manchester City next season, the amount is set to go up with some quality signings promised by the Manchester City hierarchy.

#4 Roberto Mancini - 585.59 million

Another Italian to feature on the list, Roberto Mancini has had a good stint with both Inter Milan and Manchester City in the last decade. He was also the manager of Turkish club Galatasaray.

Roberto Mancini is one of the most underrated managers in the world. The Italian in his first stint at Inter became the most successful manager of Inter in the last 30 years.

Mancini also guided Manchester City to the club's first league title in 44 years in an enthralling last day of the season, winning 3–2, with two goals in injury time in what was called "the best match of the best last day of the season in English football history."

The Italian has spent €585.59 million purchasing 54 players and has won 9 trophies making him one of the most successful managers in the last 10 years.

#3 Carlo Ancelotti - 799.05 million

Carlo Ancelotti is a manager who is universally loved by everyone. The Italian has managed some of Europe’s best clubs in the last 10 years having taken charge of Milan, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid.

The Italian has an enviable trophy haul having won 11 trophies including 2 Champions Leagues, one each with Milan and Real Madrid. Ancelotti has purchased 47 players for a transfer fee of € 799.05 million in the last decade.

Ancelotti has won league titles in Italy, England and France and with his next job set to be with Bayern Munich, we can soon expect a German Bundesliga title as well to be added to his impressive CV.

Ancelotti’s teams are known for playing football in an attractive manner and he is one of those few managers who has not compromised style for results.

#2 Manuel Pellegrini - 846.55 million

pellegrini respect — The Chilean has managed some of the best financially backed clubs in the world

Manuel Pellegrini comes second in this list. The Chilean has managed 4 clubs and purchased 60 players having spent € 846.55 million in the last 10 years. Pellegrini has managed some huge clubs such as Villarreal, Real Madrid, Malaga and Manchester City in the last decade.

Pellegrini comes second on the list mainly because of the mega signings done during his solitary season at Real Madrid. In that year, Real Madrid signed Kaka, Ronaldo, Benzema and Alonso with Pellegrini saying:

"If we want to win the Champions League and be the best team in the world, we need the best players in the world."

However, he had a bad season there as Real Madrid failed to win a single major trophy.

The Chilean later moved on to Malaga and from there to Manchester City where he still remains a hugely popular figure eventhough he is going to be replaced by Pep Guardiola in the summer.

Despite of the huge outlay, Pellegrini has managed to win only 3 major trophies in the last decade with all of them coming with his present team Manchester City.

#1 Jose Mourinho - 897.38 million

In the last decade, Jose Mourinho has managed 4 clubs, and spent a whopping € 897.38 million on transfers purchasing 64 players. However, he has also managed to win 13 major trophies in the last 10 years.

Jose Mourinho polarises opinions but no one can discount the fact that he is one of the most successful managers in the world. Often making big money signings and guiding his team to major trophies, the Portuguese manager has won league titles in Portugal, England, Italy and Spain.

Mourinho is known for his tactical knowledge, charismatic (but also very controversial) personality and what his opponents regard as an emphasis on getting results over playing beautiful football.

Although Jose Mourinho always brings trophies, he has never stayed at a club for too long probably because of the need to constantly chop and change his players.

Mourinho might have spent a lot of money but he definitely provides results as well.

Edited by Staff Editor