Ownership of football clubs is complex and contorted, to say the least. The relationship between owners and fans is often strained, and very few top clubs are truly happy with their owners.
Owning a top-flight football club is no joke. Some of the richest people in the world have invested in the game, and have quickly realized that the learning curve is steep.
The Premier League is arguably the biggest league in the world, and some truly wealthy people own English clubs. We look at the 5 richest owners in the Premier League.
#5. Joe Lewis and Daniel Levy (Tottenham Hotspur) | $6 billion
Daniel Levy has often dominated the headlines as Tottenham Hotspur chairman, and this summer was no different.
While Joe Lewis maintains a low profile, Levy is the face of the Tottenham Hotspur hierarchy. Levy is renowned for his bargaining skills, and his stubbornness has been well-covered. The Englishman has made his name as someone not to be messed with, as Manchester City found out this summer.
Manchester City had made Tottenham Hotspur superstar Harry Kane their primary transfer target and were willing to spend three-figure transfer fee to acquire him. A move failed to materialize and Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola later admitted that it was not easy to negotiate with Levy. Kane understood his position and recently announced his decision to stay at the club.
#4. Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha and family (Leicester City) | $6 billion
Leicester City is one of the best run clubs in the Premier League, and Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha is adored by the club's fans and players.
The Foxes surprised the entire world when they won the Premier League in 2016, and have made lots of good decisions since then. The tragic death of Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha saw his son Aiyawatt take over, and the Thai businessman has barely put a foot wrong.
Leicester City now house some incredible young talents like Caglar Soyuncu, Youri Tielemans and Wesley Fofana. The Foxes have also sold stars like N'Golo Kante, Riyad Mahrez and Danny Drinkwater for big money and continue to invest in young talent.
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#3. Stan Kroenke (Arsenal) | $10 billion
Arsenal's fall from grace has been saddening to watch, and the fans aren't overly happy with owner Stan Kroenke.
Kroenke has often been criticized for how Arsenal have been run, with limited expenditure and the apparent lack of interest irking the club's fans. The American is not only involved in football, with his company owning the Los Angeles Rams and Denver Nuggets as well.
Arsenal spent heavily this summer amid growing unhappiness among the club's fanbase. The Gunners were abysmal last season under the management of Mikel Arteta, and have been equally poor so far this season.
#2. Roman Abramovich (Chelsea) | $11.3 billion
While Arsenal fans might be unhappy with Stan Kroenke, Chelsea fans are brimming with joy at the thought of Roman Abramovich as their owner.
Abramovich has not shied away from spending money since taking over the club in 2003. The Russian is not a talkative person, but Chelsea have become one of the biggest clubs in the world under his ownership, and Abramovich continues to be a major influence.
Chelsea seem to thrive in chaos. They don't stick with a particular manager for long, but their recruitment has improved a lot in recent years and their youth academy is arguably the best in the world.
#1. Sheikh Mansour (Manchester City) | $20 billion
Like Chelsea under Roman Abramovich, Manchester City have become one of the best in the world under the ownership of Sheikh Mansour.
Sheikh Mansour's arrival has heralded the signing of some of the best players in the world, and Manchester City have become one of the biggest spenders in world football. Their expenditure has not been in vain, with Manchester City now arguably the best team in Europe.
Manchester City have thrived under the management of Pep Guardiola. They reached the final of the Champions League last season and have consistently won Premier League titles.
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