Spending habits: the minor difference between Barcelona and PSG

Paris Saint-Germain completed a world-record breaking transfer when they were willing to pay 222 million euros to buy Neymar in a move that set alarm bells ringing with Financial Fair Play. Barcelona went as far as to denounce the French side to UEFA which, even now, is under constant scrutiny. 

PSG have until 30th June 2018 to balance their accounts and deposit around 60 million euros. Some say that PSG will need to dispose of some current players in order to reduce the expenditure, especially considering the high price they will have to pay to trigger Mbappé's buy-out clause, which will bring the total up to 418 million euros in the summer.

The vast sums of money shifted by PSG seem to have caused inflation in the transfer market, with both Manchester City and Liverpool splashing out to bolster their defences. Barcelona's spending has gradually drawn itself closer to that of the team that bought one of it's starmen, Neymar.

In fact, the difference in spending between the two clubs, according to data from the CIES Football Observatory, is now just four million euros between the summer and winter transfer windows. Barcelona, who have had to reinvent themselves following the exit of Neymar and Luis Enrique, brought in Ousmane Dembelé for 105 million euros and Paulinho for a fee of 40 million euros. 

Barcelona recently achieved it's goal. After a long tug of war, Coutinho pulled the famous blue and garnet jersey over his head, costing them 160 million euros. The club also brought in Yerry Mina for 13 million euros after they parted ways with Mascherano. 

Overall, the numbers are dizzying. Barcelona have invested 414 million euros across two transfer windows, while PSG managed to exceede that amount in just one. Sitting in third place, just behind the two European giants, is Manchester City with an expenditure of 355 million euros. They are followed by Chelsea with a total of 301.