West Ham’s squad for the financial year of 2024 was more expensive than the likes of FC Barcelona and AC Milan, according to UEFA’s latest European Club Finance and Investment Landscape (ECFIL) report.

The ECFIL report shows the complete disparity in finances between the Premier League and the rest of Europe. Premier League clubs make up nine of the top twenty most expensive squads, with the entirety of the top four made up of clubs from England’s top division.

One of those nine clubs in the top 20, quite surprisingly to some, is West Ham United. The Hammers had a big window in the summer of 2023, which contributes to this financial report.

David Moyes brought in the likes of Mohammed Kudus, Edson Alvarez, James Ward-Prowse, and Konstantinos Mavropanos, which totalled £120 million, in addition to an already expensively assembled squad. However, the £105m exit of Declan Rice was what was able to fund that window.

Barcelona were and still are stricken by their huge financial crisis, often leaving them unable to register players upon signing until they sold someone else. Only Vitor Roque was brought in for a meaningful fee ahead of the 23/24 season, with free transfers being their main route of making signings recently. AC Milan have nowhere near the financial restraints of the Catalans, but the Serie A also has nowhere near the financial power of the Premier League, so they, too, spent less than the Hammers.

The Hammers have continued to spend to try to keep challenging for the European spots, but it hasn’t worked out. Max Kilman, Crycensio Summerville, and Niclas Fullkrug were part of another big window for West Ham under Julen Lopetegui.

Barcelona somehow managed to find the money to spend over £50m on Dani Olmo, while AC Milan have spent around £100 million on players like Santiago Gimenez and former Hammers target Youssouf Fofana this season.

However, after having consistently more expensive windows than some of Europe’s top clubs in recent years, West Ham could be forced to slow down their spending this summer due to PSR rules, unless funds can be made available from player sales.