5 highest spending football managers of 21st century

The ongoing summer transfer window is a testament to the inflated football economy, as the game has witnessed a massive influx of cash over the past couple of decades. €100million-plus fees have become the new normal for transfers involving world-class talents. As ten transfers have exceeded that mark in the last five years.

Whether we like it or not, the game of football has increasingly become a business over the years. Which has meant that top clubs need to splurge big money on elite talent. It is no surprise that some of the most successful managers in modern football have spent enormous amounts on player recruitment in the transfer market.

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However, let's take a look at the five highest-spending coaches of 21st Century.

#5 Massimiliano Allegri | €1.06 billion

The first manager to enter the billion-euro spending club is current Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri. Who has signed 96 players since the dawn of the century. The Italian has managed eight different clubs since the 2000s in his 18-year managerial career. Allegri took over the reins of Juventus from Antonio Conte in 2014 and further enhanced the club's reputation in Italian and European football. During his five-year stay at the club, Allegri won five consecutive Scudettos, five domestic doubles and one domestic treble in the 2015-16 season.

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#4 Manuel Pellegrini | €1.16 billion

The Argentine has spent an eye-watering €1.16 billion on player recruitment in the 21st century. However, mainly during his three-year stay as a football managers at the Etihad.Manchester City signed Fernandinho for €40 million and Alvaro Negredo for €25 million during Pellegrini's first season in charge. The Cityzens splurged some serious cash during the Argentine's last season at the helm. City signed Kevin de Bruyne for €76 million, followed by Raheem Sterling for €63.7 million and Nicolas Otamendi for €44.5 million. Pellegrini is currently one of the most experienced managers in world football, with a managerial career dating back to 1988. He has managed 10 different clubs since the turn of the century, spending a total of €1.16 billion on 88 different players.

#3 Carlo Ancelotti | €1.37 billion

The current Real Madrid coach is one of the greatest and most successful managers of the 21st century, with 20 titles to his name. Carlo Ancelotti has managed some of Europe's best clubs including AC Milan, Juventus, Chelsea, PSG, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. The 62-year-old began his managerial career as the assistant manager of the Italian national team in 1992. The Italian has managed eight of the biggest clubs in European football in the 21st century. Also is one of three managers to have won the prestigious UEFA Champions League thrice. Ancelotti won Europe's premier club competition twice with AC Milan and once with Real Madrid in the 2013-14 season.

Ancelotti has been at the helm of some of the wealthiest clubs in world football and it's no surprise that he's spent well over a billion euros. The Italian has signed 88 players since 2000 for a combined cost of €1.37 billion.

#2 Pep Guardiola | €1.59 billion

Pep Guardiola has built a reputation of being one of the highest spenders among his peers and finds himself in second place on our list.While many football fans would've expected to see Guardiola at the top of this list, he's spent €17 million less than our first-placed candidate. However, the Spaniard has the highest spend on average, as he has splurged €1.59 billion on just 67 names. Some of Guardiola's most expensive signings include Jack Grealish at €117.50m, Ruben Dias for €68m and Zlatan Ibrahimovic for €69.50m on a player-plus-cash deal.The Spaniard has almost breached the £1billion mark since taking over the reins at Manchester City in 2016. Guardiola is the most successful manager of the 21st century, with 31 titles to his name since 2000s.

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#1 Jose Mourinho | €1.76 billion

Jose Mourinho is first on our list with an eye-watering spend of €1.76 billion on player recruitment since the turn of the century. The self-proclaimed Special One has signed more players than anyone on the list and has snapped up over a 100 players in his career. Mourinho has splurged a total of €1.76 billion on 104 players across nine different clubs since 2000. His most expensive signings include Paul Pogba for £94.5 million, Romelu Lukaku for £76.2 million and Fred at £53.1 million. Five of his six most expensive transfers came during his tenure as Manchester United manager.

The Portuguese tactician has won a whopping 25 trophies in the 21st century. Mourinho has managed some of the biggest clubs in world football. That is including Benfica, Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Manchester United. He will always be remembered for leading the underdogs, Porto, to the 2003-04 Champions League title.