Thomas Frank and Brentford overachieved with the league's smallest wage budget
Numerous studies have found a statistically significant correlation between how much money sports teams spend on wages and how well they perform. The formula for success might therefore seem simple: spend more money on salaries.
But there will always be teams that surprise both positively and negatively. This has certainly been the case in this year's Premier League season, where a few teams have completely exceeded expectations from a financial perspective, while a few have disappointed.
Two teams, in particular, stand out positively when you look at the result achieved compared to the wage budget, and they are also the two teams that have paid by far the least money per point achieved.
On the other hand, one team has spent staggering sums of money in the past two transfer windows, which from a sporting point of view could not live up to their financial prerequisites, and therefore have paid an incredible amount of money for each point they have collected along the way.
Thomas Frank at the top again
Unsurprisingly, according to Capology, Brentford have the smallest wage budget in the league. This was also the case last season, when Brentford were newly promoted and finished 13th, a position in the table that was seven positions higher than the wage budget actually warranted.
Again this season, Brentford have far exceeded the financial prerequisites for sporting success, because with a ninth place finish, Thomas Frank and Co. have ended the season a full 11 places better than the finances would indicate.
This isn't the biggest overachievement, however, as that belongs to Brighton & Hove Albion. According to Capology, the southern English club has actually cut its wage budget in recent seasons, from £52.7 million in the 2020-2021 season to spending just £41.8 million on wages this season, the second one in the league.
Despite this, Roberto De Zerbi's well-playing team finished an extremely impressive sixth place, and with it a ticket to European football. The Seagulls have then outperformed by 13 places compared to the financial table.
Similarly, both Brentford and Brighton & Hove impress if you look at points won during the season instead of just the league table. With 59 and 62 points gained during the season, respectively, the two teams have paid the lowest wages per point gained.
Newcastle United, who despite the Saudi entry still only have the ninth largest wage budget in the league, surpassed by clubs like West Ham United and Aston Villa and practically on a par with Everton, who were almost relegated from the top English league.
Eddie Howe managed to pick up an impressive 71 points and take Newcastle into the finest European club competition, the Champions League, which is why the club's Saudi owners can be pleased to have paid just £1.13 million in wages for every point Eddie Howe brought to the Magpies.
Expensive pleasure for American owner
At the other end of the scale are a couple of relegated clubs and an English capital club. While Leeds United, with the fourth smallest wage budget in the league, might be expected to fight for survival, Leicester City and Southampton's relegation was surprising from a financial perspective.
Southampton finished bottom of the league with the 14th largest wage budget, while Leicester City disappointed hugely, finishing 18th with the 11th largest wage budget in the league, just seven years after the club's wild championship run. Both sides had to pay more than £2.3 million for every point they collected along the way.
The worst season, however, was for Chelsea. Since Todd Boehly took over the London club in June 2022, a staggering amount of money has been spent, resulting in the league's largest wage budget of a staggering £215.6 million annually.
Still, the club finished 12th in the table, nowhere near the European places, and with several managerial sackings along the way, starting with successor Thomas Tuchel, who had brought a Champions League title to Stamford Bridge. With just 44 points in the season, Boehly had to spend an insane £4.85 million in wages for every point, and the American will undoubtedly expect a much better performance on the pitch next season considering the wage budget.
