The importance of squad depth for major clubs has never been more pertinent with the football calendar increasingly congested. There’s more games than ever before with extra games added to tournaments – at club and international level – as organisers try to maximise revenue. It’s now expected that leading stars will play in excess of 50 games a season and there’s little time for rest. It’s increasingly common for players to voice their concerns over burnout with Balon d’Or winner Rodri speaking out earlier this year, before suffering a serious ACL injury.
Clubs now carry massive squads in order to rotate their teams and lower the workload for key players. While some managers are reluctant to rest too many players due to fears over performances dropping off, others are more receptive to giving players a rest. The English Premier League is the richest domestic competition in the world and substitute benches are often packed full of international talent. But which clubs have named the most valuable benches in the Premier League this season, based on Transfermarkt’s famed market values?
Manchester City have the most valuable squad in the world at €1.31 billion and they unsurprisingly feature six times in the top ten list. Pep Guardiola named €641m worth of talent on the bench for their 2-1 win at home to Brentford in September. Rodri (€130m) and Phil Foden (€130m) both missed out on the starting eleven as did Rúben Dias, Bernardo Silva and Josko Gvardiol. Guardiola is also renowned for rotating his squad and he’s maintained that policy despite City enduring a hugely disappointing campaign as they surrendered their title.
As the graphic above illustrates, Arsenal feature three times in the top ten and their most valuable bench this season was for the 1-1 draw with Everton earlier this month. Bukayo Saka (€150m) and Martin Ødegaard (€100m) were both named on a bench with €404m as Mikel Arteta focused on the Champions League. Chelsea are the only side outside of Man City and Arsenal to feature in the top with Enzo Maresca boasting a bench worth €374m against Brentford this month – including their most valuable star, Cole Palmer (€130m).
