Key Takeaways
All 20 Premier League owners have been ranked from worst to best.
The Glazer family & INEOS consortium at Man United face fan protests, financial woes, and no on-field success.
Owners such as those found at Brighton and Brentford prove some hierachies boast both heart and brainpower.
Behind every Premier League club, there’s an owner – the business brain whose decisions shape everything from transfer budgets to club culture. Some of these owners are revered for their bold vision, massive financial backing, and commitment to long-term success.
Others? Well, let’s just say their reigns are often marred by controversy, frustration, and their inability to put their money where their mouth is. In this ultimate ranking, we’ll dive into the world of Premier League ownership, from the billionaire benefactors to the less-than-popular tycoons, and rate them on their influence, success, and connection with fans.
Whether they're revolutionising their clubs or leaving supporters in the lurch and acting like the silent partner, let’s take a closer look at who’s truly running the show, and who’s simply along for the ride.
20 Farhad Moshiri
Everton
Farhad Moshiri at Goodison Park.
It all began with high hopes in February 2016, when Farhad Moshiri was hailed as the billionaire saviour, eager to plough his Iranian fortune into Everton and build a Champions League-worthy team after his frustrations with Arsenal.
Yet, fast-forward past over £700m spent on transfers, a 10-point deduction for FFP breaches, seven managerial changes, and a relentless battle against relegation, and it’s evident that he hasn’t fulfilled his initial promise. The £30m deal for Cenk Tosun epitomises his blunders, and now, with the club up for sale, potential buyers have yet to take on his burdens.
19 Glazer Family (51.75%), Sir Jim Radcliffe (27.7%)
Manchester United
Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe watching on from the stands
Green and yellow scarf protests against the Glazer family, whose financial mismanagement left Manchester United with over £650m in debt, made Old Trafford resemble Carrow Road for much of the post-Ferguson era, in colour and shanty-like condition. When Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his consortium arrived in 2024, promising to rescue the club from its troubles, they only accelerated the decline.
In their first 10 months of trying to address the issues left by the Glazers' reign, United spent millions extending Erik ten Hag’s contract, only to dismiss him three months into the season. They made similar moves with sporting director Dan Ashworth, increased ticket prices, angered supporters with widespread layoffs, parted ways with club ambassador Sir Alex Ferguson, and yet, there has been no tangible success on the field as they languish in mid-table.
18 Sport Republic (80%), Katharina Liebherr (20%)
Southampton
SOuthampton owner Katharina Liebherr
With Southampton currently five points adrift of safety after 15 Premier League games this season, they seem destined for a second relegation in just three years under new ownership. While every era eventually comes to an end, the Saints' period with stars like Adam Lallana, Virgil van Dijk, and Mauricio Pochettino feels like a distant memory, and one that has been deeply tarnished.
Much of this downfall can be attributed to Sport Republic's reluctance to invest in the squad. At the same time, they appear clueless about when to back a manager and when to make a change. Nathan Jones was given just eight games before being sacked, while Martin Russell's current tenure, which has delivered only one topflight win, looks set to continue, further distancing the loyal fans of the south coast from the club.
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17 David Sullivan, Daniel Kretinsky, Vanessa Gold
West Ham
West Ham United co-owner David Sullivan watching on from the London Stadium stands
West Ham arguably has the most complex fan-ownership dynamic in the league. Under the controversial leadership of Sullivan, Kretinsky, and Gold, the club has made numerous missteps. From the decision to uproot the team from their iconic Boleyn Ground to the soulless confines of the London Stadium spaceship, to the perception that the club has often lacked ambition, the past 15 years haven’t been kind to the east London side.
Much of the recent success has been attributed to David Moyes, who transformed Declan Rice into a world-class defensive midfielder and led the club to Europa Conference League glory in 2023. For a long time, Moyes was the one bright spot. While things have shifted in recent years, the stadium fiasco remains a significant blemish that can’t be easily overlooked.
16 Shahid Khan
Fulham
Shahid Khan
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Fulham have also had a knotty relationship with their owner, Shahid Khan. No - not the evil tiger from Jungle Book - the multi-billionaire American owner who also holds stakes in NFL franchise the Jacksonville Jaguars. For years, fans hated him and his entire family for buying them in 2013 for £200m and instantly relegating them.
Going through three different managers in his debut season in charge didn't exactly help fix any broken bridges, while things at one point got so poisonous that the club's vice-chairman told the fans to "go to hell" on Twitter. But the last four years have proven it's never too late to make a change, as the appointment of Marco Silva has brought back the verve at Craven Cottage. While some past grievances remain unresolved, there’s no denying that the Cottagers are enjoying a strong period, with the prospect of a second consecutive top-10 finish in 2024/25.
15 ENIC Group (Joe Lewis family (60%), Daniel Levy (25%))
Tottenham Hotspur
Daniel Levy
The main issue with Daniel Levy and the ENIC Group is their inability to evolve. Despite reaching a Champions League final and competing closely with the likes of Manchester City in recent title races, they never seem to have the necessary drive to take Tottenham into a period of sustained success.
With only one piece of silverware under his leadership - a League Cup honour in 2008- Levy's tenure falls short for a club within the traditional "big six." The lack of investment in summer transfer windows, coupled with the decision to sack serial winner Jose Mourinho just days before a final, leaves them with little to blame but themselves. While the construction of their new stadium is a positive, the club continues to stagnate on the pitch.
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14 Stan Kroenke
Arsenal
Stan Kroenke
Credit: Kriby Lee USA Today
Stan Kroenke has had an eventful association with the Gunners, rising from a minority stakeholder to the owner of the club since his first involvement in 2007. Kroenke bought his way to 100% ownership through a series of purchases, most recently snagging 27.11% of the club from Alisher Usmanov in 2018, which saw him take more than 90% of the shares, forcing a compulsory purchase of the remainder.
Arsenal struggled in his first years as owner, on the pitch, but under Mikel Arteta, have returned to the Champions League and have narrowly missed out on the Premier League title on two occasions. Kroenke has come in for criticism from Arsenal fans, with the failed European Super League attempt in 2021 being a major low point for the ownership. But with nearly £700m being spent on incomings under the current manager, the Gunners' faithful can no longer suggest their owner doesn't care.
13 BlueCo (Todd Boehly, Behdad Eghbali, Jose E. Feliciano)
Chelsea
Chelsea owner Todd Boehly watching on from the Stamford Bridge stands
Chelsea's ownership is in the form of a consortium, made up of four parties, most notoriously Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital Group, all of which make up the BlueCo group. The Blues have been under the stewardship of the consortium since 2022 when the club was bought from previous owner Roman Abramovich after the sanctions placed on Russia by the UK government following the country's invasion of Ukraine.
In that time, the club has had very limited success in comparison to its previous efforts, all while spending over a billion pounds on transfers - which amounted to three of the most expensive transfer windows of all time. However, this season's revival - as the Blues sit second in the Premier League after 15 games - suggests that money can buy happiness eventually, and the Boehly regime could be in for a joyous ride should Enzo Maresca continue to sow the seeds of success with the toys the people upstairs have bought him.
12 Evangelos Marinakis
Nottingham Forest
Evangelos Marinakis
Greek businessman Evangelos Marinakis may have the intimidating aura of a mafia boss, and his time at Olympiacos has been marked by turbulence—he still holds a majority stake in the Athens-based club—but at Nottingham Forest, the waters of the River Trent have largely remained calm.
While in Greece, his other ventures have seen managers come and go like ships in the night, Forest have experienced steady progress. Five years after his takeover, they secured promotion, and his investment in transfers has been generous. The only factor preventing him from ranking higher is the threat of Financial Fair Play (FFP) sanctions last season, which suggested the boat has the quiet potential to rock.
11 Steve Parish, Josh Harris, David Blitzer, John Textor
Crystal Palace
Steve Parish
Crystal Palace are owned by several stakeholders, but the most notable of these is Steve Parish, who has been chairman of the Eagles since he brought the club out of administration in 2010. Parish is the only remaining member of the CPFC 2010 consortium that bought the club back then that is still involved, as the remaining members have sold their stakes.
Without Steve Parish, who has helped establish Crystal Palace as a consistent Premier League presence, the south London club might well have been relegated to the history books, perhaps replaced by a phoenix club named along the lines of 'AFC Palace'. While recent progress has slowed, partly due to holding onto Roy Hodgson for too long, the ownership’s positive influence is undeniable. They’ve also demonstrated a knack for discovering hidden gems, such as Michael Olise, Jean-Philippe Mateta, and Eberechi Eze, along the way.
10 Fosun International
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolves owners Fosun International
Wolves are owned by Chinese conglomerate Fosun International, who bought the club from long-time owner Steve Morgan in 2016. Fosun is made up of three controlling businessmen, co-founders Gui Guangchang, Liang Xinjun and Wang Qunbin, who between them have an estimated net worth of nearly $7bn (£5.4bn).
Under their tenure, the club has established itself as a Premier League stalwart, having been in the top flight since 2018, and finishing in European spots on multiple occasions. The club has also been known for its links to Portuguese players, due to Fosun owning a minor share in Portuguese super agent Jorge Mendes' agency. Like with Forest, there's only one thing stopping them from a top 10 finish, and that was their agreeableness to let big name players like Matheus Nunes and Pedro Neto go without plans to replace them over the summer of 2024.
9 John W.Henry & Tom Werner (Fenway Sports Group)
Liverpool
Liverpool owner John W. Henry walking along the touchline at Anfield
Liverpool are owned by American duo John W. Henry and Tom Werner, who make up part of the Fenway Sports Group, the holding company in charge. They have owned the club since 2010, when they were voted in to take over from previous owners George N. Gillett Jr. and Tom Hicks by the board.
Under their ownership, the club won the Champions League in 2019, and its first Premier League title in 30 years 12 months later. Despite this, the ownership has come in for criticism, with incidents including FSG attempting to trademark the name 'Liverpool' in 2019, the European Super League efforts in 2021 and a perceived lack of financial support in comparison to the Red's title rivals. But while they may be more pragmatic than others, the proof is in the pudding, and they were the brains behind the appointment of Michael Edwards, Jurgen Klopp, and Arne Slot.
8 Gamechanger 20 Ltd
Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town owner Brett Johnson
Ipswich Town have been owned by American investment group Gamechanger 20 Limited since 2021, taking over from previous owner Marcus Evans when the club was in the third tier of English football. The group sacked then-manager Paul Cook in December of the same year, appointing Kieran McKenna, who has led the Tractor Boys to consecutive promotions, putting the club back in the Premier League for the first time since 2002.
The Gamechanger 20 group consists of chairman Mike O'Leary, Ed Schwartz, Brett Johnson, Berke Bakay and Mark Detmer, the latter three also providing additional funding as a group known by the patriotic tag, the 'Three Lions'. Together, they have helped restore the club to its nineties sheen, and there can't be any negatives said about the current hierarchy, apart from the fact they haven't had long enough to work more miracles.
Newcastle United
Newcastle United part owners Mehrdad Ghodoussi and Amanda Staveley
Comfortably the richest ownership in the league, Newcastle are run by a consortium of the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF), PCP Capital Partners and RB Sports & Media, having been purchased by the group from Mike Ashley in 2021. Newcastle are one of two state-owned clubs in the league, along with Manchester City.
Under the ownership of the controversial consortium, the Magpies returned to European football with a fourth-place finish in 2023, seeing Champions League football return to St James' Park. The takeover was criticised at the time due to allegations of sportswashing. Concerns over Saudi Arabia's human rights record were raised while the other 19 Premier League clubs at the time held an emergency meeting to voice their anger at the takeover. Despite many suggesting they'd pump oil money into the club to spark an immediate revolution, progress has been slow and steady, with the club working diligently rather than chaotically.
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6 Bill Foley
Bournemouth
Bournemouth owner Bill Foley
Bill Foley purchased his 100% stake in Bournemouth in December 2022, from Maxim Demin, who had been a major part of the Cherries' rise from League Two to the top flight. Foley's company, Black Knight Football Club, installed actor Michael B. Jordan as a minority owner when it purchased the club.
He came under a huge level of scrutiny when he decided to sack Gary O'Neil after a positive start to the 2022/23 season, with fans adamant the new leadership was out to doom the club. Instead, the hierarchy have pumped in millions of pounds, hired a young and hungry tactician in the form of Andoni Iraola, and are already speaking about a five-year plan to take the seaside resort town into the Champions League. After victories against both Arsenal and Manchester City this season, it's not too much of a stretch of the imagination to believe they are worthy of achieving such a feat.
5 Matthew Benham
Brentford
Matthew Benham
Boyhood Brentford fan Matthew Benham initially invested in the club as part of a supporter's trust in 2005, before buying out the fans' ownership in 2012 to take full control of the Bees. The west London outfit were in the third tier of English football at the time of the takeover and had not played in the top two divisions for over twenty years, but within nine years of the takeover, the club had returned to the top flight after a Championship play-off final win over Swansea.
Now under the burgeoning stewardship of widely-loved Dane Thomas Frank, the Bees are as exciting as they're efficient in the results business. After narrowly missing out on qualification for European football in the 2022/23 season, they look well on their way to fight for the same spots this term, with Bryan Mbuemo and Yoane Wissa leading the charge.
4 The Srivaddhanaprabha Family
Leicester City
Leicester City owner Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha in front of the dugout
Leicester City are Thai-owned, as the Srivaddhanaprabha family has been a steady hand at the helm of the club since 2010. A consortium known as Asia Football Investments - including the late Vichai and current owner Aiyawatt - purchased the Foxes at the turn of the decade. Under the family's ownership, the club has risen from a Championship outfit to famously winning the Premier League title in 2015/16 against odds of 5000-1, as well as the 2020/21 FA Cup.
Vichai was chairman of the club for eight years from 2010 until his tragic death in a helicopter accident. Now his son Aiyawatt is the chairman of the club, as it returned to the top flight in 2023/24. The family also owns Belgian side OH Leuven, which they bought out in 2017. While success hasn't been as easy to come by since tragedy clouded the club, there's no doubt over how much the family cares about keeping Vichai's legacy intact with the goodness of the club at its core.
3 V Sports
Aston Villa
Aston Villa co-owner Nassef Sawiris
V Sports is a holding company that is owned by Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris, who bought Aston Villa when it was in the Championship, and on the verge of administration, in 2018. Initially, the purchase was of 55% of shares, but this rose to a full takeover once Villa were promoted back to the Premier League in 2019.
V Sports was initially known as NSWE, but was rebranded to fit the Villa name. The company has purchased clubs in other nations as well, creating a 'group', similar to that of the City Football Group and Red Bull conglomerate. Villa have gone from strength to strength under the ambitious ownership, returning to the Champions League for the first time in 40 years in 2023-24 as they look bound to reshape the current 'big six'.
2 Tony Bloom
Brighton & Hove Albion
Tony Bloom
One of the most well-loved owners by any fanbase, Tony Bloom has been chairman of Brighton since 2009. He bought a 75% share, and was crucial to the development of the Amex Stadium, for which he invested around £93m. Bloom is a boyhood Seagulls fan, and under his stewardship, the club have gone from League One to Europa League football.
Bloom is also a minority stakeholder in the Belgian side Royal Union Saint-Gilloise, who he took over in 2018, although he was forced to reduce his shares in 2023 due to UEFA's rules on multi-club ownership. He was awarded an MBE in 2024 for his services to football in Brighton, and it shows that a lot of heart is needed to run a football club. Under his stewardship, the Seagulls have developed an impressive pipeline of talented managers and young players, making Bloom’s leadership feel akin to overseeing a thriving empire.
Manchester City
Sheikh Mansour and Khaldoon Al Mubarak
The reigning champions Manchester City are famously owned by the City Football Group, a consortium involving the Abu Dhabi United Group, Silver Lake and China Media Capital & CITIC Group. The takeover of the club was completed in 2008 and has entirely transformed City. City's meteoric rise under the ownership has led to eight Premier League titles and a Champions League crown while cementing the club as one of the best in the world.
The City Group name is taken from the Manchester outfit and includes other clubs such as Girona, New York City, Mumbai City and Palermo. The club's state ownership has come in for criticism, with their success being seen by some as 'sportswashing', and the ongoing investigation into City's 115 charges by the Premier League hangs over the club. But if early predictions that they will win the 'Trial of the Century', then that, again, will be down to the brains behind football's biggest operation.