The Premier League is the most exciting division in the world. Anyone can beat anyone in the English top flight, typified by Leicester City’s Premier League triumph in 2016. Due to the status of the league, it also has the most money. This means on FM 19 the vast majority of clubs have significant cash to spend, even after the business that has already occurred in real life is taken into account.
RealSport runs through all 20 Premier League clubs and their transfer & wage budgets for the season, helping you make a decision on who to manage on Football Manager 2019.
Arsenal
Arsenal Transfer Budget: £68.7 million
Arsenal Wage Budget: £500,000 a week
Unai Emery has come in, and excitement now swarms the Emirates. With the squad only tinkered with over the summer, there is plenty of room for you to bring in a star signing or two and take Arsenal back to title contenders.
Bournemouth
Bournemouth Transfer budget: £3.6 million
Bournemouth Wage budget: £90,000 a week
Bournemouth continue to surprise, and with a tight budget. You don’t have much to work with for the Cherries, so it will have to be a classic Eddie Howe season, keep things tight and hurt teams on the break.
Brighton
Brighton Transfer Budget: £4.8 million
Brighton Wage Budget: £45,000 a week
Brighton stayed up by seven points in their first season in the Premier League, and it looks unlikely they will be near the drop zone this time around. Spending did come in the summer through Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Florin Andone, Leon Balogun, Yves Bissouma and Martin Montoya, meaning little cash is remaining.
Burnley
Burnley Transfer Budget: £15.5 million
Burnley Wage Budget: £50,000 a week
Despite having a shot at European football this season, Burnley don’t have heaps of cash to play with. Joe Hart, Matej Vydra and Ben Gibson have been useful additions, but you would hope to have more than £15.5 million remaining in your transfer budget.
Cardiff
Cardiff Transfer Budget: £9.2 million
Cardiff Wage Budget: £45,000 a week
Cardiff look out of their depth in just their second ever Premier League season, but with just enough cash to bring in impressive signings, there is hope for the Bluebirds. It won’t be pretty, but keeping the Welsh club up would be one of the top achievements in season 1 of FM 19.
Chelsea
Chelsea Transfer Budget: £77.6 million
Chelsea Wage Budget: £400,000 a week
Chelsea fell away during the second half of last season, with an FA Cup victory not enough to save Antonio Conte's job with the Blues finishing outside of the top four. The squad looks much more dangerous this year, and after going the first 10 games of the campaign unbeaten, are back in the title race.
Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace Transfer Budget: £8.5 million
Crystal Palace Wage Budget: £30,000 a week
It’s been a tricky start to the season for Crystal Palace, but after Roy Hodgson salvaged the club from the worst ever start to a Premier League campaign, you back the South Londoners to turn it around once again. A striker is what they lack, but you may have to sell some fringe players to fund a new one to add steel to Wilfried Zaha’s skill
Everton
Everton Transfer Budget: £4.3 million
Everton Wage Budget: £70,000 a week
With Marco Silva in charge and another massive transfer window, there is no reason why Everton cannot invade the top six this season. Richarlison, Bernardo, Yerry Mina and the loans of Andre Gomes and Kurt Zouma make it a squad ready for European action.
Fulham
Fulham Transfer Budget: £3 million
Fulham Wage Budget: £20,000 a week
Fulham appear to be out of their depth back in the Premier League, shipping heaps of goals. You don’t have the funds to bolster the defence, but with Aleksandar Mitrovic up front you should have a striker to get you out of trouble.
Huddersfield
Huddersfield Transfer Budget: £7.7 million
Huddersfield Wage Budget: £35,000 a week
The Terriers are nine games without a win to start the new season, and you fear for their Premier League status. It was an achievement for Huddersfield to get to the Premier League let alone stay up, but with just enough funds to make a difference, you may be able to surprise once more.
Leicester
Leicester Transfer Budget: £21.7 million
Leicester Wage Budget: £100,000 a week
Leicester’s Premier League triumph is starting to feel some time ago, and the Foxes have done a fantastic job in reinvesting into the squad. The defence and midfield is looking solid, and with Jamie Vardy in attack they will always cause problems. Their remaining budget gives you a great chance of signing that player who can push them into Europe.
Liverpool
Liverpool Transfer Budget: £40 million
Liverpool Wage Budget: £50,000 a week
Despite spending close to £170 million in the transfer market, Liverpool somehow have £40 million remaining on FM 19. £50,000 a week in wages isn’t a huge amount for Liverpool’s standards, so you will need to sell off a fringe player or two to bring in yet another world class signing.
Manchester City
Manchester City Transfer Budget: £56.9 million
Manchester City Wage Budget: £400,000 a week
It was surprising to see Manchester City have such a quiet transfer window, with former Leicester man the only big arrival. In all of their transfer business combined, the Citizens only made a net loss of £20 million meaning you have the green light to go big again on Football Manager 2019.
Manchester United
Manchester United Transfer Budget: £82.8 million
Manchester United Wage Budget: £500,000 a week
It’s a similar tale for rivals Manchester United, who only brought in Fred, Diogo Dalot and Lee Grant – not attacking signings. They have the biggest remaining budget in the Premier League, but it's needed to wake this sleeping giant. Entertaining football must return to Old Trafford.
Newcastle United
Newcastle United Transfer Budget: £23 million
Newcastle United Wage Budget: £50,000 a week
Poor Newcastle. Not getting the backing by an owner keen to sell the club, the Magpies have suffered a poor start to the season and could be set for an unforgivable third relegation from the Premier League. There are clear players to sell however, so financing a regular starter is a possibility in the transfer window.
Southampton
Southampton Transfer Budget: £32.9 million
Southampton Wage Budget: £147,000 a week
Southampton have plenty of cash but look to be disillusioned with their status in the English game. The Saints want to shed their reputation as a selling club, but are perhaps too business driven to spend big and bring in the talent they can afford.
Tottenham
Tottenham Transfer Budget: £27.7 million
Tottenham Wage Budget: £150,000 a week
A summer transfer window with no signings is absurd in the modern game, and Tottenham need to wake up if they are to win silverware. Money is there to spend despite the new stadium being built and the club determined to keep their prize assets in North London.
Watford
Watford Transfer Budget: £37.1 million
Watford Wage Budget: £100,000 a week
Watford have had plenty of managers since returning to the Premier League, but their revolving door policy has worked successfully. Now into their fourth season in this stint of the top-flight, it was the first time they had stayed up in the Premier League, and now no club enjoy facing them.
West Ham
West Ham Transfer Budget: £20.7 million
West Ham Wage Budget: £100,000 a week
A big summer for West Ham, with nine first team names joining new manager Manuel Pellegrini at the club. It will take some time to gel, but they now hold a squad that can go toe-to-toe with any in the division with their quality as well as their heart.
Wolves
Wolves Transfer Budget: £19.3 million
Wolves Wage Budget: £3,000 a week
Wolves walked the Championship last season and already look comfortable in the Premier League. Labelled a ‘mini Manchester City’ they have international quality already and could even mount a challenge for European football in the years ahead.