<p>There are clubs throughout the world that turn a profit with their academy, but none are as profitable as <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/benfica-tv-schedule/">Benfica</a>. The <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/primeira-liga-tv-schedule/">Portuguese club</a> has made a knack for developing players and shipping them out across Europe. Now, that includes some of the best players in the world. Notable exports from the Benfica academy include the likes of Joao Cancelo, Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias and Goncalo Ramos.</p>



<p>In terms of revenue generated over the last 10 years, Benfica has raised more money than any club. This applies to players aged 15 to 21 who spent at least three years at their respective clubs. In other words, it applies to academy players moving elsewhere. </p>



<p>Most people may think clubs like Barcelona pop up on this list. However, it is the Portuguese club that tops the list. Moreover, Barcelona ranks 22nd, which is behind Aston Villa, Liverpool and Dinamo Zagreb. Also, Ajax and Lyon rank the second and third highest in terms of player sales out of the academy for the last 10 years. </p>



<h2>The profitable academy of Benfica and its sales</h2>



<p>With the recent track record of success out of the Benfica academy, it is clear to see why the club is so profitable. The most expensive move away from Benfica is Joao Felix when he moved to Atletico Madrid. The Spanish side shelled out a whopping $135 million. It is the fourth most expensive transfer in the history of soccer. </p>



<p>One of Benfica’s other big-money sales includes Ruben Dias for $75 million. Dias and Felix, like several other players, represent Benfica’s success with sales over the last five years. <em><a href="https://football-observatory.com/WeeklyPost446#:~:text=Portuguese%20side%20Benfica%20are%20clearly,in%20the%20last%20five%20years.&amp;text=Ajax%20(%E2%82%AC376%20million)%20and,370%20million)%20complete%20the%20podium" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Football Observatory</a></em>, which compiled the data of academy sales, noted that 68% of Benfica’s transfer revenue of academy players came in the last five years. Benfica sold $367 million worth of players in the last five years. Combined with the $200 million from the five years prior, Benfica has pooled $567 million since 2014.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="670" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240114_WST_482830_Joao-Felix-Benfica-1200x670_e4b45fb8.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=670" alt="" class="wp-image-482929" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/01/Joao-Felix-Benfica-1200x670.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/01/Joao-Felix-Benfica-300x168.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/01/Joao-Felix-Benfica-768x429.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/01/Joao-Felix-Benfica.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



<p>What is most impressive is the gap between Benfica and the other clubs. The $567 million in player sales is more than $150 million than Ajax. Despite selling the likes of Matthijs de Ligt and Frenkie de Jong for $168 million, Ajax’s total sales over the last 10 years is $413 million.</p>



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<h2>Notable clubs in the most profitable academies</h2>



<p>Even if Benfica, Ajax, and Lyon have not had the success that matches the talent coming out of the academy, some clubs have succeeded on the field while dishing players for major profit. None of those is more recognizable than Real Madrid. <em>Los Blancos</em> ranks fourth in terms of profit from academy sales in the last 10 years. </p>



<p>Rounding out the top five is Chelsea, but most of that has come in the last five years. Of Chelsea’s $380 million in academy sales in the last decade, $337 million of that came after 2019. That coincides with the massive player interchange that has happened at Stamford Bridge since Todd Boehly took over.</p>



<p>Chelsea is one of three teams from the Premier League that is in the top 10. The other two are Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City. The first club from outside Europe is Flamengo from Brazil. Flamengo is 13th in this list of academy sales over the last 10 years. Pachuca is the only club in the top 100 from North America. The Mexican side has amassed $64 million in sales. That is more than clubs like RB Leipzig and Lens, both of which are in the UEFA Champions League.</p>



<p><em>PHOTOS: IMAGO</em>.</p>

Benfica rises above all with most profitable academy in world

There are clubs throughout the world that turn a profit with their academy, but none are as profitable as Benfica.

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<p>A potential summer fire sale at <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/chelsea-tv-schedule/">Chelsea</a> could make the club’s academy staff look for jobs elsewhere. The west London club is expected to make a host of moves during the upcoming transfer window. Blues officials have essentially bought too many players over the last year and need to make some money by selling assets this summer. Many of these outgoing players are expected to be homegrown talent.</p>



<h2>Chelsea academy staff among top youth programs in England </h2>



<p><em><a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/chelsea-academy-staff-could-quit-if-homegrown-players-are-sold-zrgf906jt" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Times</a></em> is reporting that losing multiple homegrown players does not thrill some Chelsea academy staff members. Mason Mount, Conor Gallagher, Trevor Chalobah, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ruben Loftus-Cheek all feature in the rumor mill for sales. The quintet advanced through the youth ranks at the club since they were children. These staff members apparently want to continue to see their homegrown players grow into first-team mainstays.</p>



<p>Chelsea previously dominated youth soccer in England in recent years. In fact, the team collected seven youth FA Cups trophies between 2010 and 2020. Frank Lampard also established a youth presence in the senior squad during his first stint as Chelsea manager. Lampard utilized 11 total academy players during the 2019/20 season, as the club finished fourth in the standings.</p>



<h5>Massive spending has bloated the team’s squad</h5>



<p>However, Chelsea, under new owner Todd Boehly, has <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/latest-chelsea-transfers-not-at-fault-for-aimless-spending-20230114-WST-415145.html">spent over half a billion</a> dollars on new players since last summer. This includes $130 million for Enzo Fernandez, $105 million for Mykhailo Mudryk, and $85 million for Wesley Fofana. Nevertheless, the Premier League club now sits 12th in the table. The spending spree earlier in the season <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/chelsea-accumulate-1billion-loss-but-claim-ffp-compliance-20230409-WST-427534.html">handcuffed the squad’s possibilities</a>.</p>



<p>Chelsea reported <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/chelsea-accumulate-1billion-loss-but-claim-ffp-compliance-20230409-WST-427534.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">massive deficits</a> back in March, the second consecutive year of such losses. The club now has to worry about Financial Fair Play issues as well. Selling players will certainly help ease these concerns, while also giving the new manager money to spend.</p>



<p><a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/pulisic-may-be-on-chopping-block-in-chelsea-summer-fire-sale-20230414-WST-428543.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Reports</a> in April claimed the Blues may sell at least eight players this summer. Along with the aforementioned homegrown players, Christian Pulisic, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Hakim Ziyech, and Mateo Kovacic could also leave.</p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO / Eibner Europa</em></p>


Chelsea academy staff members may opt to leave the club if homegrown players are sold this summer to ease the club's financial woes.

ALL POSTS TAGGED "academy"

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Benfica rises above all with most profitable academy in world

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Chelsea academy staff may quit over potential player clear out