There's no escaping the fact that money talks in modern-day football.
While Leicester City's 2016 Premier League win stands out as an anomaly, the prizes are usually handed out to those with the deepest pockets.
Which is why Newcastle United fans are so keen to see talk of a potential Middle East-backed takeover come to fruition.
Developments today saw documents released by Companies House which at the very least indicate Magpies owner Mike Ashley is conducting business with Amanda Staveley on some level.
Whether that leads to Staveley's PCP, and her Saudi PiF connections mounting a takeover remains to be seen, but confidence is high among fans.
Ashley has a reputation for being reluctant to invest too much in the playing squad, although it should be noted the club have twice broken the transfer record since January 2019, with the signing of Miguel Almiron and then Joelinton.
However, that was the first time the record had been breached since Michael Owen was signed back in 2005.
So where does the current United owner rank among the Premier League's rich list? Here's the rundown.
Manchester City
Abu Dhabi Group / Sheikh Mansour. Net Worth £17.7bn
The 2008 takeover of City changed the face of English football, turning the previously inconsistent Blues into a footballing powerhouse. Since ending a 35-year trophy drought with an FA Cup win in 2011, the club have not looked back, claiming four league titles and an unprecedented treble in 2019.
Chelsea
Roman Abramovich. Net Worth £9.2bn
Russian-Israeli Abramovich bought the Blues in 2003 and has overseen an era of unprecedented success at the club, including the winning of five Premier League titles. However, the crowning glory of the Abramovich era came in 2012 when the club lifted the Champions League.
Arsenal
Stan Kroenke. Net Worth £8bn
The American tycoon’s KSE company also owns a number of US sports teams, including the NFL’s LA Rams and NBA side Denver Nuggets. Kroenke, who took over Arsenal in 2011, also owns a number of sports arenas and media ventures.
Wolves
Fosun International / Guo Guangchang. Net Worth £5.4bn
The Chinese investment company’s arrival in the Black Country has seen Wolves transformed from a middling Championship side to a Premier League heavyweight who are among the favourites to win this year’s Europa League.
Aston Villa
Nassef Sawiris and Wes Eden. Net Worth - Sawiris £4.6bn, Eden £2bn
Egyptian construction billionaire Sawiris and American businessman Eden rescued the struggling Midlands club from the ownership of Dr Tony Xia in July 2018. The two have overseen the Villans’ return to the top flight and funded a complete overhaul of Dean Smith’s squad in the summer of 2019.
Best of the rest...
Man United - Glazer Family - £3.8bn.
Tottenham - Joe Lewis £3.7bn.
Crystal Palace - Joshua Harris £3.3bn.
Leicester - Srivaddhanaprabha family - £2.9bn.
Liverpool - Fenway Sports group / John Henry - £2bn.
Newcastle - Mike Ashley £2bn.
Everton - Farhad Moshiri - £1.8bn.
Brighton - Tony Bloom £1.3bn.
