Buying power

Simon Lewis recalls five men who paid their way to footballing success

Gianni Agnelli

Juventus had been importing players into Serie A since the 1930s, but the Fiat magnate Agnelli sent the operation into overdrive from the late 1970s onwards. Liam Brady was a member of his first dream team alongside Michel Platini and Zbiginiew Boniek, while in the late 90s, Agnelli assembled a team including Zinedine Zidane, Roberto Baggio, Gianluca Vialli and Fabrizio Ravanelli that reached three straight European Cup finals, winning the first in 1996.

The current Juve team, Italian champions once again and Champions League runners-up to AC Milan, contained three of the most expensive players in the world, Gianluigi Buffon (48m), Lilian Thuram and Pavel Nedved (37m).

Silvio Berlusconi AC Milan

When the Rossoneri reached five European Cup finals between 1989 and 1995, winning three, of them it did so thanks to the media mogul and now Italian prime minister. Berlusconi flashed the cash for Dutchmen, Frank Rijkaard, Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten and they wonderfully complemented the homegrown defensive talents of Franco Baresi and Paolo Maldini to take Europe by storm.

Milan have risen again, lifting the Champions League this year.

Florentino Perez Real Madrid

Roberto Carlos, Redondo, Predag Mijatovic and Clarence Seedorf delivered the Champions League in 1999 and every summer the Real president has added a global superstar.

Luis Figo joined from Barcelona in 2000 for 53.2m, then Zinedine Zidane (66m) in 2001, Ronaldo (40.5) in 2002 with Champions League titles being added in 2000 and 2002. David Beckham joined this close season for 35m.

Bernard Tapie Marseille

Flamboyant Tapie ran the French club between 1986 and 1994, guiding them to a string of French championships with stars such as Didier Deschamps Jean Pierre Papin, Mozer and Chris Waddle.

Tapie's crowning moment came in May 1993 when, after bringing in Alen Boksic, Rudi Voller and Abdi Pele alongside Fabien Barthez, Marcel Desailly and Basile Boli, captain Deschamps lifted the European Cup.

Tapie spent nearly six months in jail in 1997 for a match-rigging scandal.

Jack Walker Blackburn

Blackburn boy Walker was living the life of a tax exile in Jersey, when he took over as Rovers chairman in 1991 and ploughed millions into the unfashionable club. He appointed former Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish as manager, signing Chris Sutton, Graeme Le Saux, and Alan Shearer. Walker saw the club win the Premiership in 1995 - their first for 81 years.