Often, you'll hear a fanbase particularly enamoured with their club's business over the course of the summer proudly declare that they had 'won the transfer window'. 

Indeed, with the optimism aplenty ahead of a new season and a raft of fresh arrivals donning the latest kits, it is an invisible trophy amounting to absolutely nothing when reality kicks in during the arduous league campaign. 

While the sheer nature of football transfers places the emphasis on the buying team and just how right they got the decision to release major funds for a player, the selling clubs are often forgotten.

Sometimes, in fact a lot of the time, it is them who have indeed 'won the transfer window'. 

Interestingly, Transfermarkt (via Reddit) have released a table showing the clubs across the European game to have banked the most in the way of fees since 2011. 

Portuguese giants Benfica lead the way having raised a remarkable €1.05bn over the course of the last decade, with their headline departures ranging from Joao Felix, Ruben Dias and Ederson in more recent times to the likes of Angel di Maria, David Luiz and Nemanja Matic in the mid-to-late-2010s. 

Big transfer fees

Not far behind lie Atletico Madrid and, considering the fact they have twice won La Liga and the Europa League in that period (as well as reaching the Champions League final on two occasions), it'd be fair to say they've largely reinvested the €1.02bn well. 

Their biggest departures are some of the most elite names in world football. Antoine Greizmann, Sergio Aguero, Rodri, Diego Costa and Thomas Partey have all been shipped on for huge sums of cash as Diego Simeone's assault on Real Madrid and Barcelona shows little sign of stopping. 

Somewhat surprisingly, it is Chelsea who make up the rest of the top three and, over the course of the decade analysed, they have won two Premier League titles, two FA Cups, two Europa League, two Champions Leagues and the League Cup. That, whatever you may think about their short-term strategy, is a successful use of the €1bn they have raised in transfer fees. 

Eden Hazard, Diego Costa, Oscar and the aforementioned Luiz have all pulled in big fees that have helped supplement Roman Abramovich's millions over the last decade. 

Over to France now to wax lyrical about AS Monaco. The €968.2m they've raised has largely been funded by the Ligue 1 title-winning team of 2017, with Kylian Mbappe, Thomas Lemar, Fabinho and Benjamin Mendy all ranking with their top ten record departures. 

Giveaway

ENTER GIVEAWAY

Juventus follow them having sold Paul Pogba, Joao Cancelo and Leonardo Bonucci for big money, while Barcelona come next. Although their finances look in a bleak state at the moment, the club have raised huge money through the sales of Alexis Sanchez, Cesc Fabregas and Arthur. 

Neymar's move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 obviously leads the way here but, clearly, that asn't something Barcelona particularly wanted to do. 

The likes of Borussia Dortmund and AS Roma follow up after raising €876.5m and €848.5m respectively, while Real Madrid - largely aided by the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo in 2018 - are ninth in the list (€829.5m). 

Finally, Porto (€772.1m) make up the top ten. 

Given some of the success these clubs have enjoyed over the last few years, it'd be fair to crown them as the masters of the transfer market. Barcelona and Real Madrid aside (although their four European Cups in that period may soften the blow), all look in much healthier positions because of their big sales. 

Transfer News LIVE: Chelsea target Kounde, Alderweireld leaves Spurs