The January transfer window is almost upon us.
For some clubs, it will be a quiet month, with managers seemingly content with what they've currently got at their disposal.
Other teams may decide to dip into the market to bolster their squad, while some could also use it as an opportunity to offload players who are no longer needed, which could generate some funds for future transfer windows.
Those in the latter group are the savvy operators, taking every chance they get to make a profit.
So, which clubs have made the most profit from transfers since the turn of the millennium?
According to Transfermarkt, there is one team who stand head and shoulders above the rest in world football in this category: Benfica.
The Portuguese side have made a profit of €628m (£528.5m) since 2000, with Joao Felix and Ruben Dias just two of the players that they have sold during this period.
Another Primeira Liga side takes the second spot on the list, as Porto have made €564m (£474.6m) by offloading the likes of James Rodriguez and Hulk over the years.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Ajax are next as they have been all too happy to move on some of the brightest youngsters to come out of their academy including Matthijs de Ligt and Frenkie de Jong in recent times.
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Lille and Udinese make up the top five, and the list gives a clear indication of the amount of talent coming out of South America, with four Brazilian and two Argentinian clubs featuring inside the top 15.
To see the full list of the top 15 clubs in the world to make the most profit from transfers since 2000, take a look at the graphic below...
Of course, fans would rather see their team win on the pitch than make money behind the scenes.
Still, a number of these clubs have also won silverware, proving that their model is working, and that success on and off the pitch at the same time is certainly achievable.
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