They only spent £3.5million on players this summer but Queens Park Rangers remain the richest club in the country, according to a survey published today.

By contrast, Manchester City's new owners from Abu Dhabi splashed out £92.5m on their squad yet their wealth is still eclipsed by the west Londonders in the 2009 FourFourTwo Rich List.

Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal, who owns a 20 per cent stake in the Loftus Road club, is worth an estimated £18.4billion while City owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan, is in second place with a fortune estimated at £17bn.

Mittal has largely taken a back seat to owners Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone since investing in QPR in December 2007 but he would appear the real financial power at the club.

Rangers' potential wealth is enormous as Formula One supremo Ecclestone is also ranked eighth with £1.466bn.

Mittal, who spent £200,000 in December 2007 to acquire his share in the club, certainly has the funds to buy Flavio Briatore's interest should his co-owner fail the Football League's 'fit and proper test' when club chairmen convene tomorrow.

Briatore, who became the club's director and majority shareholder via his company, Sarita Capital Investments Inc in November 2007, has seen his position called into question following the 'Crashgate' scandal.

The flamboyant Italian businessman was relieved from his role as the Renault Formula One team principle after the World Motor Sport Council issued a banning order.

Briatore was found to have conspired with engineering director Pat Symonds and driver Nelson Piquet Jr, that the latter would crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix to boost team-mate Fernando Alonso's title chances.

Such a banning order would appear to contravene the League's 'fit and proper test' which prevents people "subject to a ban from involvement in the administration of a sport by a sports governing body or such other similar forms of disqualification" from owning a football club.

Both Mittal and Ecclestone have the money available to purchase Briatore's 54 per cent stake but whether either would want to plough more funds into the club is debatable.Manager Jim Magilton signed two players in the transfer window - Argentine midfielder Alejandro Faurlin for £3.5m from Institute and Italian striker Alessandro Pellicori on a free from Avellino - and both owners appear reluctant to invest too much of their wealth in Rangers.

QPR's neighbours Chelsea see their owner Roman Abramovich (£7.8bn) in third on the list while businessman Joe Lewis, whose company Tavistock Group part-own Tottenham, is fourth with £2.5bn. The two main shareholders at Arsenal, Stanley Kroenke (£2.079bn) and Alisher Usmanov (£1.3bn), are both in the top 10.

Unsurprisingly, David Beckham leads the players' rich list with an estimated fortune of £125m. The LA Galaxy midfielder's wealth is made largely from a proportion of his sponsorship deals.

Despite the much-publicised riches on offer at Manchester City and Chelsea, it is Manchester United who can lay claim to having the wealthiest dressing room in the Premier League.

United players Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand and Ryan Giggs take the next four places with a combined wealth of £129m.

Michael Ballack (£22m), Frank Lampard (£21m), John Terry (£18m) and Didier Drogba (£16m) are also included in the top 10.

England manager Fabio Capello's estimated £4m-per-year wages have helped him top the managers' rich list with a £30m fortune.

Top 10 players

David Beckham LA Galaxy £125m
Michael Owen Man Utd £38m
Wayne Rooney Man Utd £37m
Rio Ferdinand Man Utd £30m
Ryan Giggs Man Utd £24m
Michael Ballack Chelsea £22m
Frank Lampard Chelsea £21m
Steven Gerrard Liverpool £20m
John Terry Chelsea £18m
Didier Drogba Chelsea £16m

Top 10 managers

Fabio Capello England £30m
Roy Keane Ipswich £27m
Sir Alex Ferguson Man United £22m
Carlo Ancelotti Chelsea £17m
Sven-Goran Eriksson Notts County £15m
Arsene Wenger Arsenal £15m
Harry Redknapp Tottenham £10m
Rafael Benitez Liverpool £9m
Martin O'Neill Aston Villa £9m
Mark Hughes Man City £8m

Top 10 owners

Lakshmi Mittal QPR £18.4bn
Sheikh Mansour Man City £17bn
Roman Abramovich Chelsea £7.8bn
Joe Lewis Tottenham £2.5bn
Stanley Kroenke Arsenal £2.079bn
Denis O'Brien Celtic £1.73bn
Malcolm Glazer Man United £1.5bn
Bernie Ecclestone QPR £1.466bn
Alisher Usmanov Arsenal £1.3bn
Lord Grantchester Everton £1.2bn