English Premier League clubs smash summer transfer spending record
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Everton's Iliman Ndiaye was signed by Manchester City for a reported £65 million (S$112 million).
PHOTO: REUTERS
- English Premier League clubs set a new summer transfer spending record of around £3.46 billion, with several deals completed before the Sept 1 deadline.
- Manchester City led spending with major signings including Enzo Fernandez for £125 million, while other clubs like Chelsea and Tottenham also spent heavily.
- Promoted clubs like Ipswich outspent major European teams, and transfers between Premier League clubs rose to 38% of deals, showing dominance over European rivals.
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LONDON – The English Premier League has smashed its summer spending record for the second successive season, with outlay by England’s top-flight clubs reaching around £3.46 billion (S$5.94 billion).
The spending spree continued right up to the final hours of the transfer window on Sept 1, with several more big-money deals completed before the 11pm deadline.
Manchester City capped their spending by signing Argentinian midfielder Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea for a reported British record-equalling £125 million on Sept 1. They also signed Senegal winger Iliman Ndiaye from Everton for a reported £65 million.
Last summer, the combined spending of the league’s 20 clubs breached the £3 billion barrier for the first time. Five years ago, the total stood at £1.13 billion.
In addition to Fernandez, three other transfers hit the £100 million mark during the window.
Three players alone cost a combined £333 million with City signing midfielder Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for £116 million, Morgan Rogers switching from Aston Villa to Chelsea for £117 million and Tottenham Hotspur breaking their club record to sign Sandro Tonali for a fee that could reach £100 million from Newcastle United.
On Aug 31, Liverpool agreed to pay an initial £107 million to Paris Saint-Germain for France forward Bradley Barcola, with that deal likely to rise to £123 million.
Of the 11 most expensive signings in Premier League history, four – Fernandez, Anderson, Rogers and Barcola – have happened this summer.
To highlight the complete domination of Premier League clubs’ purchasing power over their European rivals, only Yan Diomande’s move to Real Madrid from Leipzig and Anthony Gordon’s switch from Newcastle to Barcelona involved fees in excess of £60 million.
Newly promoted Ipswich Town spent more on squad-strengthening than Barcelona, AC Milan and Juventus.
Villa also announced their 11th signing of the window with the £47 million purchase of Senegal winger Ibrahim Mbaye from PSG, while Newcastle paid £51.4 million to bring in forward Matias Fernandez-Pardo from Lille.
The trend for clubs to buy from English top-flight rivals continues to rise with around 38 per cent of deals made between Premier League clubs – up from 30 per cent last summer.
City led the way with £458 million in spending as new manager Enzo Maresca assembled his first squad, while Chelsea also spent heavily, shelling out £349 million to back new boss Xabi Alonso.
Tottenham splashed out £303 million as they rebuild after two successive seasons of being close to being relegated.
According to website Transfermarkt, promoted trio Ipswich, Coventry City and Hull City spent more than a combined £400 million to prepare themselves for life in the top flight.
Sunderland landed highly rated Belgian winger Malick Fofana, 21, from Lyon in a reported £30 million deal after beating Crystal Palace to his signature.
Some deals failed to go through on deadline day.
British media reported that Everton’s move for Folarin Balogun collapsed after the US striker decided against proceeding with the transfer, while Senegal midfielder Lamine Camara remained at Monaco after his reported £47.1 million move to Chelsea fell through. REUTERS
