Premier League clubs shattered their single-season spending record during the summer window, spending an incredible 1.9 billion pounds. According to Deloitte’s Sports Business Group, the gross spending by the 20 English Premier League clubs during the transfer window that ended on Thursday was the highest in the competition’s history.
Despite the UK’s current cost-of-living crisis, Premier League clubs only needed one window to surpass the 1.86 billion mark set in the summer and winter transfer periods combined during the 2017-18 season.
As per Deloitte, the gross spend on a total of 169 players was also 34% higher than the previous record of 1.4 billion for a single window in the summer of 2017. It was 67% more than the Premier League’s total summer window spend of 1.1 billion last year.
“Gross spend was so high among Premier League clubs this summer that, before this season’s January transfer window had taken place, the 2022/23 season already has the highest transfer spend since the two-window season began, exceeding the previous record by 3 percent (2017/18’s £1.86 billion),”
the report said.
After two seasons of decline due to the financial fallout from the coronavirus, nine Premier League clubs spent more than 100 million each as spending recovered dramatically. The Premier League spent more than the La Liga, the Serie A, and the Bundesliga combined.
“The record level of spending during this transfer window is a clear indication of Premier League clubs’ confidence, as fans return to stadia and a new broadcast cycle begins.
“It’s now become part and parcel of the Premier League that clubs are willing to pay significant sums to maximise performance. This season, the desire to acquire playing talent has reached new levels as the pressure for clubs to stay in the competition is higher than ever,”
said Tim Bridge, lead partner in Deloitte’s Sports Business Group.
Chelsea’s new ownership, with Todd Boehly’s consortium succeeding Roman Abramovich, acted as a catalyst for increased spending. Chelsea spent more in one transfer window than any other team in Premier League history, with a 255 million outlay.
The Blues’ summer spending spree follows the acquisitions of Kai Havertz (72m), Timo Werner (47.7m), Ben Chilwell (45m), Hakim Ziyech (36m), and Edouard Mendy (21.6m) in 2020.
The Blues spent 53 million more than Manchester United, who spent 202 million during this window. United’s deadline-day 82 million signing Antony was the fourth-largest transfer in Premier League history.
Liverpool’s move for Darwin Nunez could eventually outbid that figure, with the initial 67 million outlay potentially increasing to 85 million depending on contract clauses and add-ons.
Chelsea’s most expensive signing of the transfer window was French defender Wesley Fofana from Leicester for 70 million. Marc Cucurella (60m), Raheem Sterling (50m), Kalidou Koulibaly (33m), and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (10.3m) were also signed by Boehly.
Casemiro (60m) and Lisandro Martinez (51m) joined Antony in the top ten most expensive signings in United history. Champions Manchester City bolstered their squad with the 50 million acquisition of Erling Haaland, who has already begun to repay that fee with nine goals in five games.
Newcastle striker Alexander Isak and West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta were two of seven players signed for more than 50 million this summer, with 19 others signing for less.
Nottingham Forest, who are back in the Premier League for the first time since 1999, spent 126 million on 21 players. Deloitte has only reported one club spending more than 100 million immediately after promotion to the Premier League.
