BBC Article on English Premier Expenditure this Transfer Window

GranvillusClutterbuckus

GranvillusClutterbuckus

Well-Known Member
Jaw-dropping stuff, especially the comparison in expenditure of EPL to rest of europe.

Transfer deadline day: Premier League clubs shatter spending records in January window​


Gakpo, Fernandez and Gordon

The British transfer record was smashed on deadline day as an unprecedented January transfer window ended with Premier League clubs having spent £2.8bn during the 2022-23 season.

Chelsea's 121m euro (£107m) deal for Benfica's Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez took the total expenditure by top-flight clubs in January to a record-breaking £815m.

More than £275m was spent on deadline day alone before the window closed for English clubs at 23:00 GMT on Tuesday.

The deadline day outlay was an increase of 83% on the previous January record of £150m, set in 2018.

And, while an all-time high season expenditure across both the summer and winter windows was guaranteed after a record of £1.9bn was set in September, the final total is double the previous record of £1.4bn in 2017.

The 2018 winter record spend of £430m by Premier League clubs had also already been smashed prior to Tuesday's deadline day, with the eventual total in 2023 an increase of 90% on that - and almost triple the previous January window (£295m), according to financial services firm Deloitte.

The Premier League's financial dominance in Europe increased to the highest proportion ever reported, as the spending by English top-flight clubs accounted for 79% of the total across Europe's 'big five' football leagues, where January spending fell by 35% from 2022 to €255m (£225m).

Indeed, Chelsea spent more in January than the combined total of all clubs in the Bundesliga, La Liga, Serie A and Ligue 1.
Among English Football League clubs, spending rose to £25m, up from £20m in the previous winter window.

Tim Bridge, lead partner in Deloitte's Sports Business Group, said: "The record spending by Premier League clubs this season is beyond anything that we've seen before.

"Premier League clubs have outspent those within the rest of Europe's 'big five' leagues by almost four to one in this transfer window, allowing them to hold on to their key players, while attracting top-talent from overseas.

"However, while there is a clear need to invest in squad size and quality to retain a competitive edge, there will always be a fine balance to strike between prioritising success on-pitch and maintaining financial sustainability."

What deals were done on deadline day?​

Pedro Porro, Jorginho, Marcel Sabitzer, Harry Souttar

Chelsea's late capture of Fernandez was the headline deal on deadline day as the Blues smashed the British transfer record - previously the £100m Manchester City paid for Jack Grealish in 2021 - to land the 22-year-old World Cup winner.

Elsewhere, Tottenham announced the signing of full-back Pedro Porro from Sporting Lisbon on loan until the end of the season, with an obligation to buy for 45m euros (£40m) - while defenders Matt Doherty (permanent) and Djed Spence (loan) were allowed to leave.

Premier League leaders Arsenal strengthened with the £12m acquisition of Italy midfielder Jorginho from Chelsea, while fourth-placed Manchester United completed the loan signing of Austrian midfielder Marcel Sabitzer from Bayern Munich.

Southampton ended the window with a late flurry of activity, completing a club record £22m deal for Ghana winger Kamaldeen Sulemana as well as signing Nigeria striker Paul Onuachu.

Bournemouth signed Ukraine centre-back Illia Zabarnyi for a reported £24m and Ivory Coast midfielder Hamed Traore on an initial loan before a £20m summer move.

Fellow promoted side Nottingham Forest were also busy, completing deals for Atletico Madrid's Brazilian defender Felipe and Newcastle midfielder Jonjo Shelvey for undisclosed fees, while Paris St-Germain goalkeeper Keylor Navas arrived on loan.
Leicester City signed defender Harry

Souttarfrom Stoke City in a deal which could rise to £20m with add-ons, and Crystal Palace signed France youth international Naouirou Ahamada from Stuttgart for 11m euros (£9.7m).

A surprise high-profile Premier League departure saw Manchester City full-back Joao Cancelo join Bayern Munich on loan for the rest of the season, with a 70m euro (£61.5m) option to join permanently in the summer.

What were the biggest transfers of the January window?​

Mykhailo Mudryk and Cody Gakpo

Chelsea's deal for Fernandez was a fitting end to another astonishing window. Amid another remarkable spending spree, the Blues agreed a £89m deal with Shakhtar Donetsk for 22-year-old Ukraine forward Mykhailo Mudryk earlier in January.

In addition to their deadline day signing of Jorginho, Arsenal signed Belgium striker Leandro Trossard from Brighton for £21m plus add-ons, along with Jakub Kiwior from Serie A side Spezia for 20m euros (£17.6m).
Elsewhere, Liverpool agreed a deal worth 40-50m euros (£35.4m-£44.3m) to sign
Netherlands forward Cody Gakpo, 23, from Dutch club PSV Eindhoven.

And Newcastle United's signing of 21-year-old Anthony Gordon from Everton could eventually be worth £45m.

There was big money spent among the league's current bottom-half sides too, with Leeds Unitedsigning French forward Georginio Rutter, 20, from Hoffenheim for a club record 40m euros (£36m).

Bournemouth also recruited Burkina Faso winger Dango Ouattara from Lorient for around £20m and Leicester paid £17m for defender Victor Kristiansen

Following the £15m sale of Danny Ings to West Ham, Aston Villa signed teenage Colombia striker Jhon Duran from Chicago Fire for £18m.

Big-movers Chelsea dominate Premier League spending​


Transfer Deadline Day: Chelsea signings could be difficult for Graham Potter
It has been an extraordinary couple of transfer windows for Chelsea since the club's £4.25bn sale to a consortium led by American investor Todd Boehly last May.

And it looked that way even before an eye-watering amount was finally agreed with Benfica for Fernandez late into deadline day.
It is the latest bold statement of intent in the still early days of Chelsea's new era under Boehly, which has seen more than £550m spent on new signings.

Their spending in January alone exceeded £300m on eight new players, with Mudryk, Malo Gusto (£30.7m), Benoit Badiashile (£35m), Noni Madueke (£30.7m), Andrey Santos (£18m) and David Datro Fofana (£8m-£10m) all also added on permanent deals.
Meanwhile, talented 23-year-old Portugal forward Joao Felix moved to Stamford Bridge on loan from Atletico Madrid at a cost of 11 million euros (£9.7m).

That came after a summer that saw them spend a Premier League record £270m - the second-highest summer spend by any club in the world after Real Madrid (£292m) in 2019.
In total, Chelsea accounted for 37% of the total amount spent by Premier League clubs in January.
Enzo Fernandez has replaced Jack Grealish as the most expensive signing in British football

The January deals that never were​

Despite all the money spent, not everyone got what they wanted.

Morocco forward Hakim Ziyech's proposed deadline day move from Chelsea to PSG appeared to collapse as the player waited in Paris because the documentation to complete the transfer was not submitted in time.

Arsenal had a £60m bid rejected by Brighton in their pursuit of midfielder Moises Caicedo, despite the midfielder confirming his desire to leave the club in an open letter on his Instagram. That came after the Gunners were beaten to the signing of Mudryk by Chelsea.

England midfielder Conor Gallagher decided to stay at Stamford Bridge despite interest from Premier League strugglers Everton.

Indeed, despite appointing former Burnley boss Sean Dyche as the club's new manager on Monday, the 19th-placed Toffees did not do any business on deadline day.
 
In that chart of the most expensive players, only one of them (VDV) could be considered money well spent.

Fernandez will get the most attention but Newcastle agreeing to pay all of the £40m transfer fee for Gordon in one go, up front, is the one that proper threw me.
 
However, while there is a clear need to invest in squad size and quality to retain a competitive edge, there will always be a fine balance to strike between prioritising success on-pitch and maintaining financial sustainability."
This part of that quote is significant, and deserves some reflection on. The sustainability of the level of spending there, and debt that is already in much of that league is something we are going find out more about in the coming years.
 
Newly promoted Bournemouth in the bottom three with a stadium capacity of roughly 12,500 splashing out £65m quid on 3 players

Edited - seen further down the article they signed another player
 
Khal Drogo said:
Newly promoted Bournemouth in the bottom three with a stadium capacity of roughly 12,500 splashing out £65m quid on 3 players

Edited - seen further down the article they signed another player
Click to expand...
I noticed this too a club that size spending that money is crazy.
 
Interesting that The Athletic now has an article out on having a "Football Sustainability Index" which apart from other things, has a focus on the finances for these clubs. That it's now being highlighted in this way is important.
 
Last edited:
prenzlauerbear said:
In that chart of the most expensive players, only one of them (VDV) could be considered money well spent.

Fernandez will get the most attention but Newcastle agreeing to pay all of the £40m transfer fee for Gordon in one go, up front, is the one that proper threw me.
Click to expand...
Gordon has pace. He isn't that good tbh.

I was dumbfounded when Chelsea initially had interest in him.

I suppose though Newcastle have money to burn. Crazy stuff down there.
 
prenzlauerbear said:
In that chart of the most expensive players, only one of them (VDV) could be considered money well spent.

Fernandez will get the most attention but Newcastle agreeing to pay all of the £40m transfer fee for Gordon in one go, up front, is the one that proper threw me.
Click to expand...
Is this really true though?

The money spent by Chelsea is pretty disgusting tbh.
 
Last year by all accounts was the first time TV rights from abroad for the EPL was greater than internal amounts.

Will be difficult to see how this can not continue with revenue from multiple sources.
 
Ferrybear73 said:
Gordon has pace. He isn't that good tbh.

I was dumbfounded when Chelsea initially had interest in him.

I suppose though Newcastle have money to burn. Crazy stuff down there.
Click to expand...
I’m regularly on the Everton forum and he certainly divides their support.

£45 million defies belief for a very ordinary player.
Makes big Calvin look a bargain.
 
Khal Drogo said:
Newly promoted Bournemouth in the bottom three with a stadium capacity of roughly 12,500 splashing out £65m quid on 3 players

Edited - seen further down the article they signed another player
Click to expand...
They signed five altogether. New owner flexing his financial might to try and stay in the league. I doubt if it will work, but hopefully he will be true to his word and build the new ground to a size that means people in the area can get tickets.
 
sir_walter_smith said:
Is this really true though?

The money spent by Chelsea is pretty disgusting tbh.
Click to expand...

Nah bud, just made it up :D

Ornstein reported it at the time.

theathletic.com

Newcastle agree to sign Gordon

Newcastle United have agreed to sign Anthony Gordon from Everton for an initial £40million fee. Gordon was required to submit a transfer request for the deal to be agreed and he is now expected to join Eddie Howe’s side. The 21-year-old missed three days of training this week, with the first...
theathletic.com theathletic.com
 
TerrySilverLoyal said:
Shows the bloated fees

On that whole chart for the price are any of them top 10-15 in the world?

No chance
Click to expand...
Was going to post the same, outspending the big leagues but not getting the big players.

The likes of Mbappe, Vinicius, Valverde, Pedro, Gavi, Martinez and Osimhen etc are still at their respected clubs.
 
It's strange to me that the big 6 English teams would have any interest in joining a super league with Barca, Juve etc. Would it really generate more money and resources than is currently available to them? Why would they take the risk?

Once Barca and Real Madrid are no longer able to compete with English teams for players then I think that's the day the premier league basically becomes super league in all but name. It's not far off either.
 
Enzo Fernandez will never live up to that price tag.

Chelsea’s transfer business has been incredibly scattergun.
 
prenzlauerbear said:
Nah bud, just made it up :D

Ornstein reported it at the time.

theathletic.com

Newcastle agree to sign Gordon

Newcastle United have agreed to sign Anthony Gordon from Everton for an initial £40million fee. Gordon was required to submit a transfer request for the deal to be agreed and he is now expected to join Eddie Howe’s side. The 21-year-old missed three days of training this week, with the first...
theathletic.com theathletic.com
Click to expand...
It's the internet after all :p
 
In these times of austerity with "fans" who are the lifeblood of any club struggling financially, the money paid in fees and wages is obscene/vulgar, the EPL juggernaught rolls on seemingly blind to the nations troubles wrapped up in their own well insulated bubble.

I am so glad i support a normal team.
 
Kentbear said:
In these times of austerity with "fans" who are the lifeblood of any club struggling financially, the money paid in fees and wages is obscene/vulgar, the EPL juggernaught rolls on seemingly blind to the nations troubles wrapped up in their own well insulated bubble.

I am so glad i support a normal team.
Click to expand...
Was thinking the same, there will be people missing out on things so they can afford to take their kid to a game, or pay for sky or whatever.

Just to watch Brentford v Bournemouth. Which at the end of the day is sfill Brentford v Bournemouth

It’s obscene.
 
Hipster Dashie said:
Chelsea spending £500m and most likely won’t get into the top 4. Absolute madness. Financial fair play is completely ineffective.

Should spied up the super league. Then let the rest of football get back to something approaching sensible competition.
Click to expand...

Chelsea spending more than the French, German, Italian and Spanish leagues combined is what is madness!
 
prenzlauerbear said:
In that chart of the most expensive players, only one of them (VDV) could be considered money well spent.

Fernandez will get the most attention but Newcastle agreeing to pay all of the £40m transfer fee for Gordon in one go, up front, is the one that proper threw me.
Click to expand...
Saw a chart for top 10 world transfers & thought only Mbappe was worth the money so its not just English clubs that are shit at getting big transfers right.
 
Potnbear said:
Wonder what went down with Cancelo and Pep
Click to expand...
Cancelo had played the most minutes for City prior to WC (possibly defenders only). Poorish WC, comes back and Pep decides he's not playing well enough so sells him (rumours of bust up, Pep flexes muscle). Excellent player, they don't have left back since selling Zinchenko. Pep taking a chance here, may backfire.
 
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