Premier League Clubs Set A New Record For Summer Transfer Window Spending
Clubs in England’s Premier League smashed the transfer spending record for a single season during the 2022 summer window when they collectively splurged approximately £1.9b on new recruits.
Their huge combined outlay surpassed the previous record set by the world’s richest league by a full £487.8m back in 2017 (£1.4b), according to Deloitte’s sports business group, though the previous highest tally also included the clubs’ spend from the campaign’s winter transfer window in January 2018.
Deloitte’s research revealed that gross spending was a massive 67% more extravagant than last year’s total spending and a notable 34% higher than the previous record set in 2017.
While the rest of Europe spent the summer months shopping with loose change, the Premier League again threw cash about, emptied coffers and drained bank balances with reckless abandon.
As a result, the pool of talent in England’s top flight has never felt deeper and the arrival of a slew of new superstars pushed numerous football betting sites to rework many of their markets and prices ahead of the 2022/23 Premier League campaign.
What factors drove the record spending?
Premier League clubs spent more money than all the teams in Spain’s LaLiga, Italy’s Serie A and Germany’s Bundesliga combined in the summer of 2022 – but what drove spending in England to new heights?
One of the most prominent factors behind the rise in investment was Chelsea’s new ownership. Under a consortium fronted by Todd Boehly, the Blues splashed out £255.3m on new players in the summer, which is £157.8m than they spent the year before. Chelsea’s spending accounted for 52% of the difference between the previous (2017) and new record outlay alone.
Elsewhere, several major individual moves also drove spending totals up. Liverpool sanctioned an £85m deal for Benfica’s Darwin Nunez, while Manchester United spent roughly the same amount for Brazilian winger Antony, who they acquired from Ajax.
Last year, supporters also returned to fill stadiums following over a year away during the COVID-19 pandemic and returning ticket sales along with increased broadcast contracts have armed Premier League clubs with more cash than ever before.
The value of international TV rights has also dwarfed domestic rights for the first time this year, further strengthening Premier League clubs’ ability to go hard in the market.
Biggest individual spenders in the Premier League
- Chelsea – £255.3m
Chelsea’s new owners wanted to make a statement this summer and with the signings of £72m Wesley Fofana, £58m Marc Cucurella, £50m Raheem Sterling and £34m Kalidou Koulibaly among others, it’s safe to say it was mission accomplished.
- Manchester United – £214.22m
Man Utd backed new manager Erik ten Hag with a significant transfer warchest in the summer and the Red Devils added £85m Antony, £63m Casmeiro and £51m Lisandro Martinez to their ranks.
- West Ham – £163.80m
West Ham’s summer shopping spree went under the radar somewhat, though the Irons were as busy as anyone, recruiting players like £38m Lucas Paqueta, £32m Gianluca Scamacca and £31m Nayef Aguerd during their summer splurge.
- Nottingham Forest – £145.76m
Determined to stay afloat on their return to the top tier, newly-promoted Nottingham Forest spend close to £150m on over 20 new recruits in the summer. Morgan Gibbs-White, who cost £26m from Wolves, was the biggest individual deal Forest managed to put together.
- Newcastle United – £122.40m
Backed by the sovereign wealth of Saudi Arabia, Newcastle broke through the one hundred million ceiling with ease in the summer, landing £63m Alexander Isak and £33m Sven Botman as part of their recruitment drive. Expect the Magpies to top these lists before long.
Most expensive summer signings in the Premier League
- Antony: Ajax to Manchester United (£85.6m)
Brazilian winger Antony eventually followed Erik ten Hag from Ajax to Manchester United late in the summer, though the Premier League giants had to overpay in the extreme to land their target. Antony managed to score in each of his first three Premier League appearances for the Red Devils.
- Darwin Nunez: Benfica to Liverpool (£85m)
Liverpool pounced quickly to sign Uruguayan centre-forward Darwin Nunez ahead of their rivals, though they had to part with a sizable wedge to land their primary target. Nunez has been feeling his way into the Premier League since his arrival, though the goals are expected to flow soon.
- Wesley Fofana: Leicester City to Chelsea (£72m)
Chelsea spent almost the entire summer chasing French defender Wesley Fofana before they eventually struck a deal with the Foxes for his signature. Fofana is expected to anchor the Blues’ defence for the next ten years.
- Casemiro: Real Madrid to Manchester United (£63m)
Man Utd turned their attention to Casemiro after their pursuit of Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong failed, though the decision to spend so much cash on a 30-year-old raised eyebrows. The Brazilian international has class to burn however, and he should make a real difference to their midfield.
- Alexander Isak: Real Sociedad to Newcastle United (£63m)
Newcastle pulled off a major coup when they signed flying Swedish forward Alexander Isak from Real Sociedad. The 23-year-old scored on his Premier League debut against Liverpool, though he was injured shortly after and he has only made fleeting appearances since.
