FOOTBALL – The Premier League has smashed its summer spending record for a second successive season, with outlay by England’s top-flight clubs reaching around £3.46 billion ($4.67bn).
The spending spree continued right up to the final hours of the transfer window on Tuesday, with several more big-money deals completed before the 11 p.m. deadline.
Manchester City capped their spending by signing Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea for a reported British record-equalling £125 million on Tuesday.
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 £1.13bn.
In addition to Fernandez, three other transfers breached the £100m mark during the window.
City signed midfielder Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for £116m, Morgan Rogers switched from Aston Villa to Chelsea for £117m and Liverpool agreed to pay an initial £107n to Paris St Germain for France forward Bradley Barcola with that deal likely to rise to £123m.
Tottenham Hotspur also broke their club transfer record to sign Sandro Tonali from Newcastle United in a deal that could reach £100m.
Of the 11 most expensive signings in Premier League history, four – Fernandez, Anderson, Rogers and Barcola – have arrived this summer.
Aston Villa also announced their 11th signing of the window with the £47m purchase of Senegal winger Ibrahim Mbaye from PSG, while Newcastle paid £51.4m 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% of deals made between Premier League clubs – up from 30% 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 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.
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