By Victor Kanayo
With just few days to end current summer transfer period for 2022/23 football season, English Premier League (EPL) clubs have already broken their record for spending.
According to an analysis from finance company Deloitte, clubs have spent £1.5bn so far this summer, exceeding the previous record of £1.4bn in 2017.
There is still a week to go until the transfer window closes on September 1.
Spending at the same point in 2021 was £895m and went on to reach £1.1bn.
“The record levels of spending that we’ve seen in this summer transfer window so far provides a sign that the business models of Premier League clubs are rebounding post-Covid,” said Chris Wood, assistant director in Deloitte’s Sports Business Group.
“While this is encouraging, the importance of clubs establishing responsible and sustainable spending policies cannot be overstated.”
Premier League clubs have signed 135 players this summer, already more than in the 2019 or 2020 summer windows and closing in on last summer’s 148. Two-thirds of those deals have seen a fee paid, including 14 separate players moving for reported fees in excess of £30million.
That list is topped by Darwin Nunez’s £85.5million move to Liverpool, while Chelsea have spent £60million on Marc Cucurella, £47.5million on Raheem Sterling and £34million on Kalidou Koulibaly.
Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal have each spent two fees over £30million and Tottenham laid out £60million to bring in forward Richarlison from Everton, while Newcastle, West Ham and Wolves have also contributed to the figure.
Morgan Gibbs-White’s move from the latter to Nottingham Forest could join the list if he triggers the add-ons in the deal.
The record 2017 window included Romelu Lukaku’s £75million move to Manchester United and Chelsea’s £60million capture of Alvaro Morata, while Manchester City spent big on Kyle Walker, Bernardo Silva, Benjamin Mendy and Ederson.
The January window then included big-money moves for centre-backs Virgil van Dijk and Aymeric Laporte to Liverpool and City respectively and striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Arsenal.
Several sides are still looking to add to their squads late in the window, with Chelsea, Manchester United and Nottingham Forest among those still far from done in the market.
