Summer Spending Spree

Player transfer spending by Premier League clubs increased to £490M ($778.5M) in the '12 summer transfer window, up slightly from the £485M ($770.6M) spent in summer '11 but just short of the £500M ($794.4M) record of '08, according to analysis by business advisory firm Deloitte. Deloitte Sports Business Group Partner Dan Jones said, "While the highest levels of spending continue to be at those clubs competing at the upper end of the Premier League and in European competition, we have also seen significant investment by the newly promoted teams, looking to establish themselves in the Premier League.”