Premier League clubs have spent more than £1B ($1.4B) "on transfers in a season for the first time, new figures reveal," according to the BBC. A record £965M was spent in '14-15, but "that figure has already been beaten." The "20 clubs have already spent" £130M ($188M) in the January transfer window alone, with Newcastle spending £29M ($42M). Deloitte Sports Business Group partner Dan Jones said, "We've seen Premier League clubs again use the January window to invest significantly in playing talent" (BBC, 2/1). The AFP reported whereas close-season spending was driven by the leading clubs, "in January it has been a different story." Sky and BT Sport's £5.14B ($7.42B) domestic TV rights deal kicks in at the start of next season, with the sale of overseas rights -- "expected to be confirmed in the coming weeks" -- set to swell that figure to £8B ($11.6B) for the period '16-19. It means that the "cost of relegation has never been higher, and it is the clubs at the wrong end of the Premier League table who have been opening their wallets the most eagerly during the mid-season transfer period." Newcastle United, third from the bottom ahead of the mid-week fixtures, "have been the top spenders," parting with around £29M ($41.9M) to sign England pair Andros Townsend and Jonjo Shelvey and Senegal midfielder Henri Saivet. The Premier League's other north-east representative, Sunderland, has "brought in five players." Bournemouth broke its "transfer record" by paying around £10M ($14.4M) to Wolverhampton Wanderers for former Arsenal youth-team striker Benik Afobe, while Norwich City, Swansea City and Watford "have also been active" (AFP, 2/1).
Premier League Transfer Spending
|
Season |
Summer
|
January |
'03-04 |
£215M |
£50M |
'04-05 |
£215M |
£50M |
'05-06 |
£235M |
£70M |
'06-07 |
£260M |
£60M |
'07-08 |
£470M |
£175M |
'08-09
|
£500M |
£170M |
'09-10 |
£450M |
£30M |
'10-11 |
£365M |
£225M |
'11-12 |
£485M |
£60M |
'12-13 |
£490M |
£120M |
'13-14 |
£630M |
£130M |
'14-15 |
£835M |
£130M |
'15-16
|
£870M |
£130M |