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Bundesliga clubs "spent a record amount during the summer transfer window," with the 18 teams investing €548M ($613.8M) on new players, German football magazine kicker reported, according to Stephan Uersfeld of ESPN.com. The figure is €140M ($157M) more than was spent last summer, when the previous record of €287M, set in '12, was smashed, "but the amount is far lower" than the £1.16B ($1.54B) spent by Premier League clubs. Borussia Dortmund accounted for "more than one fifth of all transfer spending" following its eight moves this summer. BVB, last season's runner-up, invested a total of €115.2M ($129M) for the services of Andre Schurrle, Mario Gomez, Sebastian Rode, Marc Bartra, Emre Mor, Ousmane Dembele, Mikel Merino and Raphael Guerreiro. Champion Bayern Munich "also invested heavily," spending €70M ($78.4M) on Mats Hummels and Renato Sanches. Wolfsburg and newly promoted RB Leipzig followed with investments of around €50M ($56M) each, and Bayer Leverkusen, Schalke and Hamburg also spent more than €30M ($33.6M) during the summer window (
ESPN.com, 9/1). The AP reported while Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund "made no last-minute moves," Schalke and other clubs signed new players as the transfer deadline expired with Hamburg landing Brazilian Olympic Gold Medalist Douglas Santos. The five-year deal was signed "shortly before the German transfer deadline ran out" at 4pm local time. Hamburg "gave no details about the deal," but local media reports put the transfer at between $7.79M and $11.13M (
AP, 8/31).
IN SPAIN: ESPN.com's Adriana Garcia reported La Liga clubs spent €492.2M ($551.3M) on signings in the summer transfer window. It was "a quiet window by previous Liga standards," with "regular big spenders" Real Madrid paying just €30M to bring Alvaro Morata back from Juventus. Barcelona was the biggest spender, splashing out €122.4M ($137M) on six signings, with Portugal midfielder Andre Gomes -- who cost an initial €35M ($39.2M) from Valencia -- "the most expensive deal of the window in La Liga." Atlético Madrid spent €81M ($90.7M) on five summer acquisitions, while Europa League champion Sevilla was third on the list, spending €56.2M ($63M) (ESPN.com, 9/1). ESPN.com's Samuel Marsden reported Barcelona is "concerned that the Premier League's spending power is leaving the rest of Europe behind" and suggested UEFA's financial fair play regulations "should be adapted to account for the influx of money into English football." Barcelona Sporting Dir Albert Soler: "UEFA and FIFA have to implement a way of regulating [spending]. When FFP was created, the Premier League didn't have as much money as it does now, so it needs to be adapted. It's not normal that there are such big differences" (ESPN.com, 9/1).
IN ITALY: ESPN.com's Ben Gladwell reported Italian clubs spent a record of almost €708M ($793M) in the transfer market this summer, "thanks mainly to investments made by Juventus and Inter Milan." This summer's trading in Italy was up almost €100M ($112M) on the same period last year, with Juventus' €90M ($101M) signing of Gonzalo Higuain "by far and away the biggest investment -- being also a new record fee paid by an Italian club." It "did not stop" with Higuain. The arrivals of Miralem Pjanic (€32M) ($35.8M) and Marko Pjaca (€23M) ($25.8M) "contributed to them spending" over €161M ($180M) in total, although the sale of Paul Pogba to ManU helped "offset their spending and make a total profit" of €23.5M ($26.3M). Juve's profit "contrasts dramatically with the negative balance of Inter's transfer dealings," with almost €70M spent in the final 48 hours of the transfer window (ESPN.com, 9/1).
