The biggest leagues in European football "spent more money than ever before in this year's January transfer window, crushing the previous record" by more than €200M ($213.6M), according to Joe Hall of CITY A.M. According to research from the CIES Football Observatory, clubs in the top divisions in England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain collectively spent €742M ($792.6M) in the four-week window. That marks a €248M ($265M) increase on last year's outlay of €494M and €219M ($234M) "more than the previous record set" in the '11 January window when €523M was spent. The Premier League "was the biggest channel for money flows in January" with more than €443M ($473M) spent and raised by its 20 clubs (CITY A.M., 2/7).
IN FRANCE: LE MONDE reported Ligue 1 invested the most money it ever has during a winter transfer period, €156M ($167M). In comparison, the French clubs spent €28M last season. With 53 departures worth €37M ($39.5M) against 51 arrivals for €156M, French Professional Football League General Dir Didier Quillot said that "it is the first time in a long time that the balance was this way" (
LE MONDE, 2/8).
IN SPAIN: In Madrid, Aritz Gabilondo reported La Liga spent the least among Europe's top five leagues, just €18M ($19.2M). This year's total is 33% less than the league spent last year (
AS, 2/8).
