FIFA Finds Int'l Clubs Spent Total Of $4.71B During Recent Transfer Window

FIFA's report on activity during the recent transfer window found that 7,590 int'l transfers were completed from June 1-Sept. 1. Global spending reached $4.71B, meaning clubs spent almost as much during those three months as they did throughout '16 ($4.79B). Clubs from England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain completed 21.2% of the total incoming transfers and accounted for 77.9% of the total global spend. The big five countries recorded a total of 1,608 incoming transfers (+6.2%) and spent $3.67B (+31.7%) this summer, representing record highs for the period. England spent the most with an outlay of $1.4B, more than double that of any other country. Spain was the country with the highest level of receipts ($752.3M), which also made it the only one of the Big 5 that ended the summer with a positive net balance. France recorded the largest increase worldwide in int'l transfer spending, with $604.1M. This was a 250% increase compared to last summer and 191% more than the annual total in '16 (FIFA).