Global spending on players during the summer transfer window hit a record $5.44B, per FIFA numbers, according to Bill Wilson of the BBC. Some 182 of the 211 FIFA member associations "had their registration period open" from June to September. Clubs from the "Big Five" European Leagues accounted for 77.5% of global spending, with a combined total spend of $4.21B. Once again, English clubs "were the world's biggest spenders during the period, splashing out" $1.44B in total. Compared with last summer, spending by the Big Five leagues increased by 6.6%, driven by teams from Italy, up by 74.7%, and Spain, up by 42.2%. FIFA said, "The Big Five play an increasingly dominant role in the international transfer market when it comes to spending." The figures from FIFA show that 8,401 int'l transfers "were completed around the world during the summer window." The total transfer fees for '18 so far amount to $7.11B -- "already 11.5% more than the transfer fees for the entire year" in '17. The biggest national spender behind the Big Five European leagues is Saudi Arabia (BBC, 9/14).
