Soccer:Premier League clubs smashed the spending record in the January transfer window by €58 million with a total of €264 million splashed out last month.
The previous record of €205 million was set in January 2008, with a similar figure in 2009 according to business analysts Deloitte.
Dan Jones, partner in the Sports Business Group at Deloitte, said: “While Premier League club revenues have never been higher, we were surprised to see more than €234 million spent in a January window for the first time, particularly after only around €35 million was spent in January last year.
“However, when you scratch beneath the surface you find that around 80 per cent of the total spending of €264 million is concentrated across only four clubs (Chelsea, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Manchester City) and spread across only six players, so this was a particularly polarised window, with only a few clubs flexing their financial muscles on what was a deafening final day of an otherwise quiet window.”
Fernando Torres topped the pile with his estimated €58 million move from Liverpool to Chelsea. Andy Carroll replaced Torres at Anfield with his €41 million switch from Newcastle.
Deloitte’s report shows the Premier League easily outspent other leagues in Europe.
Jones added: “January is often a relatively quiet window, with total gross spending driven and dominated by a small number of high-value transfers, as has certainly been the case again this year with only four Premier League clubs spending more than €12 million.
“For the majority of clubs, the combination of a continued lack of available credit and reduced operating profitability and liquidity continues to be the norm, which has put the brakes on their spending.
“However, the higher and more evenly shared revenues seen in the Premier League have again seen its clubs outspend clubs in the top divisions in France, Germany, Italy and Spain.”
At a glance: Key findings
*Premier League clubs have committed to around €264m in respect of player transfer fees in January 2011 (2010: €35m; 2009: €199m; 2008: €205m; 2007: €70m; 2006: €82m; 2005: €59m; 2004: €59m; 2003: €41m)
*Spending between Premier League clubs accounts for just over half (€135m, 51 per cent) of all Premier League clubs' gross transfer spending, followed by spending with overseas clubs (€123m, 47 per cent) and with Football League clubs (€65m, 2 per cent)
*Premier League clubs' net transfer spend was also a record at €105m (2010: €12m), being the net amount that flows to non-English clubs and Football League clubs
*Premier League clubs' transfer spending in the January window far exceeded that in other European leagues in January 2011
