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Premier League Clubs Spent £850m on New Players During the Summer Transfer Window

By Robert Molnar

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Any doubts that the English Premier League is not the world’s richest league has now been put to rest. Spending £850 million in the past summer transfer window, Premier League club’s outspent their world rivals in every area.

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The end result was the English Premier League’s transfer spending doubling it’s nearest rival in the summer spending column. The next highest spending league was Italy’s Seria A which spent £420 million on new players this past summer.

While spending was up in the Premier League this summer, the rest of Europe now appears to be trending in the same direction. With the exception of  France’s Ligue 1, all of Europe’s major league’s set new transfer records this summer for total spending.

Leading the pack for England was uber-rich Manchester City. The Sky Blues spent a grand total of £145.22m with most of that number going towards the Premier League’s two most expensive transfers — Belgium international Kevin de Bruyne and England international Raheem Sterling.

Second in that list was Manchester City’s derby rival Manchester United. Spending £101.57 million, the Red Devils tied for second in the world spending list this past summer with La Liga side Atletico Madrid.

Part of this new record in spending is attributed to the Premier League’s television contracts. The payout’s have led to the Premier League becoming the least top heavy of Europe’s big five with last season’s top four only attributing to 45.7% of the league’s summer spending.

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Also adding to England’s new spending habits was the second tier English Championship. The second tier of English soccer spent more than four times it’s nearest second division rivals across Europe, once again showing the might of English television contracts.

Spending £99.46 million this past summer, the English Championship outspent most first division league’s across Europe with the closest second division league being 2. Bundesliga at £25.4 million.

The Premier League also dwarfed it’s European rivals in player sales during the past summer transfer window. Led by the sales of Angel di Maria and Raheem Sterling, Premier League clubs grossed a combined total of £415.8 million.

The net spending of the Premier League of £432.26m also led the way during the summer, with the total more than four times that of La Liga in that same category. However, while the Premier League saw a loss in that category, both Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga saw net profits this summer from sales of top talent.

Next: Premier League's Most Expensive Transfers

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