Premier League cracks €1bn mark for transfers - “Clubs earn more money than ever before”

Over €1,000,000,000 for new signings! The Premier League already cracked the €1 billion mark in transfer spending on 16 July – never has this sum been reached faster in England. Erling Haaland, Darwin Núñez and Richarlison led the way, before the transfer of Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli to Chelsea for €38 million has ensured that the richest league in the world reaches the benchmark for the ninth summer in a row.

By comparison, the 20 English Premier League clubs have invested more money in this transfer window to date than Serie A, Bundesliga and LaLiga combined. However, the record for the fastest competition to reach the €1 billion mark remains in Spain by a razor-thin margin.

League comparison Expenditure & income Click here for overview “Confidence in the market is back,” Daniel Busch, Area Manager Transfermarkt UK, said. “The impact of Covid-19 on attendances and balance sheets has finally disappeared and clubs are making more money than ever before.” While most clubs in Europe’s top leagues continue to have to tighten their belts due to the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, the Premier League is gearing up to break their spending record of €1.6 billion set in the summer of 2017.

TV rights: Premier League earns more abroad than in England

It is likely that this record will fall, as Manchester United and Chelsea have so far held back and Manchester City boast a transfer plus despite signing Haaland. There is also plenty to expect from nouveau riche Newcastle, who will also play in Saudi Arabia’s national colours this season – the league is flush with money.

“From August, TV money for international rights will rise by 25% to £5.05 billion for the period 2022 to 2025, the first time overseas rights generate more money than domestic rights, which are worth at £5 billion,” England expert Busch said. “This distribution is very unusual and shows the appeal of the league as a global brand. Including commercial rights, this creates a package of way over £10 billion for the next three years – a remarkable increase at a time when TV money is tending to decline in many leagues.”

Spending record: LaLiga cracked €1 billion mark even faster in 2019

It is hard to believe, but LaLiga was even faster in 2019. In a summer in which Real Madrid, Atlético and FC Barcelona outbid each other, the billion was already cracked on 14 July. Mainly responsible for this were João Félix, Eden Hazard, Frenkie de Jong, Luka Jović, Éder Militão and Antoine Griezmann – the latter joined Barça from Atlético for €120 million on 14 July, 2019.

In the remaining month and a half of the transfer window, the Spaniards were rather thrifty in 2019, paying only €350 million for further new players. The Bundesliga’s highest spending in a single summer also dates back to 2019 and amounts to €747 million. Of course, it is important to mention the balance here, which in the Bundesliga’s record summer amounted to a transfer deficit of -€176 million. In the Premier League, the difference between transfer income and expenditure is likely to reach the €1 billion mark as well this time. The next target is likely to be €2,000,000,000.