Soccer-January transfer window spending reaches record levels

FILE PHOTO: Soccer - Chelsea signed World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez for a Premier League record fee of $128.79 million. Here is is seen playing against Fulham - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - February 3, 2023. REUTERS/Tony Obrien

MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - Soccer clubs spent a record $1.57 billion on transfers in the January transfer window, the sport's world governing body FIFA said on Thursday, with an all-time high number of international deals taking place last month.

In the women's game, the total number of international transfers also reached a new all-time high with 341 across borders, an increase of 30.2% compared to January 2022. A total of $774,300 was spent in the recent window -- a new record.