Soccer-Premier League clubs smash summer transfer spending record


FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton v Liverpool - Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool, Britain - April 19, 2026 Everton's Iliman Ndiaye celebrates scoring a goal that was later disallowed REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo

LONDON, Sept 2 (Reuters) - The Premier League has ⁠smashed its summer spending record for a second successive season, with outlay by England's top-flight clubs ⁠reaching around £3.46 billion ($4.67 billion).

The spending spree continued right up to the final hours of the ‌transfer window on Tuesday, with several more big-money deals completed before the 11 p.m. deadline.

Manchester City capped their spending by signing Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea for a reported British record-equalling £125 million on Tuesday. They also signed Senegal winger Iliman Ndiaye from Everton for ​a reported £65 million.

Last summer, the combined spending of the league's 20 ⁠clubs breached the £3 billion barrier for the first ⁠time. Five years ago, the total stood at £1.13 billion.

In addition to Fernandez, three other transfers breached the £100 million ⁠mark ‌during the window.

City signed midfielder Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for £116 million, Morgan Rogers switched from Aston Villa to Chelsea for £117 million and Liverpool agreed to pay an initial £107 million to Paris St ⁠Germain for France forward Bradley Barcola with that deal likely to rise ​to £123 million.

Tottenham Hotspur also broke ‌their club transfer record to sign Sandro Tonali from Newcastle United in a deal that could reach £100 ⁠million.

Of the 11 ​most expensive signings in Premier League history, four -- Fernandez, Anderson, Rogers and Barcola -- have arrived this summer.

Aston Villa also announced their 11th signing of the window with the £47 million purchase of Senegal winger Ibrahim Mbaye from PSG, while Newcastle paid £51.4 million ⁠to bring in forward Matias Fernandez-Pardo from Lille.

The trend for clubs ​to buy from English top-flight rivals continues to rise with around 38% of deals made between Premier League clubs -- up from 30% last summer.

City led the way with £458 million in spending as new manager Enzo Maresca assembled his ⁠first squad, while Chelsea also spent heavily, shelling out £349 million to back new boss Xabi Alonso.

Tottenham splashed out £303 million as they rebuild after two successive seasons close to being relegated.

According to website Transfermarkt, promoted trio Ipswich, Coventry City and Hull City spent more than a combined £400 million to prepare themselves for life in the top flight.

Sunderland ​landed highly rated Belgian winger Malick Fofana, 21, from Olympique Lyonnais in a ⁠reported £30 million deal after beating Crystal Palace to his signature.

Some deals failed to go through on deadline day.

British media ​reported that Everton's move for Folarin Balogun collapsed after the U.S. ‌striker decided against proceeding with the transfer, while Senegal midfielder ​Lamine Camara remained at Monaco after his reported £47.1 million move to Chelsea fell through.

($1 = 0.7406 pounds)

(Reporting by Martyn Herman, additional reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare; editing by Pritha Sarkar and Peter Rutherford)

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