The top ten highest spending clubs in Europe during the summer transfer window.
With the summer transfer window now having slammed firmly shut, Soccerex have carried out a study into the spending habits of clubs in the major five European leagues during the 2014 summer transfer window and the effects of UEFA’s controversial Financial Fair Play regulations.
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One of the numerous areas of data to be mined by the study has been into the spending habits of Europe’s biggest clubs, with these being the ten who splashed out the most on transfer fees during the summer window:
10) Valencia (€60 million)
La Liga outfit Valencia saw their takeover by businessman Peter Lim go through this summer, allowing them to go out in the transfer market and spend big, largely on loan deals with a view to permanent ratification next summer. Their biggest moves were for striker Alvaro Negredo from Manchester City and winger Rodrigo from Benfica.
9) Manchester City (€66 million)
Manchester City have reined in their spending somewhat this summer after years of massive profligacy at the Etihad Stadium, with FC Porto centre back Eliaquim Mangala being the only really massive deal to have been done by the club this summer – bargain moves for Fernando and Frank Lampard may signal a change in direction for City.
8) Southampton (€73 million)
There is a shock in eight place, where Southampton find themselves on the list after a turbulent summer of change at St. Mary’s, that has seen new manager Ronald Koeman bring in numerous players, including FC Twente winger Dusan Tadic. Their spending is tempered somewhat by the mass of departures, however, which actually meant that the Saints made a cool net profit.
7) Arsenal (€102 million)
Arsene Wenger’s usually frugal Gunners are next on the list, with the deal that brought Barcelona and Chile winger Alexis Sanchez to the Emirates Stadium this summer having made up a huge chunk of their spending – although Calum Chambers, Danny Welbeck and Mathieu Debuchy weren’t cheap either.
6) Chelsea (€104 million)
Chelsea fans are likely to be delighted with the club’s summer moves in the transfer market, with their spend, despite being significant, not being any more than the club have brought in from the sales of the likes of David Luiz and Demba Ba. Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas, signed from La Liga, make up the bulk of Mourinho’s summer spending that put them in sixth.
5) Atletico Madrid (€105 million)
Another club whose net spend was small, due to a number of high profile departures including Costa, La Liga champions Atletico Madrid come in 5th having splurged on the likes of Torino forward Alessio Cerci and Real Sociedad attacking midfielder Antoine Griezmann, plus striker Mario Mandzukic.
4) Real Madrid (€120 million)
120 million Euros is a relatively quiet summer in the transfer market for La Liga giants Real Madrid, who spent most of their cash on securing the signing of World Cup Golden Boot winner James Rodriguez from AS Monaco – their net spend is also much lower, having sold Angel di Maria to Manchester United for a huge fee.
3) Liverpool (€149 million)
Much of Liverpool’s spending has been financed by the sale of Luis Suarez to Barcelona, with manager Brendan Rodgers having been keen to put together a much bigger squad capable of challenging on all fronts for the Reds this season. AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli was the highest profile arrival, but the likes of Adam Lallana, Lazar Markovic and Dejan Lovren also cost a pretty penny.
2) Barcelona (€157 million)
La Liga giants Barcelona had to act decisively in the transfer market this summer, with the club facing a two-year ban due to irregularities in their deal to sign Neymar, with new manager Luis Enrique reshaping his Nou Camp squad. Luis Suarez was the biggest and most expensive arrival, but Jeremy Mathieu, Marc Andre ter Stegen and Thomas Vermaelen also contributed to their heavy summer of spending.
1) Manchester United (€196 million)
Way out in front on this list are Manchester United, for whom breaking the British transfer record to sign Angel di Maria from Real Madrid has just been the tip of the iceberg. The Red Devils have also brought in Falcao, Daley Blind, Luke Shaw, Marcos Rojo and Ander Herrera as new manager Louis van Gaal spends big to try and drag the club out of the malaise that they entered last season under David Moyes.