Premier League expenditure hits €139 million mark following deadline day

Feb 1, 2013 12:50:00 PM

The January transfer window was another interesting one as Premier League clubs sought to improve their squads before entering into the second half of the season

Premier League clubs spent over €139 million in this season's January transfer window, according to analysis by the Sports Business Group at Deloitte, the business advisory firm.

The figure released is more than double that of last year, when spends reached around €70m, but down on that of the 2011 total, €260m.

“Premier League clubs have been relatively restrained in their player transfer fee spending, in spite of the upcoming uplift in their broadcasting revenues of between £20m [€23m] and £30m [€35m] each from next season," said Dan Jones, Partner in the Sports Business Group at Deloitte.

"Whilst the clubs’ total spending was £120m [€139m], after taking into account transfer income, the Premier League clubs’ net transfer spend was £70m [€81m].

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"There were relatively few active spenders in the winter window, with over half of this January’s total transfer spending coming from three clubs. Winter window activity tends to be driven by the on-pitch competition at the upper and lower ends of the Premier League table.

“Clubs are now in a reporting period that will count towards the first assessment of Uefa’s financial fair play break-even requirement for international competition and Premier League clubs are also considering the implementation of additional cost control regulation at a domestic level.

"Their apparent relative restraint in this transfer window may reflect an increasing focus on clubs achieving more sustainable levels of expenditure relative to revenues."

Premier League clubs spent around €87m on players from foreign sides, while €29m went on talent from fellow Premier League teams. Meanwhile €23m was used on players from the lower tiers of English football.

QPR, Newcastle and Liverpool accounted for over 50% of the total Premier League spending, while around €41m was exchanged between clubs on deadline day.

As a result of this January's transfers, Premier League clubs have now splashed over €1.16 billion on new players during the winter window since 2003.