Darwin Nunez deal leads way as Premier League clubs break spending record

It is not out of the question that the all-time record in a Premier League season could be broken.

Premier League clubs have already broken their spending record for a summer transfer window with the deadline still a week away, according to analysis from Deloitte.

Gross spending in the top flight stood at £1.5 billion at the start of Thursday, exceeding 2017’s record of £1.43 billion spent in a summer window.

It is also more than the £1.44 billion spent in the whole of last season and, with the all-time record for a Premier League season standing at £1.86 billion – also in 2017-18 – it is not out of the question that the summer window alone could surpass that mark.

Chris Wood, assistant director in Deloitte’s Sports Business Group, said: “The record levels of spending that we’ve seen in this summer transfer window so far provides a sign that the business models of Premier League clubs are rebounding post-Covid.

“Whilst this is encouraging, the importance of clubs establishing responsible and sustainable spending policies cannot be overstated. Clubs must balance their desire to be competitive on-pitch with the need to protect long-term financial and operational viability.”

Premier League clubs have signed 135 players this summer, already more than in the 2019 or 2020 summer windows and closing on last August’s 148. Two-thirds of those have seen a fee paid, including 14 separate players moving for reported fees in excess of £30 million.

That list is topped by Darwin Nunez’s £85.5 million move to Liverpool, while Chelsea have spent a reported £60 million on Marc Cucurella, £47.5 million on Raheem Sterling and £34 million on Kalidou Koulibaly.

Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal have each spent two fees over £30 million and Tottenham laid out £60 million to bring striker Richarlison from Everton, while Newcastle, West Ham and Wolves have also contributed to the figure. Morgan Gibbs-White’s move from the latter to Nottingham Forest could join the list if he triggers the add-ons in the deal.

The record 2017 window included Romelu Lukaku’s £75 million move to Manchester United and Chelsea’s £60 million capture of Alvaro Morata, while Manchester City spent big on Kyle Walker, Bernardo Silva, Benjamin Mendy and Ederson. The January window then included big-money moves for centre-backs Virgil van Dijk and Aymeric Laporte to Liverpool and City respectively and striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Arsenal.