Premier League clubs hit a new high with summer transfer window spending

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 £60m to bring striker Richarlison from Everton, while Newcastle, West