In quest for titles, EPL clubs flex muscle in transfer market

Record-breaking amounts have already been spent on players by English clubs in 2017/18 Summer transfer window. From the look of things, more record signings will be spent as the transfer window stays open for over five weeks and clubs are still showing interest in some players carrying fat price tags.

Doubtlessly, the bulk of the cash has being thrown around by the big four with more appetite to break banks for more talents.

Wenger hoping to spend big this term

Aresne Wenger’s Arsenal has spent the least with a total of £52m since the opening of the transfer window, buying just one player (Alexandre Lacazette form Lyon) and getting the other for free (Sead Kolasinac from Schalke 04).

Wenger earlier showed a statement of intent with the arrival of record-signing Alexandre Lacazette and promised to spend big in the transfer market.

The North London side are also keen on Southampton star Virgil Van Dijk, Leicester’s Riyad Mahrez and Monaco’s Thomas Lemar, fans are hoping that the manager will be able to make good buys to give the club a competitive edge in the coming season.

Mourinho ready to splash more cash

Manchester United is reported to have spent about £101.75m on Victor Lindelof (Benfica) who is reported to cost £29.75 and Romelu Lukaku (Everton) reported to cost £72m.

Nemanja Matic and Ivan Perisic could be added to Mourinho’s squad before the window closes, adding a potential £90m to the overall pot.

Conte eager to defend his Chelsea EPL title

Antonio Conte has seen Chelsea invest around £130million on Alvaro Morata, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Antonio Rudiger after winning the title last season.

Conte is targeting a huge spending spree at Chelsea this summer as he bids to rebuild his title-winning squad.

The Italian tactician has already broken the club’s transfer record with the £58 million signing of Alvaro Morata but has sent out a clear message during Chelsea’s tour of the Far East that more players are required.

“We need to improve the quality and improve the squad because next season will be very tough for us,” he said.

“We are 16 players, without the goalkeepers, and to face four competitions in a good way we need more players.

“We are in a moment where we have to create solid foundations for this club, we have lost a lot of big players that were fundamental at Chelsea.

“We can’t make a mistake because it’s very dangerous. I repeat, we need to improve and increase our squad and to be something important for the present but also for our future.

“I have spoken with the club, they know this situation very well and we are trying to find the right solution.”

Chelsea’s squad has reduced since securing the Premier League title after the departures of former captain John Terry, Nathan Ake and Nathaniel Chalobah while Diego Costa is set to join Atletico Madrid and Manchester United wants Nemanja Matic.

Pep’s record summer signing

Amongst the big four clubs in England, Manchester City boss, Pep Guardiola, has spent the most, this has raised the confidence level of the fans that the coming season will be an inevitable victorious one for the club.

Guardiola is on course to break Real Madrid’s £219.8m record for the most money spent in a single transfer window as his spending appetite is still on the high side.

Spending £211.65m, Bernardo Silva was reportedly bought from Monaco for£42.5m; Ederson came in from Benfica for £35m. Kyle Wakler was obtained from Tottenham for a fee worth £45m. Douglas Luiz also came in form Vasco Da Gama for a reported £10.2m. Danilo came in from Real Madrid costing £26.5m. Monaco’s Benjamin Mendy was signed for a record fee of £52m and the least arrival Eric Garcia cost £1.45m.

Mendy’s arrival at Etihad stadium brings Guardiola’s total spending close to One Billion Euros (€1billion) and spending over £400m of Sheikh Mansour’s hard earned money and even at that, City are ready to compete with Real Madrid for the signature of Monaco wonderkid Kylian Mbappe who is worth a world-record £161 million.

Again, not leaving out Liverpool who are making their way back into the Champions League since 2013. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp plans a mega summer spending on Merseyside to strengthen his squad ahead of the new season.

What will these spending mean to City, United, Arsenal and Chelsea?

There is almost certain that each of the big four sides will outspend what they spent last summer.

In the last summer transfer market, the likes of: Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea spent an estimated £554.91m in the last summer and have spent a cumulative total of £487.15m with the market set to close in August.

Notably, Man City and Chelsea have spent more than they did last summer. Arsenal and Man United have however spent more than half of what they spent last summer and all big four still have their eyes in the market.

City have the most expensive defence in football history with Mendy completing a £49.4million move to the Etihad Stadium to leave the club with four of the five most costly defenders ever bought.

The France left back’s arrival from Monaco takes City’s summer spending to a staggering £217million with more business still to do and means Pep has spent almost £130million on three full-backs in only 10 days.

The ex-Barcelona manager looks to be paying more attention on backline with latest reinforcements to the Citizens’ defence. The most expensive summer of the nine seasons Guardiola has spent as a coach, this current summer is the one in which he has spent the most money as he looks to start from scratch with City.

With all the big money spent so far with more to come before the deadline of the transfer market, its expected the English Premier League will be on rampage come next season as fans full with high enthusiasm and hopeful the teams prove their worth not only in the Premier League, but also take their top place in the Uefa Champions League where Spanish clubs have dominated for over five years.

 

Anthony Nlebem & Hezron Atunde