The 2024/25 summer transfer window has officially closed, with Premier League clubs making significant moves to bolster their squads.
Although the total spending came close to last year’s record-breaking £2 billion, the final outlay still stood at an impressive £1.9 billion as the deadline passed on August 30.
However, a significant change this year is reflected in the net spending figures across the league.
While net spending across the Premier League last summer was at minus £1.05 billion, this year it has decreased to £610 million—just over half of last year’s figure. These numbers remain substantially higher than spending in rival leagues across Europe. Even the Saudi Pro League was considerably less active this transfer window, except for Ivan Toney’s high-profile deadline-day move to Al-Ahli. This more cautious spending comes in the wake of the first season in which the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules began to take effect.
Chelsea continued to dominate headlines with their trademark aggressive approach in the transfer market. The Blues signed several players, including Tosin Adarabioyo (Fulham), Omari Kellyman (Aston Villa), Marc Guiu (Barcelona), Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Leicester), Renato Veiga (Basel), Filip Jorgensen (Villarreal), Caleb Wiley (Atlanta), Aaron Anselmino (Boca Juniors), Pedro Neto (Wolves), and Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid). Unsurprisingly, Chelsea was the only club to surpass £200 million in spending by the end of deadline day. However, they managed to balance their books with a series of sales, leading to a net spend differential that is only the sixth highest in the league.
Brighton & Hove Albion, traditionally a selling club, topped the net spend charts this summer. After years of selling key stars like Moises Caicedo, Alexis Mac Allister, and Ben White for substantial fees, Brighton finally invested heavily in their squad. Meanwhile, newly promoted Ipswich Town and Southampton each spent around £100 million as they looked to strengthen their squads ahead of their return to the Premier League.
Conversely, Manchester City and Liverpool, the two dominant forces in English football over the past decade, recorded the lowest expenditure figures this window. Arsenal, another major contender, spent even less than newly promoted Ipswich and Southampton. This trend highlights the benefits of having well-established, high-quality squads, especially when the market is less buoyant. Even with Arne Slot stepping in as Jurgen Klopp’s successor at Liverpool, both clubs demonstrated the advantages of stability and strategic spending.
Overall, the Premier League remains the financial powerhouse of world football. However, the spending patterns this window suggest a more cautious and calculated approach as clubs navigate new financial regulations and evolving market dynamics.
2024 Summer Transfer Window Spending Breakdown by Club
Below is a breakdown of how much each Premier League club spent during the 2024 summer transfer window:
Club Spending
Chelsea £219.8m
Brighton £194.7m
Ipswich £106.5m
Man United £180.7m
West Ham £121.6m
Tottenham £125.4m
Southampton £98.6m
Leicester £73.1m
Bournemouth £87.9m
Aston Villa £148.4m
Arsenal £91.7m
Brentford £82.5m
Fulham £77.1m
N/Forest £93.95m
Liverpool £35.4m
Newcastle £57.4m
Crystal Palace £65.5m
Wolves £62.7m
Everton £42.3m
Man City £21.1m
Total Spending £1.9bn
