International Transfer Spending Hits Record High

The global record for transfer spending in a single window has been broken this summer.

The previous high was set in 2019 when clubs spent a collective £6.51bn, but this summer £6.56bn has been spent worldwide, according to Transfermarkt.

Premier League outlay has reached £2.1bn, rendering it the highest-spending division by far.

The window remains open, and Premier League teams can make signings until 23:00 BST on 1 September.

Total spending in Saudi Arabia is currently at £728m, putting the Saudi Pro League second on this summer’s list, ahead of the £682m Italy’s Serie A clubs have parted with.

German Bundesliga clubs have spent £598m so far, with France’s Ligue 1 at £594m and Spain’s La Liga at £342m.

Saudi Arabia’s wealthy Public Investment Fund took control of four of the nation’s top teams – Al-Ittihad, Al-Nassr, Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli – earlier this year, while big money transfers have also been made involving the gulf state’s other top flight sides.

Neymar, Allan Saint-Maximin and Jordan Henderson are among the players who have moved to Saudi Arabia on lucrative contracts.

The British transfer record was broken earlier in August when Chelsea secured a deal worth up to £115m for Brighton’s Ecuadorian midfielder Moises Caicedo.