England has accounted for the highest spending in the recently closed international transfer window during the summer. According to a recent FIFA Transfer Window Analysis report which x-rayed the Big 5 leagues, England was the biggest spender this summer with an outlay of USD 1.40 billion.
This report is a summary of the activity in the International Transfer Matching System (ITMS) during the summer 2017 registration period, with a focus on the official international transfer figures for the Big 5 countries (England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain).
Between 1 June and 1 September 2017, 7,590 international transfers were completed worldwide. Global spending reached USD4.71 billion, meaning clubs spent almost as much during those three months as they had in the whole of 2016 (USD 4.79 billion). Once again, clubs from the Big 5 took centre stage, completing 21.2 per cent of the total incoming transfers and spending 77.9 per cent of the total global spend.
According to the world football governing body, Big 5 countries recorded a total of 1,608 incoming transfers (+6.2 per cent) and USD 3.67 billion spent (+31.7 per cent) this summer, representing new record highs for the period. Spending by the Big 5 this summer was almost three times what it was in the same period in 2012 (USD 1.24 billion).
The steady increase in the number of transfers can be attributed to the expanding number of clubs active in the international transfer market. The increase in spending appears to be a consequence of two concurrent factors. First, the increasing number of clubs that spend money on transfer fees. Second, the increase in average expenditure by these clubs, which has grown from USD 14.5 million five years ago to USD 21.4 million this summer.
At country level, England was the world‘s biggest spender this summer with an outlay of USD 1.40 billion, more than double that of any other country.
Spain was the country with the highest level of receipts (USD 752.3 million), which also made it the only one of the Big 5 that ended the summer with a positive net balance.
France recorded the largest increase worldwide in international transfer spending during the period, with its clubs spending USD 604.1 million on engaging players from abroad. This was a 250 per cent increase compared to last summer and 191 per cent more than the annual total in 2016.
The report also includes detailed information at country level including transfer types, origin and destination of transfers, the nationality and average age of the players involved, and historical comparisons for both the number of international transfers and transfer spending for the Big 5 countries over the last five summer registration periods.
See full report here
