SOCCER
How much has each league spent on transfers? Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A...
Some say it was a relatively quiet summer window but when you break down the moves it’s clear that there’s still plenty splashing going on.
Long before the transfer window closed, there was no doubt that the English Premier League would dominate the market. It spent the most on transfers (over $2.56 billion), earned the most from sales (around $1.67 billion), and had the highest net spending ($902 million more on signings than sales). This is no surprise, as English football has been the financial powerhouse of the global football economy for over 20 years. You have to go back to the 2001/2002 season to find another league topping these rankings: Italy’s Serie A. Spain’s La Liga has also been a significant player in the transfer market, but the last time it topped the spending was in the previous century: in 1997/1998, then known as the ‘league of stars’, it spent the most on new signings.
Premier League and Serie A top $1 billion on transfers
However, this summer, LaLiga can boast of increasing its spending compared to last season, although it ranks fifth in terms of investment in new players, far behind the Premier League and Serie A. Nonetheless, it has gained a position from the previous season due to the decline of the Saudi Arabian league, which hasn’t repeated last season’s spending spree, even though the Saudi market remains open until Monday, so this could change. The drop in spending is significant, with nearly $999 million last summer shrinking to $285 million.
What remains evident is the disparity between leagues. The Premier League’s over $2.56 billion is more than double that of the second-placed Serie A. Third is France’s Ligue 1, with just over $782 million, while the Bundesliga ($662 million) and Spain’s La Liga ($617 million) are fourth and fifth, respectively, with the Saudi league sixth with that $285 million.
Another curious detail is the strength of English football, as even its second division, the Championship, outpaces the top leagues of Brazil, Portugal, and Turkey in investment. These are the figures at the close of the transfer window, according to Transfermarkt.
Summer spending:
- Premier League (England): €2,310,000 million ($2,563,100 million)
- Serie A (Italy): €1 billion ($1,110 million)
- Ligue 1 (France): €705.55 million ($782.17 million)
- Bundesliga (Germany): €596.48 million ($662.30 million)
- LaLiga (Spain): €554.49 million ($616.51 million)
- Saudi Pro League (Saudi Arabia): €255.85 million ($284.99 million)
- Championship (2nd England): €236.30 million ($262.60 million)
- Serie A Championship (Brazil): €160.85 million ($178.75 million)
- Portugal League: €144.35 million ($160.23 million)
- Liga MX (Mexico): €119.31 million ($132.32 million)
The closing of the transfer windows across Europe’s major leagues means there are now some players who remain without a club. These players are frequently seasoned veterans or individuals whose careers have taken a downturn. After reaching the end of their contracts, they either didn’t receive any suitable offers or chose not to pursue the ones that came their way. Find out who the most prominent free agents are.