Premier League clubs spent approximately £370 million ($459m) in this past transfer window, with Manchester City paying out £180million ($223m), nearly as much as the other 19-top flight teams.
According to Football Transfers and the BBC, City’s spending became the second-highest in a winter window, with Chelsea’s record still standing at £275million ($341m) in 2023.
Spending has increased with respect to the £100million ($124m) that the Premier League clubs disbursed a year ago, yet it is far from the £815million ($1bn) record that was set in 2023.
Not since the summer of 2017 when City spent £225million ($279m), had the club paid as much in a given window.
City made big splashes in a bid to spark their season into life after a dismal first half of the campaign.
Pep Guardiola’s side has brought in Eintracht Frankfurt’s Omar Marmoush in a £59million transfer, followed by Palmeiras’ Vitor Reis for £29.6million and Lens’ Abdukodir Khusanov for £33.6million.
Before Monday’s deadline, City secured the arrival of FC Porto’s Nico González by splashing out £50million, equivalent to the player’s release clause.
Unlike the Premier League, it was a quiet window for LaLiga, with only €25.13million ($26m) spent, according to Transfermarkt.
Real Betis made the biggest signing in LaLiga on deadline day by acquiring Colombian striker “Cucho” Hernández from MLS side Columbus Crew in a €13million transfer.
Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid were among the Spanish clubs that did not bring in any reinforcements in this transfer window.
LaLiga’s strict Financial Fair Play rules and the inability to compete with Premier League clubs are among the reasons for the Spanish clubs opting for austerity.
