From Liverpool to Chelsea: How much money did the big-six of the Premier League spend this summer?
The months between July and September are arguably the most hectic ones for football clubs, given the hassle and tussle on the transfer window, but for the fans, this period is arguably the best and most anticipated one too!
The Premier League once again outmuscled all other rival leagues, to emerge as one of the most lucrative club competitions in the world, with Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham among clubs who were on a spending spree.
While Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City also added considerable strength to their already impressive rosters, Nottingham Forest emerged as the real winners, after signing a staggering 21 players for a combined sum of nearly £145.76m.
Without further ado, let’s dive deep and take an in-depth look at how money much the Premier League’s top six spent, and who bossed the summer transfer window in 2022.
#6 Liverpool
Among the Premier League’s top six, Liverpool had the quietest summer. They did make a blockbuster move for Benfica starlet Darwin Nunez, and despite all the talk about his red card, the Uruguyan may yet come to deliver on his initial promise.
In total, the Reds splashed £81.2m, with a majority of that figure for Nunez’s signature, but they also added depth in other positions with players such as Calvin Ramsay, Fabio Carvalho, and Arthur Melo (loan).
Jurgen Klopp’s side also recouped a huge sum of £72.6m by selling fringe players, and overall their net spend stands at -£8.64m. Impressive business, but will it be enough to stop the Man City juggernaut? Only time will tell.
#5 Arsenal
Gabriel Jesus has been in red-hot form since signing for Arsenal
The mood in Highbury couldn’t have been any better with Arsenal currently sitting at the top of the Premier League table with five wins from as many games. The Gunners signed Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Fabio Vieira, and Matt Turner for a combined sum of £118.86m.
While both ex-Man City recruits have hit the ground running, Vieira and Turner will add depth to the squad. Mikel Arteta’s side received £21.42m from player sales, and their wage bill has also been trimmed considerably. With a net spend of -£97.44m, it’s clear that the Kronke family have backed the Spaniard in hopes of better days ahead.
#4 Manchester City
Imagine signing the likes of Erling Haaland, Kalvin Phillips, Manuel Akanji, Stefan Ortega, and Sergio Gomez and still making a profit of +£18.36m. Pep Guardiola’s side will be clear favorites for the title once again, and they’ve aced another summer transfer window with an exceptional recruitment strategy.
Raheem Sterling, Zinchenko, Jesus, and Fernandinho all left the Etihad, helping recoup a sum of nearly £143.91. City’s policy of not overpaying for any player saw them pass on the chance of landing Marc Cucurella, but they still spent nearly £125.55m to flex their financial might.
#3 Tottenham
Antonio Conte will be hoping to challenge for the Premier League title this season, having been backed by Daniel Lewy to the hilt. Spurs splashed £152.91m during the summer window, with the signing of Richarlison, coming as a statement of intent.
They’ve added considerable firepower in other positions too, with the addition of Ivan Perisic, Yves Bissouma, Djed Spence, and Destiny Udogie to aid their UEFA Champions League return. There were plenty of departures as well, with deadwood being shed and it raked in £34.88m.
With a net spend of -£118m, it’s clear that Tottenham will be aiming for nothing less than a top-four finish while Conte would be expected to deliver a cup trophy to justify Lewy’s trust and support.
#2 Manchester United
Man United spent £82.2m on Antony, making him their 2nd-most expensive acquisition
The Erik Ten Hag revolution kicked off with a massive outlay of £214m on six incomings, with Antony’s record-breaking signing headlining the start of a new era. Big bucks were also spent on Casemiro and Lisandro Martinez while Christian Eriksen arrived for free. Tyrell Malacia also commanded a nominal fee with Martin Dubravka arriving on loan to compete with David de Gea in goal.
As far as the outgoings are concerned, the Reds could only bring in £10.35m, with plenty of personnel leaving upon the expiry of their contracts. Having a net spend of -£203.8m, Ten Hag becomes the latest gaffer to receive the backing of the management, what remains to be seen is whether he can bring back UEFA Champions League football to Old Trafford.
#1 Chelsea
The ban on Roman Abramovich meant that Chelsea had to play catch up with the rest of their Premier League rivals, but once Todd Boehly took over, he meant pure business.
Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly, Marc Cucurella, Wesley Fofana, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang were all signed before a deadline day loan move for Denis Zakaria was also completed. The Blues not only forked out £251.9m on arrivals but they also generated £49.32m from the departures of players who were deemed not fit for the long-term project.
With a net spend of -£201.77m, Chelsea tried to fill the void left behind by Marcos Alonso, Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen, Timo Werner, and Romelu Lukaku. Thomas Tuchel has his work cut out, trying to break the duopoly of Liverpool and Man City in recent years.