Premier League breaks transfer record for second straight summer

Premier League clubs have set a new summer transfer record after spending £3.198 billion, with English teams increasingly turning to one another for major deals.

This summer, 38% of transfers involving a fee moved players from one Premier League club to another, compared with 30% last year. The figure rises to 48% when transfers from lower levels of the English football pyramid are included.

Premier League clubs’ combined net spending remains above £1 billion, by far the highest in Europe. Bundesliga and Ligue 1 clubs, by contrast, have received more in transfer fees than they have spent.

Most of the major signings this month came from rival Premier League teams, apart from the French-based pair Bradley Barcola and Ayyoub Bouaddi. England internationals Morgan Rogers and Elliot Anderson moved within the league, while Newcastle sold Sandro Tonali to Tottenham and Bruno Guimarães to Arsenal. Manchester United signed Carlos Baleba from Brighton after a year-long pursuit, and Tottenham recruited Matheus Fernandes and Savio.

The shift toward domestic deals may reflect clubs’ preference for players already proven in the Premier League. Several expensive signings from last season, many from the Bundesliga, failed to meet expectations or justify their fees. Some transfers between Chelsea and Aston Villa may also have accounting considerations, while foreign clubs can demand higher prices when English teams, backed by rich television revenues, show interest.