Chelsea retain interest in 27-year-old Barcelona midfield star.
Premier League teams spent more than £400 million (h/t BBC) on agents in the fiscal year ending February 2024, with Chelsea paying a record £75 million to player representation between February 1, 2023, and February 1, 2024.
Figures released by the Football Association show that Premier League clubs paid £409 million to intermediaries from 1 February 2023 to 1 February 2024, which includes the past two transfer windows.
Chelsea (£75.1 million) and Manchester City (£60.6 million) outspent their Premier League opponents, with Manchester United spending the third most (£34 million), accounting for less than half of Chelsea’s total. The numbers may potentially include deals engaged in by clubs prior to the commencement of the reporting period in February 2023.
It comes after Chelsea spent more than £1 billion on transfers and loan fees since Todd Boehly took over ownership of the club in the summer of 2022. Among the transactions, the signing of midfielder Moises Caicedo might cost a British record £115 million.
The eye-opening figures reveal a sharp rise year on year, with £318 million spent on agents by the League’s all 20 clubs between February 1, 2022, and February 1, 2023.
Chelsea were the biggest spenders, with their outlay covering 71 transactions. Overtaking the last year’s biggest spenders, Leeds United, who spent a total of £13 million across 35 transactions.
The spending spree in the world of football shows no signs of slowing down, with Liverpool leading the charge at an eye-watering £31.5 million spent on agent fees. Not far behind, Arsenal and Aston Villa join the ranks of big spenders, shelling out £24.7 million and £21.1 million respectively. Meanwhile, Tottenham and Newcastle United hover close behind, with expenditures of £19.7 million and £18.8 million.
However, amidst the glittering figures lies a shadow of scrutiny. Clubs find themselves under increasing pressure from supporters and regulatory bodies like the Premier League and the EFL, who closely monitor financial activities through the lens of profitability and sustainability guidelines (PSR). The specter of excessive expenditure looms large, prompting questions about fiscal responsibility and the long-term viability of the beautiful game.
The news of Everton incurring another two-point deduction for breaching the PSR’s financial loss guidelines casts a shadow over the club’s season. Just days later, the league’s decision to impose regulations capping club expenditure on player-related costs at 70% of income in European competition underscores the gravity of the situation.
Amidst these developments, the spotlight intensifies on manager Mauricio Pochettino, whose position appears increasingly precarious as the season approaches its climax. While the Blues’ journey to the Carabao Cup final offered a glimmer of hope, their struggles in the Premier League paint a stark reality—they lag far behind and face the grim prospect of missing out on European action once again next season.
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