Premier League summer transfer spending sets £870m record

Transfer spending by Premier League clubs in the summer has set a new record of £870m (€1.2bn), according to industry experts. Clubs spent about £80m on transfer deadline day on 1 September, taking the total outlay past the £835m spent in last year's summer transfer window.

Alex Thorpe of the business group Deloitte said spending was fuelled by increased revenues driven mainly by higher domestic and overseas broadcast agreements. "This summer has seen another record level of transfer spending, as Premier League clubs continue to use increases in their revenue to invest in playing talent," he was quoted as saying by the BBC.

"Total spending in 2015, across both the January and summer windows, is also a new record, reaching the £1bn mark for the first time."

Manchester City's signing of Wolfsburg midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, for a club record fee of £55m according to the BBC, was the biggest domestic deal this transfer window. Manchester United completed a £36m move for 19-year-old Monaco forward Anthony Martial on deadline day, making him the world's most expensive teenager.

In February, Sky and BT agreed to pay £5.1bn for the UK rights to broadcast live Premier League matches - a 70% improvement on the previous rights packages.

"Looking across Europe, Premier League clubs' gross and net spending this summer is more than double that of any other European league," Thorpe said.