Premier League teams once again dominated the global transfer market this summer, with Manchester City, Arsenal, and Liverpool recording the largest net losses in world football.
According to data from the CIES Football Observatory, Manchester City finished with the highest deficit at £314 million, narrowly surpassing Arsenal’s £311 million. Liverpool followed in third place with a £208 million shortfall.
Liverpool’s record-breaking transfer window was driven by big-money arrivals such as Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak. Arsenal also went on a heavy spending spree, investing £267 million in Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze, and Martin Zubimendi, which left Mikel Arteta’s squad with significant losses.
Manchester City’s summer rebuild under Pep Guardiola cost more than £460 million, but with just £94 million recouped from player sales, the club ended the window with the most negative balance worldwide.
Other Premier League sides also finished in the red. Manchester United and Tottenham added to the deficit list, while Sunderland’s surprising £143 million loss placed them among Europe’s biggest spenders.
By contrast, Chelsea managed to post a £25 million profit, despite spending £390 million. This was made possible through major player sales worth over £420 million.
Outside England, French clubs emerged as the biggest financial winners. Lens, Lyon, and Monaco all recorded profits of more than £80 million, reinforcing Ligue 1’s reputation as a selling league. In the Premier League, Aston Villa led the profit-makers with £73 million after several high-profile sales.
Overall, global transfer spending hit a record £12.1 billion, underlining the widening gap between football’s wealthiest clubs and those forced to sell in order to survive.
