Premier League transfer spend smashes €1bn

English Premier League teams boosted spending on new players by 30% to £835m (€1.047bn) as clubs in soccer’s richest competition benefited from higher television revenues, according to accountants Deloitte LLP.

European soccer’s summer transfer window ended on Monday night, with Manchester United setting a record with about £150m (€188m) of net spending on players, including Real Madrid’s Angel di Maria and a loan deal for Monaco’s Radamel Falcao. Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool paid £342m (€428m) to get players in preparation for domestic games and the Champions League, Europe’s elite club competition.

“In a summer where the world’s best players were on show at the World Cup, we have again seen how Premier League clubs are able to successfully compete on a global stage in terms of attracting talent,” Dan Jones, partner in Deloitte’s Sports Business Group, said.