English clubs spend a record $4 billion in transfer window

AP

London, Sept. 3: Liverpool saved the biggest transfer until last in its remarkable $570 million summer spree, finally signing Alexander Isak from Newcastle for a British-record fee as the window closed on Monday with spending by Premier League clubs soaring beyond $4 billion.

The biggest saga of Europe's summer transfer window ended with Isak completing his dream move to the English champion for 125 million pounds ($170 million), with the deal announced in the final throes of a chaotic deadline day.

"I feel amazing. It's been a long journey to get here," said Isak, who effectively went on strike at Saudi-controlled Newcastle over the summer as he agitated for a move to Anfield.

On the back of winning the Premier League for a record-tying 20th time, Liverpool has aggressively overhauled its squad and blown its rivals out of the water, spending more than any other team in Europe. Germany playmaker Florian Wirtz and young French striker Hugo Ekitike have also joined in deals worth more than $100 million.

One transfer Liverpool failed to get over the line, however, was for England defender Marc Guehi, who will stay at Crystal Palace for the final year of his contract because the London team couldn't secure a replacement.

England flexes financial muscles

English soccer has unrivalled spending power owing to its huge domestic and international broadcasting deals and its top-flight clubs have demonstrated their financial might this summer. They've smashed the previous single-window record spend of 2.36 billion pounds (now $3.2 billion) in 2023 by splashing out around 3 billion pounds ($4.15 billion) over the past few months.

The 20 Premier League teams spent more than those in the top leagues in Spain ($800 million), Italy ($1.4 billion), France ($750 million) and Germany ($1 billion) combined, according to expenditure figures on the Transfermarkt website.

Arsenal was second to Liverpool with its summer outlay of more than $300 million on players such as Eberechi Eze, Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi. The club's eighth and likely final signing of the window was a loan deal for Ecuador defender Piero Hincapie from beleaguered Bayer Leverkusen on Monday.

Flush with cash from the Isak transfer, Newcastle signed Yoane Wissa from Brentford for a reported 55 million pounds ($75 million) as a second striker addition along with Nick Woltemade, who joined for a club-record fee on Saturday.

Other highlights on Monday included Tottenham signing France striker Randal Kolo Muani on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, while Aston Villa was very active in signing midfielder Harvey Elliot on loan from Liverpool, winger Jadon Sancho on loan from Manchester United and former United center back Victor Lindelof on a free transfer.

United continued trimming its squad by offloading Antony to Real Betis on a permanent deal and Rasmus Hojlund to Napoli on loan, while signing Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp in a bid to fix its issues in that department.

Manchester City signed Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain after selling long-time goalkeeper Ederson Moraes to Fenerbahce on Tuesday, in a switch that seems at odds with the playing approach by the once-dominant Premier League team.

Donnarumma — one of the world's best shot-stoppers — was a key figure in PSG’s run to the Champions League title last season but was deemed surplus to requirements at the French club following the signing of Lucas Chevalier from Lille last month.

Brazil goalkeeper Ederson has left City after eight years to join Turkish club Fenerbahce.

Ederson won 18 trophies at City after joining from Benfica in 2017, and helped to revolutionize the goalkeeper position with his ability to play the ball out from the back and pick out attackers with long passes.

The move to Fenerbahce was announced Tuesday, hours after European soccer's summer transfer window shut in England. It is still open in Turkey.

Most Premier League clubs were in the market for players on deadline day in what has been one of the most chaotic transfer windows in history.

Jackson to Bayern

In Germany, Bayern Munich succeeded in signing Senegal forward Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea after an on-off transfer saga.

Jackson arrived in what both clubs described as a season-long loan, giving Bayern backup for Harry Kane and a wider range of tactical options in attack.

Earlier in the window, Bayern signed winger Luis Díaz from Liverpool and defender Jonathan Tah arrived on a free transfer from Bayer Leverkusen, the 2023-24 Bundesliga champion where a summer of upheaval saw the exits of other star players including Wirtz and Granit Xhaka as well as — on Monday — the firing of coach Erik ten Hag.

Marseille signs Pavard

Marseille pulled off the biggest move of deadline day in France by signing 2018 World Cup winner Benjamin Pavard. The defender joined on a loan from Inter Milan. According to L'Equipe newspaper, the deal includes a purchase option set at 15 million euros.

In its search for defensive reinforcements, Marseille also signed Italy left back Emerson Palmieri from West Ham.

Vardy moves to Italy

Jamie Vardy is moving to Italy after 13 seasons with Leicester that included an improbable Premier League title in 2016. The 38-year-old English striker signed with promoted Serie A club Cremonese on Tuesday. The club said Vardy had signed until the end of next June with a renewal option. Likewise, Manchester City's versatile defender Manuel Akanji moved to Italy's Inter Milan on loan.

Inter announced the move on Tuesday, saying that the deal includes an option for a permanent signing, “which will become an obligation if certain conditions are met.”

The 30-year-old Akanji was a favorite of Pep Guardiola’s when City won a treble in 2023 but was part of a clear-out as the English club has recruited younger players recently.