Premier League clubs splurge 174 million pounds on agents' fees

Premier League

LONDON (Reuters) - Premier League clubs paid 174 million pounds ($215.43 million) to agents in the past two transfer windows with Chelsea and Manchester City the biggest spenders, the FA said on Friday.

Overall, England's clubs spent 220 million pounds on agents from Feb. 2 2016 to Jan. 31 2017, a rise of 38 percent.

Premier League clubs had splashed out 130 million pounds on agent fees in the corresponding year-earlier period.

City topped the agents pay league with 26.3 million pounds, followed by Chelsea (25.1 million), Manchester United (19 million), Liverpool (13.8 million) and Arsenal (10.2 million).

Despite being part of the Premier League's 'Big Six' clubs, Tottenham Hotspur only paid out 7.2 million, behind West Ham United (9.5 million).

English champions Leicester City spent 5.3 million, just over half the 10.4 million Newcastle United, currently in the Championship (second-tier), paid.

Premier League teams spent a record 1.38 billion pounds in total on transfers in the 2016-2017 season, a 43 percent increase on the previous year.

The FA were required to publish the information under a FIFA rule.

Of England's 92 leading clubs, only Hartlepool United did not pay anything to agents.

(Reporting by Neil Robinson; editing by Ken Ferris)