10 biggest spenders in the summer transfer window so far
European clubs have been splashing the cash in the transfer market in recent times, withsuperpower clubs from the top European leagues competing with each other to reach new levels of expediture. Sam Allardyce, then the manager of West Ham United, once came up with this piece of dogmatism Where you actually finish in the league depends on the money youve spent...Its a statistical fact, that.While this might not be completely true, there is a sad bit of reality in the statement. Consider this list of the sixhighest spending clubs in the last fivetransfer windows 1. PSG 294 million2. Manchester United 207 million3. Barcelona 194 million4. Chelsea 172 million5. Real Madrid 158 million6. Manchester City 134 millionQuitea quantumleap from the first three-digit transfer fee in 1893, when Scottish forward Willie Groves moved from West Bromwich Albion to Aston Villa for125which created a fair bit of sensation back in the day.PSG have seen a meteoric rise in their European stock in the last couple of years, and the other four clubs in the list have been the most consistent top-of-the-table teams in the recent past. Manchester Uniteds presence at 2ndspot is a bit of an anomaly, but then these are some of the most trying times seen at that prestigous old club.As a Pink Floyd song goes, Money, its a gas/ Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash/ New car, caviar, four star daydream/ Think Ill buy me a football team.With 10 days remaining in the ongoing transfer window, this is a look at the 10 clubs which have been the most spendthrift this summer.
#1 Barcelona - 153 million
It has been a busy summer in Catalonia. With Puyol retiring and Victor Valdes’s contract having run out, and Alexis Sanchez and Cesc Fabregas’s transfers to London, Barcelona have thought it prudent to break through the roof with spendings.
Their most expensive buy has been a forward – the biggest transfer of this summer, Luis Suarez (€81 million) from Liverpool. Ivan Rakitic (€18 million from Sevilla) and Thomas Vermaelen (€19 million from Arsenal) have been brought in as replacements in the midfield and defence. Valencia’s left back Jeremy Mathieu’s (€20 million) arrival suggests the focus has been on shoring up the defence, which looked fragile on occasion in the last two years.
Young German goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen (€12 million from Borussia Mönchengladbach) has been brought to compete with World Cup star Claudio Bravo (€12 million from Real Sociedad) for the no 1 goalkeeper’s position.