Radamel Falcao’s loan move to Manchester United was the major deadline day signing as Premier League summer spending hit a record £835m.The Colombian striker’s £6m switch, Daley Blind’s £13.8m move to United and their sale of Danny Welbeck to Arsenal for £16m helped set the new landmark.
Overall deadline day spending was down £55m to £85m compared to 2013.
But earlier deals, such as United’s £59.7m British record signing of Angel Di Maria, contributed to the record.
Financial analysts Deloitte said Louis van Gaal’s near £150m spree was the highest gross transfer spend in a single window by any club.
On deadline day, most of the major transfers were announced after the 23:00 BST cut-off – with clubs given an hour’s grace to finish deals they had started.
Falcao’s surprise move was announced at 01:30 BST, 32 minutes after Welbeck’s move was confirmed. Manchester City revealed Alvaro Negredo had been sent on loan to Valenciaat 23:28 BST.
City also allowed England international Micah Richards to go on loan to Italian side Fiorentina, with United strikerJavier Hernandez going on loan to Real Madrid.
Hull were the busiest Premier League side on transfer deadline day, signing four players,including Palermo striker Abel Hernandez for a reported club-record £10m and Premier League trio Hatem Ben Arfa, Gaston Ramirez and Mo Diame.
Crystal Palace broke their club record to sign £7m Wigan midfielder James McArthur.
Premier League spending has been boosted by a £3bn television deal – 70% higher than the last contract – that is entering its second year.
The previous record of £630m – set last summer – was broken this year on 14 August, before a ball had been kicked in the Premier League.
Other key Premier League transfer window stats, provided by Deloitte, include:
- Clubs in the Champions League contributed 40% (342m) of the total spend.
- £530m went to clubs overseas. This was up from £490m last year but is down as a proportion of total spend from 78% to 63%.
- £60m was spent on Football League players.
- Premier League total spending is more than La Liga (£425m), Serie A (£260m) and Ligue 1 (£100m) combined. A total of £250m was spent in the Bundesliga.
Dan Jones, partner at Deloitte, said: “We continue to see the increased resources that Premier League clubs enjoy, as a result of improved broadcast deals, translate into investment in players.
“Last season the average Premier League club received over £25m more in central broadcast distributions than they did in 2012/13, which has helped fuel a new record spend this summer.”
Last season’s bottom side in the Premier League, Cardiff City, earned £62m in Premier League prize and TV money – more than the previous season’s champions Manchester United collected, according to stats published by Sporting Intelligence.
The top four sides last season all earned between £90m and £100m.
Three of the busiest clubs this summer did not sign players on deadline day.
Liverpool have spent £117m since the end of the season, Chelsea £91.3m, and Manchester City £50m.
Arsenal’s signing of Welbeck took their summer transfers to £82m. Southampton’s total was £74.9m, although they did sell£92m worth of players.
