Saudi Pro League transfer spending ranks 2nd in world | EPL smashes new records

Transfer spending and activity across men's and women's football around the world has smashed new records, according to a FIFA report.

Men's football clubs across the globe splashed a record-breaking $7.36bn on transfers in the summer transfer window (between June 1 and September 1), which represents a 47-per-cent jump from the mid-year window in 2022.

Transfer spending in women's football more than doubled over the same period - reaching a new, mid-year record of $3.0m. The number of transfers also increased for the sixth year running, with a record-breaking 829 (+19.1 per cent on previous period) moves - of which 66 (+83.3 per cent) were for fees.

In the men's game, England topped the list during the window with $1.98bn spent on transfer fees, while also signing (449) and selling (514) more players than any other country.

Saudi Pro League clubs made a splash in more ways than one, with their $875.4m summer splurge ranking second, ahead of the remaining 'big five' European leagues: France ($859.7m), Germany ($762.4m), Italy ($711.0m) and Spain ($405.6m).

As a result, clubs from the AFC region accounted for 14.0 per cent of global transfer spending - the first time teams from a confederation other than UEFA have surpassed a 10-per-cent share of the total.

Germany recorded $1.11bn profit from their transfer business - the first time clubs from a single association have received more than $1bn in the mid-year transfer window.

Agent fees also reached a new, all-time high, with $696.6m paid during the period, bringing the total for 2023 to date to $853.0m, which is 36.9 per cent higher than in the whole of 2022 and more than in any other year.

Saudi's spend in the transfer window, which closed on September 7, exceeded the spending