Premier League spending at £80m as deadline day begins

At the start of the final day of this January’s window, analysis by the Sports Business Group at Deloitte shows Premier League clubs have spent around £80m acquiring new players. This is slightly lower than the £95m seen at the same time last year.

Dan Jones, Partner in the Sports Business Group at Deloitte, commented: “As we enter the final day of this year’s transfer window, Premier League clubs’ gross spending currently stands at £80m.”

“While the summer window saw a record level of transfer spending, so far we have seen spending in January being slightly more reserved. However, 2014/15 is still a record season for Premier League spending, with clubs having spent over £900m, significantly ahead of the previous record of £760m.”

“This level of spending has been made possible in large part through the broadcast revenue Premier League clubs enjoy. With all 20 Premier League clubs now ranked in the top 40 globally by revenue, we continue to see them use their increased resources to invest in playing talent in the January window.”

The Sports Business Group will release its full analysis of the January 2014 transfer window on Tuesday 3rd February 2015.

End

Notes to editors

Basis of preparation
The Sports Business Group at Deloitte has published their analysis of transfer spending following the close of every transfer window since 2003. Each year the Sports Business Group at Deloitte also release the Deloitte Football Money League and Deloitte Annual Review of Football Finance.

The information on player transfers is based on publicly available information in respect of the acquisition of players’ registrations by clubs, including from www.bbc.co.uk and www.premierleague.com, and further analysis carried out by the Sports Business Group at Deloitte. The information is based on reported transfers as at 08:00 on 02 February 2015, following the close of the January transfer window at 23:00 on 02 February 2015.  Further commentary about the transfer market is included in the Deloitte Annual Review of Football Finance. The figures contained in this release will not necessarily be the same as the cost of acquiring players’ registrations as recognised in the financial statements of each club. Under accounting requirements, the cost of acquiring a player’s registration includes the transfer fee payable (including any probable contingent amounts), plus other direct costs such as transfer fee levy and fees to agents.

About the Sports Business Group at Deloitte
Over the last 20 years Deloitte has developed a unique focus on the business of sport. Our specialist Sports Business Group offers a multi-disciplined expert service with dedicated people and skills capable of adding significant value to the business of sport. Whether it is benchmarking or strategic business reviews, operational turnarounds, revenue enhancement strategies or stadium/venue development plans, business planning, market and demand analysis, acquisitions, due diligence, expert witness, audits or tax planning; we have worked with more clubs, leagues, governing bodies, stadia developers, event organisers, commercial partners, financiers and investors than any other adviser.

For further information on our services you can access our website at www.deloitte.co.uk/sportsbusinessgroup

About Deloitte
In this press release references to Deloitte are references to Deloitte LLP, which is among the country's leading professional services firms.

Deloitte LLP is the United Kingdom member firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (“DTTL”), a UK private company limited by guarantee, whose member firms are legally separate and independent entities. Please see www.deloitte.co.uk/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of DTTL and its member firms.

The information contained in this press release is correct at the time of going to press.

Member of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited.