The level of spending has never been higher in the Premier League than it is now. New and improved commercial deals have meant the funds available to top-flight clubs are allowing clubs to really push the limit.
Some clubs are struggling to work within the regulations of Financial Fair Play, with the likes of Everton and Nottingham Forest the latest to be propelled into the spotlight by the governing bodies.
But last summer alone, Premier League clubs spent a staggering £2.36bn across the board, dwarfing the summer of 2022 spending which still came in at £1.92bn.
Amid the winter market, Football FanCast has taken a look at just how much each of the current Premier League sides have spent in the Premier League era.
20 Luton Town £31m
Premier League new boys Luton Town will have their first taste of top-flight revenue coming into the club following their play-off win last season, but their overall spend since the Premier League’s conception in 1992 comes in at a mere £31m.
In comparison to some of the more established Premier League sides, this seems a minute figure, with only four other former Premier League clubs spending less in the same period.
Although this figure may seem crazy to some, it has to be remembered that just ten years ago, the Hatters were playing in the Conference before making an astonishing climb up the English pyramid to earn a spot in the Premier League.
Luton spent £19.5m of that £31m overall in the summer following their promotion, and if they can stay afloat, perhaps they will be able to consider spending more significantly in the coming summer transfer window.
19 Brentford £209m
Brentford now have a few seasons of Premier League football under their belt, although they are not finding it so straightforward this season.
The difference between Luton and Brentford’s spending, however, is staggering. The Bees’ spending has risen year-on-year since their promotion to the top flight, with last summer their biggest ever spend at a total of around £60m being spent on players.
Similarly to Luton, Brentford have enjoyed a stunning rise through the leagues over the last decade to earn themselves a spot in the Premier League. Big funds in the future could be generated through the potential sale of Ivan Toney, which could leave further room for the Bees to spend on new players.
18 Sheffield United £250m
Returning to the Premier League in the 2023/24 campaign for the fourth time since its conception, the Blades have managed to still spend a decent amount of money considering their journey between the leagues over the last decade.
During their spells in the Premier League, Sheffield United have not been fearful of splashing the cash, with the 2019/20 campaign seeing the Blades spend £61.7m alone.
Their club record signing, Rhian Brewster, almost matches Luton’s overall spend, with the former Liverpool striker costing the Blades around £24m.
17 Burnley £365m
Much like the Blades, Burnley have spent a number of seasons over the last 15 years bouncing between the Premier League and the Championship.
But there is a huge difference in their transfer spending since the 1992/93 campaign, with the Clarets spending a further £115m on the South Yorkshire side.
And the recent summer window saw Vincent Kompany handed a lot of reinforcements, with the Lancashire side spending around £95m across their ten new signings.
16 Nottingham Forest £428m
Having returned to the Premier League in 2022, Nottingham Forest have certainly not held back in their spending across the three full transfer windows they have experienced as a top flight side.
Indeed, since their promotion in 2022, Forest have spent around £272m under Greek owner Evangelos Marinakis. They even broke the record for the most arrivals in a summer window with their 21 signings in 2022.
However, it seems they may have landed themselves in a spot of bother as they have since been charged with breaking the profit and sustainability regulations; they have now been referred to an independent commission.
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ByMark MarstonFeb 2, 2024 15 Bournemouth £440m
Bournemouth are another club who have been between leagues over the last decade, however, they have been able to spend seven of the last nine campaigns in the Premier League.
And that has allowed them to splash the cash – relatively speaking. The most recent summer transfer window was the Cherries’ biggest spend yet with nearly £110m spent.
Results have now begun to flow under Andoni Iraola and Bournemouth look in a strong position to maintain their spot in the top flight for another campaign, so expect this figure to rise.
14 Brighton & Hove Albion £463m
The impressive stories continue with Brighton & Hove Albion, whose rise to Premier League prominence has been nothing short of incredible.
Roberto De Zerbi has led the Seagulls to European football, and it has to be said that they have become the powerhouses they are now through smart recruitment.
Unlike some of the sides who proceed them on this list, the Seagulls have not had a season where they have spent more than £85m – which came in the latest summer window.
13 Crystal Palace £467m
Narrowly pipping their A23 rivals, Crystal Palace have now spent the last 11 seasons in the Premier League, which has allowed them to spend as an established top-flight side.
However, this has not necessarily been the case over recent years, with a total spend of just £35m spent between 2018 and 2021.
Perhaps the Eagles can be praised for that, with a number of clubs in and around them in the league now being hit with violations of the financial regulations and they have been able to maintain their Premier League status despite their spending not being excessive in recent seasons.
12 Fulham £612m
Fulham may have not been as consistent a Premier League side over the last decade as the likes of Crystal Palace. However, they have spent significantly more than their London rivals, having first made the Premier League in 2001.
With Shahid Khan as their owner, the Cottagers certainly have the financial backing to compete with most of the other teams in the Premier League.
Despite this, they will naturally fall short in terms of their revenue stream not being able to match the bigger sides who, therefore, have an advantage with the Financial Fair Play regulations.
11 Wolverhampton Wanderers £732m
Although Wolves fell down the leagues to hit League One in 2013, they have been a Premier League side since their promotion in 2018.
And they have definitely spent like an established Premier League side in recent windows, with the arrivals of the likes of Matheus Cunha and Matheus Nunes both in excess of £38m.
Under Gary O’Neil, Wolves are showing no signs of being anything other than being a top-flight side, which should suggest the spending will not come to an end any time soon.