A "big summer" is being threatened by Liverpool, and Arsenal will have to spend more than £200 million to make the final transition from runners-up to champions. With Florian Wirtz alone expected to cost over £100 million, it appears like Liverpool is well on their way.
10. Manchester City: £210 million [summer 2017–18]
As Pep Guardiola truly put his stamp on a team that finished third the previous season but went on to win six of the next seven Premier League titles, this summer saw the arrival of Bernardo Silva and Ederson in addition to the £50 million full-backs. After assembling the core of a dominant team, City would never again have to spend so much in a single summer.
With their £180 million expenditure, which is around half of what Premier League clubs had spent, they did come close to challenging that amount in January 2025 after their November and December results bordered on relegation form. Oh no.
9. Real Madrid: £218m [summer 2009/10]
Furthermore, £218 million was a huge sum of money at that time. But when you bring in Xabi Alonso, Kaka, Karim Benzema, and Cristiano Ronaldo in one summer, that's what happens. The best part of the story? Nevertheless, they took second place.
8. Juventus: £223m [summer 2018/19]
Even in 2025, it's hard to believe that seven years ago, an Italian team was spending more than any other club in the world. However, Juventus paid a hefty price to sign Ronaldo during a summer when Leonardo Bonucci and Joao Cancelo also arrived, and the Old Lady was determined to win a Champions League trophy that never materialized.
7. Barcelona: £235m [summer 2019/20]
We wonder how much the club regrets spending such astronomical money on Frenkie de Jong, but especially on Antoine Griezmann, after they had their worst season in years and went trophyless for the first time in over a decade. That summer, their third-most costly acquisition? Naturally, Neto.
6. Chelsea: £254m [summer 2022/23]
Wesley Fofana, Raheem Sterling, Marc Cucurella, and Kalidou Koulibaly were all purchased by the new owners for almost unconscionable sums of money, ushering in the era of Chelsea banter. Only one of the players signed that summer is a fixture in Chelsea's first team less than three years later.
5. Chelsea: £278m [winter 2022/23]
Enzo Fernandez, who was joined by Mykhailo Mudryk, Noni Madueke, Malo Gusto, and other more, was given almost £100 million in January since it seemed obvious that everything was going so well (it wasn't). By this time, nothing made any sense at all, but Chelsea would buy it if it moved.
4. Real Madrid: £279m [summer 2019/20]
Although Eden Hazard garnered the most attention, Eder Militao, Luke Jovic, Ferland Mendy, and Rodrygo all received hefty sums of money, with differing degrees of success. Only two of the names were important in their 2022 Champions League victory.
3. Paris Saint German: £295m [summer 2023/24]
Although Randal Kolo Muani and Manuel Ugarte in particular were overspent, they won't regret the money spent on Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola, and Lucas Hernandez less than two years after that expenditure.
2. Al-Hilal: £298m [summer 2023/24]
Al-Hilal quickly won the Saudi Pro League after bringing in Neymar, Aleksandar Mitrović, Ruben Neves, Sergej Milinković-Savić, Malcom, Kalidou Koulibaly, and others during the Saudi summer. Because they sodded, of course.
1. Chelsea: £391m [summer 2023/24]
Chelsea have destroyed the previous record for the most money spent during a transfer window. Nobody is expected to surpass this amount, and most likely surpass £400 million, in the upcoming ten years. 11 players, including Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia, Cole Palmer, Axel Disasi, Nicolas Jackson, and Christopher Nkunku, were expected to arrive for more than £10 million, and six for more than £30 million. That probably Conference League trophy has cost a fortune.
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