Let’s take a look at some of the biggest single-window spending sprees in football history. From Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City rebuild to Chelsea’s jaw-dropping 2023 summer, these clubs didn’t hesitate to splash the cash.
10. Manchester City – £210 million (Summer 2017/18)
This was the summer when Pep Guardiola truly stamped his authority on Manchester City. The club had finished third in the previous season, and Guardiola was determined to build a side capable of dominating English football.
In came Bernardo Silva and Ederson, alongside two £50 million full-backs in Benjamin Mendy and Kyle Walker. It was a bold investment but one that paid off.
The club went on to win six of the next seven Premier League titles. That summer laid the foundation for a dynasty.
Interestingly, in January 2025, City came close to matching that record again, spending over £180 million during a slump in form that saw them flirting with relegation form in November and December.
9. Real Madrid – £218 million (Summer 2009/10)
Back in 2009, £218 million was a staggering figure, even for a club like Real Madrid. But this wasn’t any ordinary spending spree, it was one of the most iconic.
Madrid brought in Xabi Alonso, Kaká, Karim Benzema, and Cristiano Ronaldo all in the same window. It's rare to see such talent arrive at one club in one go. The only downside? They still finished second that season.
8. Juventus – £223 million (Summer 2018/19)
In what still feels surreal even in 2025, an Italian club topped the global spending charts just a few years ago.
Juventus made a massive statement by signing Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid. That deal alone made headlines across the globe.
But that wasn’t all João Cancelo and Leonardo Bonucci also came in that summer. The goal was clear: win the Champions League.
Unfortunately for the Old Lady, that dream never materialized, despite the heavy investment.
7. Barcelona – £235 million (Summer 2019/20)
Barcelona had a nightmare summer in 2019. They spent massive sums on Frenkie de Jong and Antoine Griezmann, with Griezmann proving to be especially underwhelming. To top it off, their third-most expensive signing was goalkeeper Neto.
That season turned out to be one of their worst in over a decade, as the club went trophyless. Considering the financial burden of these signings, it’s fair to say Barcelona would love a do-over.
6. Chelsea – £254 million (Summer 2022/23)
With new ownership taking over, Chelsea went on a spending spree that redefined "chaotic." Wesley Fofana, Raheem Sterling, Marc Cucurella, and Kalidou Koulibaly were just some of the names brought in for jaw-dropping fees.
Less than three years later, only one of those signings remains a regular starter. The rest either failed to live up to expectations or were shipped out on loan. That summer marked the beginning of what fans now refer to as the "banter era."
5. Chelsea – £278 million (Winter 2022/23)
If you thought their summer spending was wild, Chelsea took things to a new level just a few months later. In a desperate attempt to fix a failing season, the club spent £278 million in January.
Nearly £100 million of that went to sign Enzo Fernández. Mykhailo Mudryk, Noni Madueke, Malo Gusto, and others followed. It felt like Chelsea was buying players simply because they were available not because they fit into any long-term strategy.
4. Real Madrid – £279 million (Summer 2019/20)
The big story here was Eden Hazard’s arrival from Chelsea. But Madrid didn’t stop there, they also signed Éder Militão, Luka Jović, Ferland Mendy, and Rodrygo.
While Hazard didn’t quite live up to expectations, the investment paid off to some extent. Militão and Rodrygo played key roles in Madrid’s Champions League triumph in 2022.
3. Paris Saint-Germain – £295 million (Summer 2023/24)
In recent years, PSG has been no stranger to spending big. In 2023, they went all out again. Randal Kolo Muani and Manuel Ugarte came in for hefty fees, perhaps overpaid in hindsight but the likes of Ousmane Dembélé, Bradley Barcola, and Lucas Hernandez brought real value.
Just two seasons later, these players have become important parts of PSG’s ambitious project.
2. Al-Hilal – £298 million (Summer 2023/24)
Al-Hilal shocked the football world during the Saudi Pro League’s mega-summer. They brought in Neymar, Aleksandar Mitrović, Rúben Neves, Sergej Milinković-Savić, Malcom, Kalidou Koulibaly, and several others.
The investment paid immediate dividends, they stormed to a league title. Whether they can sustain that level of spending remains to be seen, but they certainly made their mark.
1. Chelsea – £391 million (Summer 2023/24)
Here it is the biggest spending spree in football history. Chelsea obliterated the previous record, spending nearly £400 million in one transfer window. And if the rumors are true, they might even go past that in future windows.
The signings included Moisés Caicedo, Roméo Lavia, Cole Palmer, Axel Disasi, Nicolas Jackson, and Christopher Nkunku. In total, 11 players were bought for more than £10 million, and six of those cost over £30 million each.
Was it worth it? So far, the only silverware they’ve come close to is the Conference League. Whether this ambitious strategy will bear fruit in the long term is still a big question mark.