Liverpool has already laid the groundwork for what looks set to be a busy summer in the transfer window at Anfield.
Having won the Premier League title in his first season in charge, Arne Slot doesn’t look to be wasting any time in strengthening his squad, with he and Richard Hughes getting down to work early. Already, Jeremie Frimpong looks to be on the way to becoming a Liverpool player, and he almost certainly won’t be the only new face arriving.
Milos Kerkez could be the next to arrive, while speculation is growing over the potential pursuit of Florian Wirtz. With a striker also a priority, it looks as though it could be an expensive summer for the club.
Liverpool owners FSG have come under some criticism from supporters over the years for a perceived lack of investment in the squad. While that might not entirely be the case, over the last three years, there’s no denying the Reds’ spending pales in comparison to their rivals…
Liverpool
2024/25 – $47.6M
2023/24 – $194.9M
2022/23 – $165.2M
Last summer was of course a quiet one for Liverpool as deals for Giorgi Mamardashvili and Federico Chiesa were the only ones to be agreed, with the former set to complete his move this summer.
The previous two campaigns though were much busier under Jurgen Klopp. Dominik Szoboszlai ($79M) was the most expensive deal last season, arriving in a summer which also saw Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo signed.
As for the previous season, Darwin Nunez was by far the priciest addition, arriving in an initial $96M deal. Fabio Carvalho and Calvin Ramsay also arrived that summer, while Cody Gakpo ($47.6M) would follow in January, while a $5.1M loan fee for Arthur Melo is also accounted for.
Arsenal
2024/25 – $123.4M
2023/24 – $266.4M
2022/23 – $211.3M
Arsenal has gone even bigger than Liverpool over the last three years, although Mikel Arteta has no trophies to show for his side’s spending during that period. Riccardo Calafiori ($51M) was the biggest signing last summer, with Mikel Merino and David Raya also completing permanent moves.
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Declan Rice ($132M) and Kai Havertz ($85M) were pricey acquisitions during the 23/24 campaign, a season which also saw the signing of Jurrien Timber from Ajax, while Raya’s loan fee of $4M is also accounted for.
The previous season saw the costs spread more evenly across the Gunners’ signings, with Gabriel Jesus, Fabio Vieira, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Leandro Trossard, Jakub Kiwior, Jorginho, Matt Turner and Marquinhos all arriving during the 22/23 campaign.
Manchester City
2024/25 – $275.4M
2023/24 – $294.2M
2022/23 – $175.7M
It’ll come as no surprise that City has also gone bigger than Liverpool over the last three years. Despite a quiet summer this season that only saw Savinho added to the ranks, Pep Guardiola more than made up for that in January, with Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis and Juma Bah signed at the turn of the year.
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Last season, Josko Gvardiol ($102M) was the most expensive signing, with Matheus Nunes, Jeremy Doku, Mateo Kovacic and Caludio Echeverri also adding to an expensive campaign.
Erling Haaland was the headline signing in the 22/23 season, although the initial deal to take him to the Etihad was actually cheaper than Nunez’s transfer to Liverpool, coming out at $68M. Kalvin Phillips, Manuel Akanji, Sergio Gomez and Maximo Perrone also arrived in what can probably be called a mixed window, with Stefan Ortega also signing as a free agent.
Manchester United
2024/25 – $279.1M
2023/24 – $234.8M
2022/23 – $275.7M
Considering how much it has spent over the last three years, you’d have to consider United’s business as pretty diabolical considering where it now finds itself. Leny Yoro, Manuel Ugarte, Matthijs de Ligt, Joshua Zirkzee, Patrick Dorgu, Noussair Mazraoui and Ayden Heaven were all part of the latest splurge this season.
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Last season’s business under Erik ten Hag was perhaps even more disastrous, even if it was the least costly of the three years in question. Rasmus Hojlund, Mason Mount and Andre Onana were all bought for big bucks, with Altay Bayindir and free agent Jonny Evans also arriving, while Sofyan Amrabat and Sergio Reguilon were signed on loan.
The 22/23 season though saw some truly appalling business at Old Trafford. Antony for $107.7M, Casemiro for $80M and Lisandro Martinez for $65M made up for much of the spend, with Tyrell Malacia, Wout Weghorst, Martin Dubravka, Christian Eriksen, Marcel Sabitzer and Jack Butland also arriving.
Chelsea
2024/25 – $312.8M
2023/24 – $526M
2022/23 – $714.3M
The biggest spender of them all, nobody comes close to Chelsea’s quite frankly ludicrous spending over the past three years. We won’t go through every name to have moved to Stamford Bridge in that time, with 13 players signed this season alone, with Pedro Neto ($68M) and Joao Felix ($59M) the most most expensive.
Moises Caicedo was the biggest outlay in the 23/24 campaign, arriving in a $132M deal from Brighton after Liverpool almost stole him away. Romeo Lavia, Christopher Nkunku and Cole Palmer were also among 12 signings that season.
That pales in comparison to the 22/23 campaign though. Enzo Fernandez’s $137M arrival in January was the biggest deal conducted, with Wesley Fofana, Mykhaylo Mudryk, Marc Cucurella and Raheem Sterling also arriving among a staggering 17 signings that season.
