Record 11,000 Players Transferred in Summer Window, $6.46 Billion Spent Global

Record 11,000 Players Transferred in Summer Window, $6.46 Billion Spent Global

A record 11,000 players moved between clubs during the 2024 summer transfer window, with a total of $6.46 billion spent globally in men’s football, according to FIFA’s report released on Tuesday. This marks the highest number of transfers ever recorded.

FIFA’s International Transfer Snapshot, covering June 1 to Sept. 2, revealed that although the number of player moves hit a new peak, spending slightly trailed the 2023 record of $7.43 billion spent on 10,490 transfers.

English clubs led global spending, shelling out $1.69 billion on new players while receiving $1.25 billion from sales. They also dominated in terms of player arrivals (526) and departures (523). Notably, even smaller English clubs like Bournemouth, Brighton & Hove Albion, and newly promoted Ipswich Town spent over $100 million each on new signings.

Italy ranked second with $825 million in spending, followed by France ($697 million), Spain ($599 million), Germany ($572 million), and Saudi Arabia ($431 million), continuing their big spending spree from last year. Italian clubs notably spent almost double what they received ($425 million) for player sales, while French clubs generated more revenue ($756 million) than they spent.

The most high-profile transfer of the summer was Argentina’s Julian Alvarez, who moved from Manchester City to Atlético Madrid for approximately €75 million ($83 million), plus add-ons.

In the women’s game, a record-breaking 1,125 players transferred this summer, up from 853 last year. Spending more than doubled compared to 2023, reaching a historic $6.8 million.