The 2022/23 summer transfer window has included some massive deals across Europe with the big hitters all flexing their financial muscle at the start of the new campaign.
The Premier League has spent the most of any league in direct transfer outlays, with an estimated total of £1.943 billion ($2.2b) paid out from the 20 Premier League clubs in the market. The £2 billion ($2.3b) mark is expected to be broken as deals are finalised after the deadline.
Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea have spent the most on new players, across both the Premier League and European football, with £242.18 million ($279m) spent on new players, including Wesley Fofana, Marc Cucurella and Raheem Sterling.
However, the big Premier League story of the window has been Nottingham Forest’s 19 new signings, as manager Steve Cooper leads the club back into the top flight for the first time since 1999.
The Sporting News takes a look at the Top 20 most expensive summer transfers for the 2022/23 campaign.
MORE: All the official moves from 2022 Transfer Deadline Day
Most expensive transfers of 2022 summer window
The Premier League features heavily in the top 10 summer transfers, with four of the five priciest deals involving English clubs, and eight of the 10 most expensive transfer fees paid out by a Premier League side.
Real Madrid’s £76.2m ($88m) move for French international midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni represents La Liga in the Top 10 with Matthijs de Ligt’s £63.6m ($73.7m) switch to Bayern Munich the only Bundesliga entrant.
Manchester United and Chelsea both feature twice in the Top 10, with Brazilian duo Casemiro and Antony joining the Erik ten Hag revolution at Old Trafford, and Thomas Tuchel bringing Wesley Fofana and Marc Cucurella to Stamford Bridge.
Transfer figures via Transfermarkt as of Sept. 1, 2022
Top 20 most expensive transfers of 2022 summer window
| Rank | Player | From | To | Fee £ / $ |
| 1 | Antony | Ajax (NED) | Manchester United (ENG) | £90.5m/$104.5m |
| 2 | Wesley Fofana | Leicester City (ENG) | Chelsea (ENG) | £76.5m/$88.4m |
| 3 | Aurelien Tchouameni | AS Monaco (FRA) | Real Madrid (ESP) | £76.2m/$88m |
| 4 | Darwin Nunez | Benfica (POR) | Liverpool (ENG) | £71.5m/$82.5m |
| 5 | Casemiro | Real Madrid (ESP) | Manchester United (ENG) | £67.3m/$77.7m |
| 6 | Alexander Isak | Real Sociedad (ESP) | Newcastle United (ENG) | £66.7m/$77m |
| 7 | Matthijs de Ligt | Juventus (ITA) | Bayern Munich (GER) | £63.6m/$73.7m |
| 8 | Marc Cucurella | Brighton (ENG) | Chelsea (ENG) | £62m/$71.6m |
| 9 | Erling Haaland | Borussia Dortmund (GER) | Manchester City (ENG) | £57.1m/$66m |
| 10 | Richarlison | Everton (ENG) | Tottenham Hotspur (ENG) | £55m/$63.8m |
| 11 | Raphinha | Leeds United (ENG) | Barcelona (ESP) | £55m/$63.8m |
| 12 | Lisandro Martinez | Ajax (NED) | Manchester United (ENG) | £54.6m/$63.1m |
| 13 | Raheem Sterling | Manchester City (ENG) | Chelsea (ENG) | £53.5m/$61.8m |
| 14 | Gabriel Jesus | Manchester City (ENG) | Arsenal (ENG) | £49.7m/$57.4m |
| 15 | Jules Kounde | Sevilla (ESP) | Barcelona (ESP) | £46.7m/$55m |
| 16 | Cristian Romero | Atalanta (ITA) | Tottenham Hotspur (ENG) | £46.7m/$55m |
| 17 | Kalvin Phillips | Leeds United (ENG) | Manchester City (ENG) | £46.7m/$53.9m |
| 18 | Robert Lewandowski | Bayern Munich (GER) | Barcelona (ESP) | £42.8/$49.5m |
| 19 | Matheus Nunes | Sporting Lisbon (POR) | Wolves (ENG) | £42.8m/$49.5m |
| 20 | Lucas Paqueta | Lyon (FRA) | West Ham United (ENG) | £40.8m/$47.2m |
Most expensive transfer of 2022: Antony to Man United
United turned their attention to Antony at the start of August with Ten Hag prioritising attacking reinforcements at Old Trafford as part of his early plans.
The Brazilian international was a key player for Ten Hag’s Ajax, with 17 goals and 12 assists in Eredivisie action in the last two seasons, as part of the repeat Dutch title winners.
Ajax’s tough stance drove the price up to £90.5m ($104.5m), as United’s second highest transfer fee paid, but a five-year contract demonstrates Ten Hag’s faith in the 22-year-old immediately adapting to the demands of Premier League football.
MORE: Best 10 transfer deals of the 2022 summer window
Manchester United transfers in 2022 summer window
Ten Hag offered a straightforward response when asked about a new United record for summer spending with an estimated £220m ($254m) paid out for new players.
“If you want to compete at the top, you don’t have a choice,” Ten Hag said. “If you want to fight for the top four positions you have to do it. We have the ambition, to play for trophies and we had to do this.”
Alongside a combined total of £157.8m ($182.2m) spent on Antony and Casemiro, Ten Hag also paid £51.6m ($59.9m) to raid Ajax for Lisandro Martinez and £13.5m ($15.5m) on left back Tyrell Malacia. He landed Christian Eriksen on a free transfer and backup goalkeeper Martin Dubravka on loan.
MORE: The Fabrizio Romano story and where “here we go” began
Premier League net spend rankings
English clubs have once again outstripped their continental rivals in overall summer transfer spending with Forest’s push to challenge United, Chelsea and others, matched by their outlay.
Tuchel has the edge in total spend, but Cooper has set a new Premier League record for new players signed within one transfer window. Manchester United’s reduced transfer revenue makes them the biggest net spenders.
It’s worth noting that six of the seven Premier League clubs which qualified for European competitions each spent over £100m ($115.4m) on new players, with Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool the lone exception (£77.2m).
Four Premier League clubs ended up in the black based on the available figures.
Premier League net spend rankings for 2022 summer window
All figures courtesy of Transfermarkt as of Sept. 1, 2022.
| Club | Transfer Expenditure |
Transfer Revenue |
Net spend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Man United | £214.22m | £10.35m | -£203.87m |
| Chelsea | £242.18m | £39.96m | -£202.22m |
| West Ham | £163.80m | £16.02m | -£147.78m |
| Notts Forest | £143.69m | £6.30m | -£135.05m |
| Newcastle | £122.40m | — | -£122.40m |
| Tottenham | £152.91m | £34.88m | -£118.04m |
| Arsenal | £118.86m | £21.42m | -£97.44m |
| Wolves | £122.94m | £37.89m | -£85.05m |
| Southampton | £50.76m | — | -£50.76m |
| Brentford | £45.45m | £3.24m | -£42.21m |
| Fulham | £50.76m | £18.81m | -£31.95m |
| Crystal Palace | £31.14m | £4.91m | -£26.23m |
| Bournemouth | £24.21m | — | -£24.21m |
| Aston Villa | £49.50m | £37.80m | -£11.70m |
| Everton | £63.72m | £52.20m | -£11.52m |
| Liverpool | £77.22m | £72.63m | -£4.59m |
| Leeds United | £95.08m | £97.38m | +£2.30m |
| Man City | £125.55m | £145.53m | +£19.98m |
| Leicester City | £15.30m | £75.15m | +£59.85m |
| Brighton | £33.66m | £102.51m | +£68.85m |
| TOTAL | £1.943bn | £776.98m | -£1.164b |
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