According to Transfermarkt, the total transfer expenditure of the top five European leagues (Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, and Ligue 1) in the 2023-24 season was €5.6 billion, a slight increase from the previous season’s €5.4 billion.
The Premier League was once again the biggest spender, with €1.7 billion spent on 312 transfers, followed by Serie A with €1.3 billion on 433 transfers, La Liga with €1.1 billion on 328 transfers, Bundesliga with €0.9 billion on 302 transfers, and Ligue 1 with €0.6 billion on 362 transfers.
The most expensive transfer of the season was Moises Caicedo move from Brighton to Chelsea for €115 million, breaking the British transfer record. Chelsea fended off competition from several clubs, including Liverpool, Manchester City and Real Madrid, to secure his signature.
The second most expensive transfer was Declan Rice’s switch from West Ham to Arsenal for €105 million, making him the most expensive English player ever. Rice had established himself as one of the best defensive midfielders in Europe, earning 45 caps for England and playing a key role in their Euro 2020 triumph.
The third most expensive transfer was Josko Gvardiol’s transfer from RB Leipzig to Manchester City for €77 million, making him the most expensive defender of the season. Pep Guardiola was keen to add more quality and depth to his backline, and saw Gvardiol as the perfect partner for Ruben Dias.
But how have these new signings performed so far? And how have they affected their teams’ fortunes? To answer these questions, let's look at the 3 top signings and their impact for their clubs
According to Hookit, Chelsea’s signing of Moises Caicedo has been the most successful in terms of social media engagement and sponsorship value. The Blues have seen a 25% increase in their social media followers since his arrival, reaching over 200 million across all platforms. Caicedo has also been the most popular player among Chelsea fans, receiving over 10 million likes and comments on his posts. His posts have also generated over €20 million in sponsorship value for Chelsea and their partners.
However, he had a disappointing debut and according to former Liverpool defender, Jamie Carragher "He looked nervous, he looked out of his depth. He was making mistakes, he was giving the ball away, he was fouling people. He just didn’t look like a £115m player."
Arsenal’s signing of Declan Rice has been the most successful in terms of fan sentiment analysis and player quality rating. The Gunners have seen a positive shift in their fan mood since his arrival, with over 80% of comments and tweets expressing satisfaction and optimism. Rice has also been one of the best performer among Arsenal players, earning an average player quality rating of 6.9 out of 10. He has scored one goal in two appearances.
Manchester City’s signing of Josko Gvardiol has been the most successful in terms of team synergy and positional impact. The Citizens have seen a significant improvement in their defensive record since his arrival. He had a very impressive debut, using his power and physique to keep Alexander Isak and Miguel Almiron in check and avoided being too aggressive. He also made a crucial block to stop substitute Callum Wilson from creating a clear chance to score on his debut.
These are just some examples of how the new signings have influenced their teams’ performances and popularity this season. Of course, there are many other factors that affect the outcome of a football season, such as injuries, tactics, form, luck, etc. But it is undeniable that the transfer market is a crucial aspect of the modern game, and that clubs need to spend wisely and strategically to compete at the highest level. As the season progresses, we will see which clubs have made the best investments and which ones have wasted their money.
