English club spending at record despite sluggish January sales

England's Premier League clubs spent a record 950 million pounds (US$1.43 billion) on the August and January transfers this season even though spending in the winter window matched last year's figure of 130 million pounds, according to accountancy firm Deloitte.

Despite clubs' "relative restraint" in January, the total spending in 2014-15 surpassed the 2013-14 record of 760 million pounds, Deloitte said. The amount spent in January was far less than the 225-million pound record for the winter established in January 2011.

Dan Jones, partner in the Sports Business Group at Deloitte which has been monitoring the spending of clubs for the last two decades, said: "Given the record level of spending seen in the summer, it is not entirely surprising that we haven't seen a new record for the January window."

The biggest spenders were champion Manchester City, league leader Chelsea and Champions League perennial Arsenal, who between them accounted for around half of the total, the firm said.

The window ended on Monday more with a whimper than a bang with the biggest deal of the day being Chelsea's 35 million euros (US$39.7 million) for Colombian winger Juan Cuadrado from Italy's Fiorentina. The Cuadrado deal was part-funded by the English club's sale of Andre Schuerrle to German side VfL Wolfsburg for 22 million pounds.

But the last-minute shopping spree often associated with the closing of the January transfer window failed to materialize as Europe's top clubs largely kept their powder dry.

The lack of trading was unusually light, leaving presenters of Sky Sports News' much-hyped deadline day coverage program, who bizarrely all wear yellow ties for the day, desperately searching for something to talk about.

City's biggest move came when it signed Ivory Coast striker Wilfried Bony from Swansea City earlier for 25 million pounds while Manchester United's only arrival of note was former Barcelona keeper Victor Valdes on a free transfer.

UEFA's Financial Fair Play rules have made it less likely that clubs sign players without first off-loading some of their squad, stalling the usual merry-go-round. Transfers of Premier League players to other European leagues is also hindered by the huge salaries.

Liverpool, chasing a top-four finish in the league, failed to add to its squad in January, while Arsenal limited its activity to Legia Warsaw youngster Krystian Bielik and Gabriel from Villarreal.

Loan deals such as former England winger Aaron Lennon joining Everton from Tottenham Hotspur and high-flying Southampton taking Serbia's Filip Djuricic from Benfica and Eljero Elia from Werder Bremen caught the eye.

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