A FIFA report into the January transfer window showed only the Premier League clubs spent more than Serie A sides on the 2022 market.
This was reflected also in the image chosen to mark the report on the official FIFA website, showing Juventus pair Dusan Vlahovic and Denis Zakaria celebrating after both scored on their Bianconeri debuts.
The transfer activity in men’s football has almost returned to its pre-pandemic levels, despite the on-going issues caused by COVID-19 and its effect on revenues.
There were 3,534 international transfers completed in January, up 28 per cent from 2021, and the value of the fees rose by a whopping 74.7 per cent.
Transfer fees topped $1.03bn and inevitable England was again by far the biggest spender in the world with $349.5m.
The real surprise is that Italy came in second behind the Premier League clubs with $113.6m spent.
That was largely due to the deals from Juventus for Vlahovic and Zakaria, Inter for Robin Gosens and Fiorentina signing Arthur Cabral.
It is also worth noting that 60.4 per cent of the transfers in January involved players who were out of contract and therefore free agents.
Clubs’ spending on transfer fees in men’s football almost back at pre-pandemic levels
Details: https://t.co/peOqiPdCoR
Full report: https://t.co/1LkheOlWJ7 pic.twitter.com/vmqwO3afPG
— FIFA Media (@fifamedia) February 8, 2022
The gap between EPL and Serie A should have been even greater. Vlahovic and Gosens should have gone to England to advance their careers. Instead they were fooled by Italian clubs into staying. There should be an investigation by UEFA and FIFA into this.
Lol mike must be a farmer.
Good thinking mike, and immediately after that investigation i think we should definitely also investigate if the earth is really round or are we all fooled and its actually flat or even square maybe