Net spend; as juicy as it gets and yet somehow still as dry as a bone. Numbers, for the most part, are boring. Some of you may disagree with that statement, but as much as you might protest, you know deep down that we’re correct. It’s why this article is written in the Roman alphabet and not, say, binary code.
But sometimes numbers have their uses. In the case of net spends, they can paint a picture of where a side might have gone wrong over the course of a campaign, or indeed, where they may have gone right. In 2022/23, Premier League clubs have spent more money than ever before. Taken holistically, the 20 teams that make up the top flight have forked out a combined £2.8 billion this season. That’s approximately somewhere between the GDP of Liberia and Guyana.
But how do the figures actually break down, and just how much bigger is Chelsea’s net spend compared to everybody else? We’ve pored over all of the top flight’s incoming and outgoing transfer fees and then ranked the division from highest profit to biggest loss. Check out the findings below...
13. Southampton - -£121.6m
Southampton rolled the dice and spent big in January in an effort to haul themselves to safety. It has not worked. The Saints look doomed, and now they have the added burden of a sizeable wage bill to contend with too. | Getty Images
14. Tottenham Hotspur - -£122.6m
On paper, Spurs recruited well last summer. In reality, few of their high profile arrivals have qualified as unmitigated successes. The hope will be that a Richarlison, for instance, can still come good, but you would imagine that another busy transfer window lies ahead. | Getty Images
15. Arsenal - -£148.6m
Arsenal’s signings this season have catapulted them from also-rans to title contenders, and in some respects, you can’t put a price on that. In other respects, you can put a price on it; about £148.6 million, apparently. | Getty Images
16. West Ham - -£151.9m
West Ham will have been looking to build on a stellar campaign last time out with a summer of quality signings and general solidification. It didn’t exactly work out that way, however, and while they should have enough to avoid the drop, inquests may be required in the coming months. | Getty Images