Premier League clubs spent an eye-watering £260,664,118 on agents fees in the last year. That figure represents a 23.5% increase on the £211,011,187 spent in the previous 12 months.
Liverpool, who bought Alisson, Fabinho, Naby Keita and Xherdan Shaqiri in the summer, shelled out the most in payments to intermediaries, paying almost £17million more than the second-biggest spenders, Chelsea.
Wolves and Fulham’s spend represented the biggest percentage increases year-on-year – 223 per cent and 239 per cent respectively for the Premier League new boys. Fat lot of good it did Fulham…
Tottenham made not one first-team signing during the year to January 31, but still their spend on agents increased by 55%.
Only two clubs paid out a reduced amount to agents: Watford and Southampton.
Here’s the Premier League table of biggest spenders on agents between February 1 2018, and January 31 2019…
1) Liverpool: £43,795,863
17/18 spend on agents: £26,793,503
Increased by 63.4%
2) Chelsea: £26,850,552
17/18 spend on agents: £25,143,786
Increased by 6.7%
3) Manchester City: £24,122,753
17/18 spend on agents: £23,475,309
Increased by 2.75%
4) Manchester United: £20,759,350
17/18 spend on agents: £18,002,193
Increased by 15.3%
5) Everton: £19,116,370
17/18 spend on agents: £12,056,512
Increased by 58.6%
6) West Ham: £14,414,845
17/18 spend on agents: £8,387,694
Increased by 71.6%
7) Leicester City: £12,720,618
17/18 spend on agents: £9,918,530
Increased by 28.3%
8) Arsenal: £11,181,730
17/18 spend on agents: £10,560,689
Increased by 5.9%
9) Tottenham: £11,141,255
17/18 spend on agents: £7,173,667
Increased by 55.3%
10) Watford: £10,894,179
17/18 spend on agents: £13,390,605
Decreased by 18.6%
Last year’s agents’ fees compared to today’s figures. An increase of c £50m. Liverpool and #ChelseaFC, maintain 1st and 2nd place although @LFC extend their lead by some distance. #EPL pic.twitter.com/W9LgVEHhvP
— Steve Scott (@stevescott_itv) April 4, 2019
11) Bournemouth: £10,295,433
17/18 spend on agents: £7,733,988
Increased by 33.1%
12) Newcastle: £8,868,027
17/18 spend on agents: £7,409,760
Increased by 19.7%
13) Fulham: £8,234,360
17/18 spend on agents: £2,428,175
Increased by 239.1%
14) Crystal Palace: £6,976,425
17/18 spend on agents: £6,173,622
Increased by 13%
15) Brighton: £6,859,429
17/18 spend on agents: £4,415,325
Increased by 55.4%
16) Wolves: £6,479,714
17/18 spend on agents: £2,001,023
Increased by 223.8%
17) Southampton: £6,151,107
17/18 spend on agents: £6,296,804
Decreased by 2.3%
18) Huddersfield: £5,023,807
17/18 spend on agents: £2,465,815
Increased by 103.7%
19) Burnley: £3,975,928
17/18 spend on agents: £3,299,917
Increased by 20.5%
20) Cardiff: £2,802,375
17/18 spend on agents: £2,026,917
Increased by 38.3
