FIFA: International transfer spending drops by almost $1.9B

By: Graham Dunbar, The Associated Press Posted: 7:31 AM CDT Friday, Oct. 9, 2020 Last Modified: 8:07 AM CDT Friday, Oct. 9, 2020

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GENEVA - Soccer clubs spent nearly $1.9 billion less than last year on international player transfers during the European summer trading window, according to FIFA research published Friday.

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GENEVA - Soccer clubs spent nearly $1.9 billion less than last year on international player transfers during the European summer trading window, according to FIFA research published Friday.

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This article was published 09/10/2020 (2132 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

GENEVA – Soccer clubs spent nearly $1.9 billion less than last year on international player transfers during the European summer trading window, according to FIFA research published Friday.

Disruption to the soccer industry from the coronavirus pandemic extended trading by five weeks into October. It also took billions of dollars out of the market from lost revenue in broadcasting deals and tickets sales.

FIFA’s transfer monitoring system recorded $3.92 billion in spending on players moving between clubs in different countries. Sales were $5.8 billion in the shorter summer window in 2019.

FILE - In this Thursday, Oct. 24, 2020 file photo, Porto's Alex Telles controls the ball during the Europa League group G soccer match between FC Porto and Rangers FC at the Dragao stadium in Porto, Portugal. Manchester United bolstered its defensive options by signing left back Alex Telles on the final day of the summer transfer window in the wake of a 6-1 loss to Tottenham. United already agreed to a deal with Porto ahead of Sunday's humiliation but it was completed on Monday, Oct. 5, 2020 at a cost of 15 million euros ($18 million) plus potentially another 2 million euros depending on the 27-year-old Brazilian’s success with the club. (AP Photo/Luis Vieira, File)

Clubs have been obliged since 2010 to share financial details of cross-border player moves with the FIFA platform. It was also intended to help clean up the often murky transfer market.

Transfer monitoring of women’s soccer became mandatory in 2018 and the recent trading period showed the value of fees almost doubled year-on-year. FIFA said the total value of the international market from June into October was $821,800.

European clubs were overwhelmingly the biggest spenders — paying $3.78 billion — with English clubs spending the most at $1.25 billion in the market which closed Monday. Italian clubs spent $544 million on buying players from abroad.

The money circulating showed European clubs also received $3.5 billion in transfer fees. Spanish clubs took in $672 million, Italian clubs $484 million, and $396 million went to England.

FIFA’s figures offer only a partial picture as they do not include transfer deals between clubs in the same country.

Still, there is a strong trend of money flowing from Europe to South America.

FIFA’s report details South American clubs receiving $295 million from international transfers and spending only $25 million.

Asian confederation clubs spent $87 million and received $62 million.

The volume of transfers also trended down from more than 9,000 international deals one year ago to 7,424 in the latest summer window.

Manchester City's Ruben Dias shouts during the English Premier League soccer match between Leeds United and Manchester City at Elland Road in Leeds, England, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020. (Jason Cairnduff/Pool via AP)

The number of deals involving a fee fell by almost 25%, to a total of 1,222.

FIFA counted four categories of international transfers: permanent deals, free agent signings, loans out and players returning from loans.

In women’s soccer, 522 deals were made across international borders in the recently closed transfer window compared to 385 one year ago. FIFA did not break down the numbers by continent.

A total of 18 transfers involved a fee with a higher average value than a year ago, when 16 deals had a total value of $454,600.

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