The figures, published for the first time after the
League struck a deal with the Football Association over the
regulation of agents, reveal that Manchester City were the biggest
spenders, paying out almost £13 million to middlemen during their
£173 million transfer spree in 2009.
Chelsea were ranked second, spending £9.6 million despite
relatively modest spending in 2009. The bulk of the fees are
understood to relate to fees payable on contract renegotiations and
Liverpool, who, despite their financial problems, spent
£6,657,305.
Of greater surprise is that Manchester United spent a relatively
modest £1,517,393. Burnley, the Barclays Premier League new boys,
are bottom of the table with agents’ fees of £468,398.
Liverpool were third, spending £6.6 million, with Tottenham
fourth, spending just over £6 million. Burnley spent the least of
any Premier League club, paying slightly more than £468,000 to
agents. However, the figures for them, Birmingham and Wolves
include fees paid before they were promoted from the
Championship.
The £70,692,513 overall spend covers the period from Oct 1,
2008, to Sept 30, 2009, and includes the 2009 January and summer
transfer windows.
The figures include all money paid to agents during that period,
and cover payments paid to clubs for the acquisition and sale of
players, the renegotiation of contracts, fees paid to agents to
arrange the disposal of players, as well payments made by clubs to
agents on behalf of players. It also includes instalment payments
made during the year on previous transactions, but future fees
committed to in the last year are not included.
The scale of the spending, which covers 803 transactions and
represents around 3.5 per cent of total Premier League turnover of
around £2 billion, is likely to reawaken debate over the role and
cost of agents in the game.
The Premier League has previously resisted publishing any
details of its club’s spending on agents, but agreed to reveal the
figures as a result of negotiations with the Football Association
over the regulation of agents.
The £70,692,513 total represents slightly more than 10 per cent
of the clubs’ total spending on player purchases of £682.3 million
in the January and summer windows, and around six per cent of total
transfer turnover during the period of nearly £1.3 billion.
The identity of the biggest spenders comes as no surprise.
Manchester City’s fees to agents, which cover 35 transactions at an
average of £360,000.
The full list is:
Manchester City £12,874,283
Chelsea £9,562,223
Liverpool £6,657,305
Tottenham Hotspur £6,066,935
West Ham United £5,527,548
Arsenal £4,760,241
Wigan Athletic £3,576,972
Portsmouth £3,184,725
Bolton Wanderers £3,166,611
Everton £2,008,407
Sunderland £2,007,040
Aston Villa £1,708,374
Blackburn Rovers £1,610,885
Hull City £1,599,188
Manchester United £1,517,393
Fulham£1,469,258
Wolverhampton Wanderers £1,235,703
Birmingham City £974,982
Stoke City £716,042
Burnley £468,398
Total (803 transactions) £70,692,513
