LONDON: Premier League clubs smashed their spending record for a single transfer window for the second straight season as Manchester City’s signing of Enzo Fernandez took the total outlay close to £3.5 billion ($4.7 billion).
A frantic final two days of the window, which closed at 2200 GMT on Tuesday, pushed spending in the summer window significantly beyond last season’s record of £3.14 billion.More than half of the clubs in the English top flight broke their transfer records, with multiple deals topping £100 million.
Chelsea midfielder Fernandez, 25, signed for Enzo Maresca’s City late Tuesday for £125 million, matching the British record fee Liverpool paid 12 months ago for forward Alexander Isak.Argentina’s Fernandez will be part of a new-look City midfield alongside England’s Elliot Anderson, who arrived from Nottingham Forest shortly after the World Cup for £116 million.
City also snapped up Senegal forward Iliman Ndiaye from Everton on Tuesday in a deal worth £65 million, taking their summer spending above £450 million.The club are embarking on a new era with a significantly reshaped squad following the departure of manager Pep Guardiola, who oversaw a decade of unprecedented success at the Etihad.Former Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, who captained Spain to World Cup glory in July, has joined Barcelona while long-serving pair Bernardo Silva and John Stones have also left City.“At Manchester City, we are always looking to bring in world-class players and Enzo fits the bill,” said City’s director of football Hugo Viana.
