As the last day of the transfer window on Monday approaches, uncertainty still clouds a possible £86m transfer of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid. This is not just significant for fans of the two clubs involved, it could trigger other big money deals. Real could try to partially cover its investment in Bale by selling off some of its top players. If the deal does go ahead, it will be the fifth successive occasion that Real has broken the world transfer record.
As the last day of the transfer window on Monday approaches, uncertainty still clouds a possible £86m transfer of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid. This is not just significant for fans of the two clubs involved, it could trigger other big money deals. Real could try to partially cover its investment in Bale by selling off some of its top players. If the deal does go ahead, it will be the fifth successive occasion that Real has broken the world transfer record.
Spending by Premier League clubs, who have the money from a record television rights deal at their disposal, has exceeded £460m this window already, approaching last year’s £490m and closing in on the record £500m spent in the 2008 summer transfer window. Clubs from the Premier League have so far been the biggest net spenders in Europe.
However, although the tough Champions League group to which Arsenal has been allocated has served as something of a wake up call for their phlegmatic manager Arsene Wenger, Arsenal could still end up with just two free transfers and their war chest unspent.
The big spenders this summer have been Monaco, Manchester City, Paris Saint Germain, Napoli, Chelsea and Barcelona. Spurs have also spent heavily in anticipation of the need to bolster the squad to cover for the expected departure of Bale. Once Spurs failed to qualify for the Champions League, it seemed likely that he would depart, despite arguments that he should give it one more try at White Hart Lane.