Football summer transfer window 2024: Breaking down the numbers

Earlier this week, football’s global governing body Fifa released an international transfer snapshot, revealing the vast amount of business conducted by football clubs across the world between 1 June–2 September.

Otherwise known as the mid-year or summer transfer window, this 4-month period is filled with twists and turns, and big-money moves.

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On one hand, Kylian Mbappe’s long-awaited move to Real Madrid, after he left Paris Saint Germain on a free transfer, was finally completed at the beginning of June. While there was no transfer fee involved, Mbappe has reportedly earned a signing-on fee of $165 million (approximately Rs13.7 billion).

There were others who carried on to newer pastures. Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku moved to Napoli, his ninth club. Meanwhile, the much talked about Saudi Pro League had a quieter summer this time out, their most high-profile signings being English striker Ivan Toney, who moved from Brentford to Al-Ahli Saudi FC ($53 million), and 25-year-old winger Moussa Diaby, who joined Al Ittihad from Aston Villa ($65 million).

While Fifa’s snapshot revealed interesting trends, here’s a look at some other key numbers from this summer’s transfer window.

2: In their post Jurgen Klopp-era, Liverpool made just one significant signing – Italian winger Federico Chiesa from Juventus (approximately $13.3 million). But any fears that a quiet summer transfer window might hamper new manager Arne Slot’s start at the club have been allayed with a perfect start to their league season – three wins out of three, and no goals conceded. The Merseyside club have also recruited Georgian goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili from Spanish club Valencia, but he will only join in the summer of 2025.

11,000: More than 10,000 transfers in men’s professional football were completed during this summer transfer window. Pending transfers take this figure to 11,000, a record and an increase of 4.9% compared to the same window in 2023.

$6.4 billion: According to Fifa, clubs around the world spent more than $6.4 billion during the summer transfer window. This was a significant drop from the same window last year, where clubs spent approximately $7.4 billion on transfers.

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$2.6 billion: The Premier League led the way once again here, shelling out approximately $2.6 billion in the window. Chelsea were the top spenders, with $290 million, according to an Associated Press report.

$415 million: Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku secured a move away from Chelsea FC to Napoli in Italy for approximately $33 million, which took his career transfer fees to $415 million. According to Transfermarkt, a website that provides information on player transfers, rumors, and market values, that is more than Cristiano Ronaldo. Lukaku is still behind Brazilian player Neymar in the list of highest career transfer fees.

1,125: Transfers in women’s professional football increased by more than 30% compared to the mid-year window last year (853).

$6.8 million: Those moves resulted in more than twice the amount spent in the previous mid-year window (from $3.02 million) in women’s professional football. While the numbers are increasing – in 2020 only $827,000 were spent on transfers in women’s football – there remains a clear gulf between the financial spending in men’s and women’s football globally.

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