EPL sets a record in player transfers
PARIS — The cash-loaded English Premier League led a record-breaking raid for talent by Europe’s top clubs before the transfer window slams shut on Wednesday, with Arsenal alone paying 62.1 million pounds for German defender Shkodran Mustafi and Spanish striker Lucas Perez.
More big names were lined up for moves Wednesday with Liverpool’s outcast striker Mario Balotelli having a medical at French club Nice. England midfielder Jack Wilshere was expected to leave Arsenal on loan.
The Premier League’s TV riches have fuelled transfer inflation across the continent, with Inter Milan and Barcelona paying top dollar for Brazil’s exciting Olympic gold medal-winning striker Gabriel ‘Gabigol’ Barbosa and Valencia goalscorer Paco Alcacer respectively. About 50 million euros were spent on the pair and most analysts predict European spending will easily be the highest yet when the two-month transfer window closes — between 1600 GMT for the Bundesliga and 2200 GMT for the Premier League.
Spending by England’s 20-club Premier League alone was expected to bust the one billion pounds (1.17 billion euros, $1.3 billion) barrier after Manchester United set a new world record with the 89 million pound purchase this month of French midfielder Paul Pogba.
Arsenal defender Serge Gnabry returned to Germany with Werder Bremen. Inter Milan confirmed the signing of Barbosa on Tuesday.
Other big-name deals are likely as top players seek a regular game in increasingly competitive squads. Chelsea let French international striker Loic Remy go on loan to Crystal Palace for one season.
Palace and AC Milan are also among contenders to take Arsenal’s Wilshere on loan.
Manchester City’s out-of-favour England goalkeeper Joe Hart was set to complete a move to Torino in Italy. But the English Premier League’s £5.14bn (6.9 billion euro), three-season television deal has set a pace that few other championships can keep up with.