£70m MORATA PUTS CHAMPS ON TO

CHELSEA’S signing of Alvaro Morata has put them back where they were last season – at the top of the Premier League. This time, though, it is the spending table being topped by the champions. And they may not be there long with the two Manchester clubs – and City in particular – still flexing their financial muscles. After a slow start to the summer transfer window, which clearly frustrated boss Antonio Conte, Chelsea have now splashed £144million on Germany defender Antonio Rudiger, 24, from Roma (£34m), Monaco midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko, 22 (£40m) and now Morata, 24.

It is generally regarded that the Real Madrid striker will eventually cost a club record £70m.

But City are only fractionally behind Chelsea in the signing stakes at the moment.

They have completed deals for right-back Kyle Walker, 27, from Tottenham (£50m), playmaker Bernardo Silva, 22, from Monaco (£43m) and keeper Ederson Moraes, 23, from Benfica (£35m). They also paid £10m for Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz, 19, from Vasco da Gama – one for the future.

Premier League clubs have already spent £815.35m – and the window does not close for almost another six weeks.

The biggest deal is Manchester United’s signing o centre-forward Romelu Lukaku, 24, from Everton for an initial £75m while the Toffees themselves have