At a point of the season when supporters are left to consider their team’s progress — good, bad or indifferent — a financial snapshot to help with any judgement has been presented.
The English Football Association (FA) released its annual figures for payments made by clubs to agents and intermediaries on Monday afternoon and, as is now customary, the sums were enormous.
The 20 Premier League clubs saw fit to spend a combined £409million ($539.6m) on agent fees in this current season, with clubs in the EFL, National League and Women’s game stumping up almost £77m more.
That represented a very minor fall (just under £500,000) from last season’s total for the top flight but the outlay continues to underline what clubs are prepared to pay the transfer brokers in pursuit of squad improvements.
The Athletic picks out the key points from the FA’s latest annual report.
The usual suspects lead the way
There is an established order taking root at the top of the agents’ payments chart in English football and Chelsea continue to lead the way.
No club in the Premier League handed over more to agents this season, with £60.4m the latest extraordinary sum signed off at Stamford Bridge.
That is down on their own record-breaking outlay of £75m last season but Chelsea still committed…
