Liverpool lead Premier League summer spending with £295.5m – Chelsea, Arsenal trail behind

Liverpool have taken the summer transfer window by storm, spending £295.5 million in total — the highest outlay of any Premier League club so far in 2025.

That figure includes the recently completed deal for Hugo Ekitike, and reflects total spending with add-ons included, according to the latest data published by Sky Sports.

Liverpool have blown away the competition so far with a staggering spend of £295.5m. Their biggest outlay went to Bayer Leverkusen for attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz, a deal worth £100m that could rise to £116.5m with add-ons. They also secured striker Hugo Ekitike from Frankfurt in a deal worth £69m, with an additional £10m in potential bonuses. The left-back position was reinforced with a £40m move for Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez, while right-back Jeremie Frimpong joined for £29.5m.

Goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili arrived from Valencia for £25m, potentially rising to £29m, giving Liverpool added security between the sticks. Young Hungarian midfielder Ármin Pécsi was signed from Puskás Akadémia for £1.5m, and backup keeper Freddie Woodman joined on a free transfer. Altogether, the Reds' business signals a clear intent to win trophies now — and build for the future.

Chelsea’s busy window has seen them spend £218m, with a clear focus on youth and dynamic attackers. João Pedro was signed from Brighton for £55m, while Jamie Gittens arrived from Borussia Dortmund in a £48.5m deal with another £3.5m in add-ons. The Blues also completed the long-anticipated transfer of Estêvão Willian from Palmeiras for an initial £29m that could rise to £49m.

Liam Delap joined from Ipswich Town for £30m, adding another English forward to the ranks. Chelsea also picked up 19-year-old midfielder Dário Essugo from Sporting CP for £18.5m and highly-rated centre-back Mamadou Sarr from Strasbourg for £12m. Ecuadorian wonderkid Kendry Páez officially arrived this summer in a £17.27m deal after being signed in 2023.

Manchester City have kept things relatively measured this summer, spending £128.8m so far. Pep Guardiola strengthened his midfield with the signing of Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan for £46.3m. Wolves left-back Rayan Aït-Nouri was brought in for £31.8m, with the fee possibly rising to £36.3m based on performance clauses.

City also invested in attacking creativity, landing Rayan Cherki from Lyon for £34m. Highly rated Norwegian midfielder Sverre Nypan joined from Rosenborg in a £12.5m deal, while backup goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli arrived from Chelsea on a free transfer.

Arsenal’s £123m spend has gone toward surgical signings to improve Mikel Arteta’s squad. They completed the long-awaited deal for Real Sociedad midfielder Martín Zubimendi at £55.8m, adding composure and ball progression to their central midfield.

In attack, Noni Madueke arrived from Chelsea in a £48.5m move, with £3.5m in add-ons potentially taking that deal beyond £50m. Arteta has hinted at further signings before the window closes, but Arsenal’s spending so far already places them among the league’s highest outlays.

Tottenham Hotspur’s summer business has reached £110.7m, with Mohammed Kudus standing out as their marquee addition. The Ghanaian attacker arrived from West Ham for £55m and is expected to play a major role in Thomas Frank's high-tempo system.

While Spurs haven’t made as many headline-grabbing moves as Liverpool or Chelsea, their window includes multiple reinforcements in defence and midfield — suggesting depth was the priority this summer.

Sunderland have emerged as the biggest surprise of the window so far, splashing £107m just weeks after promotion. Their most expensive addition is midfielder Habib Diarra, signed for £27m. Roma’s Enzo Le Fée joined for £19.35m to anchor the midfield, while Brighton’s Simon Adingra cost £21m.

The Black Cats also brought in Noah Sadiki for £15m and Belgian winger Chemsdine Talbi for £17.2m. It’s a bold approach from Sunderland’s recruitment team, who are clearly aiming to avoid a relegation scrap and establish themselves quickly in the top flight.

The Reds' aggressive recruitment has raised eyebrows across Europe. Under their new football structure, Liverpool have spent heavily on reinforcing key areas, with marquee arrivals including Ekitike, midfield reinforcements, and a high-profile defensive signing.

Their spending is nearly £80m higher than Chelsea, and more than £170m ahead of Arsenal — a club often compared to Liverpool in terms of financial strategy.

With Chelsea, Manchester City, and Arsenal all investing heavily but more measuredly, some analysts suggest Liverpool’s strategy is “high risk, high reward.” The pressure will now be on to convert spending into silverware, especially after finishing second last season.

With six weeks left in the transfer window, the race is far from over. Clubs like Newcastle, Manchester United, and Aston Villa are expected to ramp up their business soon — but they’ll have a long way to go to catch up with Liverpool.

Is smart recruitment still enough to challenge Liverpool — or has the title race become a financial arms race?