Revealed: modern-day value of historic Burnley FC transfers and the Most Expensive January Window XI
Crunching the numbers on some of the division's most infamous transfers and taking the average transfer values of players since the Premier League began in 1992, TotallyMoney have calculated a 'football player inflation' to show what certain players would cost if they moved in 2019.
Launched last summer, this year's Transfer Index offers comprehensive insight into the fluctuations of the always-volatile football market and has also reveals the most expensive January signings XI - we all know bolstering your squad post-Christmas can be a risk, but the temptation for clubs can often prove too much to resist getting out the chequebook.
The most expensive XI of January signings is as follows:
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Hide AdGK Shay Given - Newcastle to Manchester City, 2009: £8,100,000; now £17,918,687
LB Aymeric Laporte - Athletic Club to Manchester City, 2018: £58,500,000; now £49,289,169
CB Virgil van Dijk - Southampton to Liverpool FC, 2018: £70,920,000; now £59,753,638
CB David Luiz - Benfica to Chelsea FC, 2011: £22,500,000; now £47,285,059
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Hide AdRB Ashley Young - Watford to Aston Villa, 2007: £11,880,000; now £38,448,881
CM Scott Parker - Charlton to Chelsea FC, 2004: £12,600,000; now £42,342,755
CM Juan Mata - Chelsea to Manchester United, 2014: £40,260,000; now £69,651,225
LW José Antonio Reyes - Sevilla FC to Arsenal FC, 2004: £18,000,000; now £60,489,649
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Hide AdRW Christian Pulisic - Borussia Dortmund to Chelsea FC, 2019: £57,600,000; now £57,600,000
ST Fernando Torres - Liverpool to Chelsea FC, 2011: £52,650,000; now £110,647,037
ST Andy Carroll - Newcastle to Liverpool FC, 2011: £36,900,000; now £77,547,496
“Premier League transfer fees have continued to rise in recent seasons, but our research shows that buying in January can be a risk," said TotallyMoney’s Henry Keegan. “While some clubs have taken the opportunity to make purchases who have become long-term successes, others have found that adding players mid-season can prove to be a misguided investment.”
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Hide AdLooking back at some of the Clarets' historic Premier League transfers is also revealing, demonstrating that some then-relatively small money moves involving Turf Moor favourites would now command comparably huge fees.
Chief amongst such examples is Jay Rodriguez, who moved from the North West to Southampton in the 2012/13 season for just shy of £8m - a transfer which would cost the Saints £17.6m in 2019. Similarly, Steven Fletcher's 2010/11 £6.5m move to Wolverhampton Wanderers would land Sean Dyche's side £13.6m nowadays.
The principle works both ways, however, with fan-favourite Robbie Brady's 2016/17 £13.6m move from Norwich up to Burnley likely to cost £15.3m in the current market, while another transfer involving the aforementioned Fletcher would have also cost the Clarets more, with his 2009/10 £4.2m move representing a modern day transfer cost of £10.9m.
Looking at a host of other Premier League mega-stars, the index shows that the worth of some of the division's best players has skyrocketed. Petr ?ech's 2004 move from Stade Rennais to Chelsea cost £11.7m but would now be worth £36.9m; Rio Ferdinand's switch from West Ham United to Leeds United in 2000 cost £23.4m and would now cost £76m; and the very same Ferdinand's 2002 move across the Pennines from Leeds to Manchester United for £41.4m would now be worth an amazing £126.2m.
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Hide AdOther examples include Xabi Alonso's 2004 transfer from Real Sociedad to Liverpool for £14.4m (now worth £45.4m), Eric Cantona's move from Leeds to Manchester United in 1992 for £1.6m (now worth £27.3m), Cristiano Ronaldo's 2003 move from Sporting CP to Manchester United for £17.1m (now £57.4m), and Alan Shearer's moves from Southampton to Blackburn Rovers in 1992 for £4m (now worth £68.3m) and from Blackburn to Newcastle United in 1996 for £18.9m (now worth £110.7m).
Notable flops include Andriy Shevchenko - signed from AC Milan by Chelsea in 2006 for a then-British record fee of £39.5m - who's worth would be £128m today and who's time in London saw him score just nine league goals in 48 appearances. Sticking with Chelsea, the once-prolific Fernando Torres' 2011 move from Liverpool cost £53m (£110m today), which is a lot of money for 20 league goals in 110 appearances.
"Football transfer fees have exploded in recent years as TV rights deals have swelled clubs’ coffers," said a statement from TotallyMoney. "The first Premier League broadcasting deal saw Sky secure rights for five seasons, from 1992 to 1997, for £304m. The most recent, for 2019 to 2022, cost broadcasters more than £5 billion.
"Meanwhile, clubs have devised ever more creative ways to bring in money through sponsorship: Manchester United alone have more than 50 deals, from shirt sponsors to their official pharmaceutical partner for Korea and Vietnam," it continued. "That’s all before owners’ fortunes are taken into account."
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Hide AdIn 1992-93, the average transfer fee paid was around £800,000, whereas this season, it is £13.6m – a near 17-fold increase. If everyday items had risen at the same rate of inflation, a pint of milk would cost £5.73, a loaf of bread £8.94, and the average house price £933,000.
The Transfer Index can be found at: https://www.totallymoney.com/content/transfer-index/data/