Germany’s top-flight Bundesliga clubs have on Monday invested a record €699.5 million (or $766.9 million) in 156 new players in the transfer period which closes Monday, provisional figures shows.
The figure beats the previous highest amount from 2017 when the 18 clubs paid about €577 million for new players.
According to a survey by dpa, Clubs had revenue from transfers of €657 million, before the close of the transfer window.
However, the figures did not include payments for loan deals and possible bonus payments.
A total of 26 players were hired on loan including big-name arrival Philippe Coutinho, for whom Bayern paid Barcelona around €8.5 million.
Brazil midfielder Coutinho, could in 2020, became the first player to cost a Bundesliga club more than €100 million as Bayern had purchase option for some €120 million on the 27-year-old player.
The Bundesliga’s two leading clubs, Borussia Dortmund (€137 million) and Bayern Munich (€130 million), had so far spent the most.
At the other end of the scale, promoted Paderborn spent just €150,000 on new signings.
Eintracht Frankfurt (€141.5 million) and Borussia Dortmund (€130.5 million) earned the most on player sales, while promoted Union Berlin and Werder Bremen had no earnings on sales.
Defender Lucas Hernandez, who moved from Atletico Madrid to Bayern for a Bundesliga record €80 million, was the most expensive signing, while Frankfurt had biggest sale in Luka Jovic to Real Madrid for some €60 million.
Frankfurt were also due to complete the transfer to AC Milan of Croatia forward Ante Rebic for some 40 million euros while in exchange welcoming Portugal forward Andre Silva on a loan arrangement.(dpa/NAN)
