As the dust settles on the winter transfer window the success signings in 2014 is under scrutiny following the Soccerex Transfer Review by Prime Time Sport.

Only 34% of the players purchased in the transfer window in 2014 have played more than half the number of minutes in the Premier League.

Of the big money purchases in the summer Sanchez (Arsenal) and Lukaku (Everton) are repaying the investment with minutes on the pitch compared to the Premier League’s most expensive summer signing, Manchester United’s Di Maria who hasn’t featured in 50% of the time played.

Chelsea continue to Drive the European Transfer System

Chelsea continued to reign supreme in the winter transfer market and have been crowned the “Kings of the Winter” in the Soccerex Transfer Review by Prime Time Sport.

The English Premier League leaders have monopolized the winter window for the last six seasons and top both expenditure (€216m) and sales (€130m) across the top 5 leagues in Europe for that period.

Roman Abramovich’s Chelsea led the way yet again in 2015 spending €35m and recouping €48m; topping the sales table across `Europe for the second year in a row.

The purchase of Cuadrado (€34.6m) was the highest fee paid for a player across Europe this winter.

Cuadrado is joined in the top ten most expensive signings of the winter window by Manchester City’s €32.3m for Bony and Wolfsburg’s €32m for Schürrle. However, still some way behind Chelsea’s spend of €59m for Fernando Torres.

Stability the key to success?

Whilst Chelsea continue the churn of players both in and out they actually boast the most stable team in the Premier League.

10 of their players have participated in 70% of the minutes played this season and Captain John Terry is one of only 8 players that have played every minute in 2014/15.

Hull City’s Ahmed Elmohamady is the only non defender to have played every minute this campaign.

Manchester United and Tottenham only have 4 players in their current squads who have played over 70% of minutes this season.

Investment continues to grow despite FFP

Despite the Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations, investment by European teams in the winter window grew by 34% to €385m to the highest amount in the last four years.

The Premier League were the leaders in investment across Europe once again doubling that of second placed Bundesliga, whose €74m was a 224% increase of the previous season.

A total of 137 players left the Premier League in January of which 87 (64%) were on loan.

Chelsea and Manchester United offloaded the most number of players with 14 and 11 respectively with West Ham close behind on 10.

Crystal Palace with 7 and Swansea with 4 were the most active in terms of player acquisition.

Esteve Calzada, former FC Barcelona CMO and CEO of Prime Time Sport, said: “The Soccerex Transfer Review by Prime Time Sport demonstrates that spending in the winter transfer window was only up 8% by English Premier League clubs due to the increasing value of the pound.”

“We can also see the Bundesliga coming to the fore with the highest net player investment (€60m) during the calendar year, overtaking the English Premier League for the first time.”

Read the full Soccerex Transfer Review by Prime Time Sport go to
http://mysoccerex.com/SoccerexTransferReview2015WinterEditionPremier%20League.pdf