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United spending hits record high

Radamel Falcao joined Manchester United on deadline day in a £6 million loan deal © Getty Images

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Manchester United have opted to spend their way out of trouble as they became the biggest-spending British club in a single transfer window.

The deadline-day capture of Radamel Falcao on a £6 million loan deal and confirmation of Daley Blind's arrival for £13.8m sent the former champions' spending to almost £150m as they responded to the disappointment of finishing seventh last season.

Falcao and Blind join a United squad already bolstered by the big-money signings of Luke Shaw (£27m), Ander Herrera (£28.8m), and Angel Di Maria, who moved to Old Trafford from Real Madrid for a British record £59.7m.

Overall spending on transfers by British clubs this summer hit an all-time high of £835m, according to financial analysts Deloitte. The previous record, set last year, stood at £630m.

Deadline day spending was down £55m to £85m compared to 2013, with the two biggest Premier League deals of the summer completed earlier in the window. Arsenal's £30m move for Alexis Sanchez from Barcelona was second only to United's signing of Di Maria in the money stakes.

United offset some of their losses by selling Danny Welbeck to Arsenal for £16m at the 11th hour, but their gross spend of almost £150m was the highest by any club in a single transfer window.

Liverpool and Chelsea followed United with outlays of £117m and £91.3m respectively.

"We continue to see the increased resources that Premier League clubs enjoy, as a result of improved broadcast deals, translate into investment in players," Deloitte partner Dan Jones said.

"Last season the average Premier League club received over £25m more in central broadcast distributions than they did in 2012-13, which has helped fuel a new record spend this summer."

In contrast to their Premier League rivals, Manchester City stand to turn a profit from the latest transfer window.

The champions have splashed almost £50m on news players this summer. But with the likes of Javi Garcia, Alvaro Negredo, Jack Rodwell and Micah Richards leaving the club, City could see their incomings outstrip their outgoings, depending on how the deals play out.

City stand to earn almost £54m if the loan moves of Negredo and Richards to Valencia and Fiorentina respectively become permanent deals next year.

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