Midlands clubs balance the books
Football teams in the Midlands have returned to a more 'normal' level of spending during the summer transfer window, according to accountancy firm Grant Thornton's football transfer tracker.
Geoff Mesher, a forensic accounting partner in the firm’s sport advisory group, added that there had been a bias towards buying young English talent this year.
The firm's tracker said that gross outlays nationwide on players by teams in the Premier League, Championship and League 1 totalled £518m.
Whilst this represents an increase from the summer of 2010 when expenditure was £386m, it is short of the summer transfer window of 2008 in which fees of £544m were paid.
Speaking about Midlands' clubs' spending techniques, Mesher said: "The Midlands' figures reflect the national picture in that gross spending is up but net spending down.
"Leicester, Stoke and Wolves have been the big net spenders whereas Aston Villa continue to balance the books by being net sellers. Birmingham have made sales probably as a result of relegation to the Championship.
"None of the Midlands clubs are in the ‘big league’ when it comes to spending. Although Leicester have spent big for a Championship club they seem to have taken a measured approach in this window."
