FA figures reveal cost of Leeds United agent fees…

FA figures reveal cost of Leeds United agent fees during busy 2022-23 transfer windows

Leeds United spent more on agents' fees this season than almost any other Premier League club outside the so-called ‘big six’. In the 2022/23 season, Premier League clubs spent a record-breaking £2.8 billion on transfers.

Chelsea’s new owners flexed their muscles significantly as the Blues spent more than £500 million alone across both transfer windows. And according to new data released by the FA, clubs in the top flight shelled out a total of £318.2 million on agents/intermediaries fees during this season.

Compared to last year, spending on agents fees jumped up by 16.7%, with Premier League clubs spending £272.6 million in 2021/22.

However, the increase in agent fees from the previous year was less significant than the increase in the overall transfer spend. PL clubs spent £1.44 billion on transfers in 2021/22. In 2022/23, the transfer outlay almost doubled to £2.8 billion.

This season, Leeds United spent £15.3 million on fees to agents and intermediaries, the eighth-most of any club and only marginally less than title-challengers Arsenal, who spent £16.7 million. The Whites had a busy summer in the transfer window, bringing a host of players following the big-money departures of Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha.

That means Leeds were the second biggest spenders in the league on agents' fees outside of the Premier League’s traditional ‘big six’ sides. But no English club has spent more on agents fees than Manchester City, with Pep Guardiola’s treble-winning side spending a total of £51.6 million.

Chelsea were a close second, with a £43.2 million outlay, despite spending significantly more than City on transfer fees.

Following City and Chelsea in order of spending are the other ‘big six’ clubs in Liverpool (£33.7 million), Manchester United (£24.7 million), Arsenal (£16.7 million), and Tottenham (£16.1 million).

The likes of Brentford, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest find themselves at the bottom of the table with the least money spent on agents. Brentford - who secured an impressive, ninth-placed finish this season - spent just £5.6m on agents. Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest, who were both promoted from the Championship last summer, spent £5.1m and £4.4m respectively, on agents.

Vyom Chaudhary, football expert at Safebettingsites.com, said: “It’s interesting to note that City tops the list of agents' fees despite doing very limited transfer business during 2022-23. It’s very likely, as multiple reports have suggested, that City had to spend a huge sum of money on agents to acquire Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund.”