The winter transfer window closed its doors twelve days ago. This year, the month of January was not very rich in news in the football world. The proof with the latest report concerning the 2024 winter window published by FIFA. There were slightly more operations, but the amounts invested were lower than last year. “During the January 2024 window, men’s football recorded 4,716 international transfers. According to FIFA’s International Transfer Snapshot report, this number is an increase of 0.6% compared to the previous January window. With USD 1.46 billion (approximately 1.36 billion euros) invested in men’s football, clubs rose to 8.2% of the record set in January 2023 (1.6 billion dollars, or approximately 1.493 billion euros). ‘euros, editor’s note). This total still remains the second highest in history”.
However, and this is quite rare to underline it, France was the most spending country in the winter transfer window, ahead of England (€171.7 million), Germany (€140.9 million) and Spain (€138.8 million). An observation due in large part, it must be said, to the two €20 million recruits from Paris Saint-Germain (Lucas Beraldo and Gabriel Moscardo) and especially to the need for Olympique Lyonnais to strengthen its squad to avoid relegation to Ligue 2 As a reminder, the seven-time French champions spent nearly €60 million to bring in Nemanja Matic, Gift Orban, Adryelson, Lucas Perri, Malick Fofana, Orel Mangala and Saïd Benrahma.
The L1 animated the transfer window
All this, without forgetting the recruitment campaigns of Stade Rennais (€26 million for Alidu Seidu and Azor Matusiwa) and Olympique de Marseille (€22 million for Ulisses Garcia, Faris Moumbagna and Jean Onana). “France tops the ranking of the most active countries on the international transfer market in January 2024 since its clubs spent USD 291.9 million (around €272 million, editor’s note), or more than double the ‘last year “indicates the governing body, which also confirmed the very low activity of English clubs due to the financial fair play rules imposed by the Premier League.
“Conversely, English club spending has collapsed by almost 80% compared to January 2023, when it reached a record amount. However, this is still enough to achieve the second highest total among all federations. England and Spain recorded the highest number of incoming transfers in women’s football – 29 each – while Sweden and the United States were involved in 30 outgoing transfers. » The next FIFA report will be published in September 2024.
