Clubs in the Premier League paid a combined £460 million to agents from February 2025 to February 2026, a 13 per cent rise on the previous 12 months, according to figures released on Wednesday, April 1.
The payments cover deals involving players, coaches and clubs, including transfers and contract negotiations.
For the third year running, Chelsea FC were the biggest spenders, handing agents £65.1m. The figures emerged on the same day the west London club confirmed the largest pre‑tax loss in Premier League history, posting a £262m deficit for the 2024-2025 season. That eclipses the £197.5m loss recorded by Manchester City FC in 2011.
Chelsea linked the loss partly to a record number of player sales, with close to £300m worth of departures made to comply with UEFA sanctions. After paying a record £75m to agents in 2023-24, the club’s spending across the last three assessment periods now totals about £200m.
Aston Villa FC ranked second with £38.4m, up by £13.4m, the biggest increase of any club. Much of that rise came from renegotiated contracts and new professional registrations under manager Unai Emery. City were third on £37.4m, although their expenses fell sharply by £14.8m year on year.
Elsewhere, Arsenal FC paid £32.1m, Liverpool FC spent £33.9m and Wolverhampton Wanderers FC paid £26m, all notable increases. Promotion through the play‑offs pushed Sunderland AFC from £2.2m to £10.6m.
Seven clubs reduced payments, including Brentford FC, Fulham FC, Manchester United FC, Nottingham Forest FC and West Ham United FC. Newcastle United FC cut spending to £20.3m, while promoted Leeds United FC trimmed their total to £14m.
Spending in the Women’s Super League jumped 75 per cent to £3.8m, with Chelsea again the biggest contributors at £1.1m. The Championship saw a 10 per cent rise to £69.7m, led by Ipswich Town FC on £11.7m.
In League One, fees surged 85 per cent to £14m, driven largely by Luton Town FC, Cardiff City FC and Huddersfield Town AFC. League Two spending dipped slightly to £2.6m.
Chelsea’s financial results showed revenue of £490.9m, the second highest in club history, after winning the UEFA Conference League and the FIFA Club World Cup while finishing fourth in the league. The club said it remains compliant with Profit and Sustainability Rules, which allow £105m in losses over three years.
Since the takeover by BlueCo in 2022, more than £1 billion has been spent on new signings. Naija News reports that UEFA fined the club £26.7m earlier this season for breaching squad cost ratio rules and continues to monitor its finances over three years.
