The number of transfers in men’s professional football accelerated again in 2022, after two years marked by the impact of the covid-19 pandemic, according to a FIFA report released on Thursday.
In 2022, the number of international transfers increased by 11.6%, reaching 20,209, and compensation for these operations reached USD 6.5 billion (6 billion euros), 33.5% more than in 2021, although still far from the 2019 record (US$ 7.35 billion).
Brazilians continue to be the players that most carry out international transfers (both in number and in compensation value) and French clubs are the ones that most export their players, receiving a total of U$ 740.3 million (678 million euros) .
Clubs in England, whose league is the richest in the world, logically continue to lead as the biggest buyers and shelled out nearly $2.2 billion (2 billion euros), a new record.
They signed six of the ten most expensive players of the year in 2022, with the arrivals of Uruguayan Darwin Núñez and Colombian Luis Díaz to Liverpool, Brazilians Antony and Casemiro to Manchester United, Norwegian Erling Haaland to Manchester City and Swede Alexander Isaac to Newcastle .
Frenchman Aurélien Tchouaméni (from Monaco to Real Madrid), Dutchman Matthijs De Ligt (from Juventus to Bayern Munich), Spaniard Ferran Torres (from Manchester City to Barcelona) and Brazilian Raphinha (from Leeds to Barcelona ) round out the top 10 for international transfers.
The traditional Fifa world report on transfers also confirms the rise of women’s football, with a new increase in international transfers, this time by 19%.
“This highlights the enormous strides that have taken place since more and more female players have turned professional,” said Emilio Garcia Silvero, head of FIFA’s Legal Services and Compliance Division, in FIFA’s statement.
On the other hand, the war in Ukraine fueled the “amateur” transfer market last year. Ukrainian players were “by far the most represented group among transfer amateurs in 2022 with a total of 5,910 transfers”. Second on that list are the French, with 3,661 transfers.
Source: Gazetaesportiva
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