Image Credits: Imago Images
Liverpool face a crucial period as players return from the international break in the coming days. The Reds resume action with an FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester City on Saturday, before travelling to Paris for the first leg of their Champions League clash with PSG.
Alongside the battle to secure a top-four finish, Arne Slot’s side have plenty to play for as they look to salvage a disappointing season. Their finish could also shape plans for a significant summer rebuild following Mohamed Salah’s decision to leave.
Off the pitch, Premier League clubs paid £460m to agents between February 2025 and February 2026 – a 13% increase on the previous year, according to BBC Sport.
Chelsea topped the list for a third consecutive year with £65.1m, despite posting a record pre-tax loss of £262m. The club attributed part of this to a high volume of player sales, offloading nearly £300m worth of talent to meet UEFA regulations.
Aston Villa ranked second with £38.4m, marking the biggest increase, while Manchester City were third with £37.4m, despite reducing their spending significantly.
Arsenal (£32.1m), Liverpool (£33.9m) and Wolves (£26m) also recorded notable rises. Liverpool spent over £400million in a record-breaking 2025 summer transfer window, with Arne Slot heavily backed through the arrivals of Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz, among others.
Despite that investment, the Reds have struggled to mount a strong defence of their Premier League title and could turn to the transfer market again this summer to refresh the squad.
Slot’s debut season initially exceeded expectations, as he seamlessly succeeded Jurgen Klopp and guided Liverpool to the title, but the current campaign has proven far more challenging.
Elsewhere, Sunderland’s promotion saw their payments jump to £10.6m, while Newcastle and Leeds were among clubs to reduce spending.
In the lower leagues, Championship payments rose 10% to £69.7m, led by Ipswich Town (£11.7m). League One spending surged 85% to £14m, while League Two saw a slight drop to £2.6m. In the Women’s Super League, agent fees increased by 75% to £3.8m, with Chelsea again the highest spenders at £1.1m.
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