Value of football transfers hit 5-year low in 2021: FIFA

 PARIS  - The value of football transfers globally in 2021 was the lowest for five years as the coronavirus pandemic took its toll

on clubs' finances for a second year, according to FIFA's "Global Transfer
Report".

   Spending on transfer fees was $4.86 billion, a fall of 13.6 percent
compared to 2020 and a decrease of 33.8 percent compared to the record levels
of 2019.

   While the biggest transfer of 2021, Romelu Lukaku's o97.5 million ($133.7
million) move from Inter Milan to Chelsea, caught the eye, overall transfer
spending fell despite the number of transactions increasing.

   A total of 18,068 transfers were registered, against 17,190 in 2020, a
rise of five percent.

   The top ten transfers alone generated almost 15 percent of the total
spending while the vast majority of moves -- nearly 88 percent -- involved
free transfers, suggesting cash-strapped clubs were looking for bargains.

   "While all clubs needed to freshen up their squads (with the overall
number of transfers at a similar level to the 2019 peak), clubs were not as
eager to pay transfer fees," the report said.

   French players were the nationality that accounted for the highest amount
of spending, with $643 million dollars, displacing Brazil from the top spot.BSS/AFP