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      ‘We expected more’ – Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel reveals why he sold wonderkid Billy Gilmour to Brighton for £9m

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      THOMAS TUCHEL has revealed Chelsea “expected more” from the departed Billy Gilmour. The Blues sold the Scottish midfielder to Brighton for £9million on transfer deadline day.
      Tuchel revealed that Gilmour wouldn’t ‘fulfil his potential’ at Chelsea this season and didn’t want to go out on loan againCredit: EPA
      Gilmour, 21, agreed a four-year deal at the Amex.
      And boss Tuchel has explained the decision behind the youngster’s move to Sussex.
      Tuchel said: “We had high hopes and he played for us in the first half a year when I was at Chelsea.
      “He played some important matches for us and looked for a new challenge that did not go so well for him with Norwich.
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      “We expected more, he expected more so it was like, without pointing a finger, but it is difficult also for him and for us to not succeed.
      “To not play at Norwich, to be relegated and then suddenly be a central midfielder for Chelsea and competing for top four and for every title.
      “There’s a huge step in between so we were looking, the ideal solution would have been maybe that he goes again on loan as the concurrence is huge for us in central midfield and we felt like he is not the age where he can live again with five or six or seven matches during a whole season to fulfil his own potential so ideally, it would have been another loan.
      “Billy did not want to go on loan, it was a no-go for him so in the end, we agreed to a sale.”
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      Gilmour made a stunning start to his Chelsea career under Frank Lampard but fell out of favour under Tuchel.
      After enduring a difficult loan spell with Norwich City last season, the German boss claims Gilmour did not fancy another temporary deal.
      The ace only made 11 Prem appearances for the West London club but continues to be a regular for his country.
      He was included in the Blues’ party for their pre-season tour to the USA but was then snubbed of a squad number at the start of the season.
      He subsequently joined the Seagulls and should be given more of a chance in Graham Potter’s line up.
      Head coach Potter said: “Billy arrives with a fantastic pedigree, having played in the Premier League and Champions League as well as for Scotland at last year’s Euros.
      “He will complement our existing midfield options.
      “That experience at quite a young age shows the strength of character he has and we’re really excited by his potential.
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      “Now it’s about allowing him the time to get used to a new environment and settling in to our club.
      “We can’t wait to work with him.” More

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      My verdict on Prem’s late deals including why Aubameyang’s perfect for Chelsea and how Antony to Man Utd bamboozles me

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      THE close of the transfer window saw Premier League clubs battling to get season-saving deals over the line before time ran out.Here SunSport columnist Troy Deeney runs the rule over five of the biggest last-minute moves and reveals who will be a hit… and who could be a big-money miss.
      Wesley Fofana was one of many high-profile players signed by ChelseaCredit: Getty
      Wesley Fofana (Leicester to Chelsea)
      If you remember when Liverpool bought Virgil van Dijk, we all called that ridiculous.
      I’m not saying Wesley is Van Dijk but he is a very, very good footballer.
      Young, fresh and ready to learn from someone like Thiago Silva.
      It is an environment that demands the best.
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      Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Barcelona to Chelsea)
      Good signing. It is what Chelsea needed and a position they have been crying out for all summer.
      He knows the Premier League and could really hit the ground running if given the service.
      The Blues managed to secure the services of ex-Arsenal skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on deadline dayCredit: Getty
      Antony (Ajax to Man Utd)
      Unbelievable footballer, skilful and technically gifted but do Manchester United need another winger?
      I don’t understand that project.
      At the start of the window they wanted a midfielder, now it’s a winger.
      Manchester United brought in Antony from Ajax in an £85.5million dealCredit: Getty
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      Alexander Isak (Real Sociedad to Newcastle)
      I have to give a shout out to this guy.
      I spent some time with him in Mykonos in the summer.
      He is a real good boy, good people around him. He is a natural striker and goalscorer.
      Alexander Isak scored on his Newcastle debut in the 2-1 defeat against Liverpool on WednesdayCredit: Alamy
      Neal Maupay (Brighton to Everton)
      I am not sure on this one. How will it work? When Dominic Calvert-Lewin plays, it is long balls and crosses into the box.
      I wouldn’t say Neal thrives on that. He is a good finisher but may struggle in that system.
      Striker Neal Maupay swapped Brighton for Everton in the summer transfer windowCredit: Getty
      Who are ya? Deadline day is fun for players
      For us players, deadline day can be quite entertaining.
      We were actually going through it all at Birmingham on Thursday with a couple of signings and more rumours and links and medicals being booked.
      You end up turning into a fan yourself. Who is he? What’s his name? You are googling them and some names you haven’t heard of or you don’t know their background.
      We were sat down eating breakfast and we have got two lads who have left, and we were laughing saying that they would have normally been with us.
      We then trained, came back in and then had a few players expected to come in by lunch. That’s just how quickly it works.
      At 9am we are two players down and by 2pm we have one in.
      It is very, very rare that we know what is going on with transfers at our own clubs. You can sometimes suss it out, like a fan does, if there is too much noise around one guy.
      And if your club is signing someone, you’re thinking: ‘I hope he is not my position. I hope he is not replacing me’. It is natural.

      On the flip side, you get excited about good players getting in and start thinking how he will improve the team.
      And once they’re in, it is about getting them settled as quickly as possible so they can hit the ground running on the pitch.
      I felt that myself. I moved from Walsall to Watford in 2010 on the morning of the first game of the season, a Friday night game away at Norwich.
      I signed at 11am and by the time I got to the group it was around 4pm and the game kicked off at 7.45pm.
      I had a few hours to get to know people’s names and it was difficult for me. I was 21 at the time. Having experienced that, it is now my job to make new players feel welcome.
      We had a guy whose first day was on Thursday, so the first thing I do is go over, introduce myself. If you need anything at the club or around the area, give me a shout.
      Are you up here on your own? Do you have family? Are you single? You have kids?
      Let’s get to know you as quickly as possible, let’s get you in the WhatsApp group chat, let’s get the banter flying and make it as seamless as possible.

      You keep trying to integrate them for as long as it takes but some  players are introverts. They don’t trust you and want to be in the group chats. It is difficult.
      There are times in the back of your head when you’re thinking: ‘Cheeky b*****d, I’m trying to help you’.
      But you often forget, we only spend three or four hours a day together.
      The other 20 hours you have life going on, and they could have issues we aren’t used to or don’t know about.
      Not all humans get along and not everyone thinks the same but if that person keeps rejecting help then at some point they will end up not fitting in with the group.
      From most player perspectives it is about getting through it, and once the window is done you know this is our group now and what we are trying to do.
      I know people who were talking about leaving this summer because they aren’t playing. Suddenly that changes and they want to stay again.
      I have also had players from other clubs who I have played with before calling me saying: ‘I’ve got these options, what do you think?’ or debating over whether to join a Scottish club but commute from London.
      SunSport’s top 10 deals from deadline day
      That may sound weird but if it is a Tuesday and you want to go and have a cup of tea with your mum, it is a long old way back.
      The transfer window is now shut and opens again in January.
      To a normal civilian, that isn’t too long but if you are going to work every day knowing you’re not playing, you can feel like you have to make a rash decision that could affect your whole career and personal life.
      It is key to stress too that it isn’t just players who demand to leave.
      Often, it is managers and clubs who want players out. It works both ways.
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      After this weekend, that’s when you can start to judge a team.
      Traditionally, you would like the window to close before the season starts but, realistically, that wouldn’t work. More

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      ‘I couldn’t eat’ – New Man Utd star Antony’s teenage diary reveals brave 4-month journey from outcast to hero in Brazil

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      ANTONY has completed an incredible journey from Sao Paulo to Manchester — via Amsterdam.The Brazilian winger, 22, is now preparing for his Manchester United debut after arriving from Ajax in a stunning £85.5million deal.
      Brazilian winger Antony came through the ranks at Sao Paulo before joining AjaxCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Antony scored six goals in 52 games in all competitions for Sao PauloCredit: Getty
      While still a teenager, he wrote a book detailing his struggles in the Sao Paulo youth system while living in the city district of Osasco.
      Charlie Wyett leafs through his diary, From Overcoming A Real Dream, where he describes when he broke into the first team.

      How can four months change a person’s life? I went from distrust to glory in four months.
      I went from being unknown to one of the greatest prospects of Brazilian football. I left Osasco for the world. All this in four months.
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      In these four months I’ve needed to have a lot of strength, faith and the ability to overcome in order to reach my great objective: to be a pro footballer with Sao Paulo.
      I hope this diary serves as an inspiration for how life can change quickly when you believe in your target. It’s the beginning of a story that won’t stop for anything or anybody.
      2019 started in a sad way for me. I expected to play for Brazil’s Under-20s and for Sao Paulo in the Florida Cup. I didn’t get called up. I didn’t understand, I wanted a chance.
      I played in the Sao Paulo Cup, with my head up, and the rest is history.I grew in the competition, became more confident and my growth started there.
      Antony linked up with Manchester United on deadline day in an £85.5million dealCredit: Instagram @antony00
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      I had to be patient, I tried to listen and learn from the oldest players. When my chance came, I was going to grab it.
      I came on as a sub, we won, and I started to feel pleasure in what was to come in my career.
      I was sad I didn’t get picked for the next game. They changed coach. What would become of me, still trying to get my space?
      The new coach, Vagner Mancini, spoke to me a lot.
      From then on, the players began to receive me in a different way and to help me a lot. My confidence grew as I played more minutes.
      All that was missing was a goal and I scored a nice goal on March 20 against Sao Caetano.
      I didn’t know how to celebrate, I just wanted to take it all in. I will remember my first goal all my life, especially as it was so important as it meant us qualifying.
      We beat the favourites, Palmeiras, on penalties in the semi-final of the Brazilian league championship. It was the happiest time of my career.
      Antony could make his Red Devils debut against Arsenal at Old Trafford on SundayCredit: Instagram @antony00
      Former Ajax forward Antony won two Eredivisie titles with the Dutch clubCredit: Instagram @antony00
      I was so excited about the final against Corinthians. I was so anxious that I didn’t eat on the day of the game and I wasn’t well. I wasn’t the Antony of other games.
      I scored in the second leg. I started to think of the path I’d taken, remembering I’d been on the club’s discard list three times.
      And, suddenly, I was there in a final, scoring a goal.
      Unfortunately, we lost. I couldn’t contain my tears. After the game, I was able to take it in and feel satisfaction with the path to get there.
      After four months, I’m no longer the same Antony. How much I’ve developed.
      Now I will work double and learn double so that the path to success becomes a reality and a constant in my career. I lost a cup, I won a cup.
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      I learnt to lose and take good things even in defeat.
      I feel confident. When I enter the pitch, I do everything with heart and soul. I’m ready for the next challenges.
      Antony has been reunited with former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag and team-mate Lisandro Martinez at the Theatre of DreamsCredit: Instagram @antony00
      Antony scored 12 goals from 33 outings for Ajax during the 2022-23 campaignCredit: Instagram @antony00 More

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      Chelsea escape with warning as Uefa fine eight clubs including AC Milan, Juventus and PSG £149m for FFP breaches

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      CHELSEA, Manchester City, West Ham and Leicester have been warned they face Uefa financial fair play punishments if they cannot get their books back in balance this season.The four Prem sides were among 19 European clubs that Uefa experts ruled had only met the requirements because of Covid 19 emergency measures or historical break-even results.
      Chelsea spent over £271million this summer on new signings including defender Wesley FofanaCredit: Getty
      Former Arsenal skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang joined the Blues on deadline dayCredit: Getty
      Uefa allows clubs to record a loss of just £25m over a three year period, a significant contrast to Prem rules that allow clubs to lose £35m a season.
      And as it announced fines totalling £149m against eight European clubs, Uefa said the Prem sides will now face extra scrutiny.
      Uefa said: “The Club Financial Control Body reminded these clubs that as from financial year 2023 these exceptional Covid deductions and consideration of historical financial results will no longer be possible. 
      “These clubs were further asked for additional financial information and will be monitored closely in the upcoming period.”
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      The English quartet may not be terribly bothered though, as Uefa also confirmed that despite levying the fines against the errant eight, only £22.5m must be paid now – with the rest waived if the clubs comply with new financial regulations by the 2025-26 season.
      PSG and the Italian quartet of Juventus, Inter, Roma and Milan were joined by French duo Monaco and Marseille and Turkish side Besiktas on the Uefa naughty step.
      The French champions copped the biggest fine, of £56.2m, but with just £8.65m due immediately.
      Uefa said the punishments had been imposed after studying the accounts of the clubs from 2018 through to this summer, taking into account the effect of the pandemic.
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      Euro chiefs said: “These amounts will be withheld from any revenues these clubs earn from participating in UEFA club competitions or paid directly.
      “The clubs agreed to comply with the football earning rule during the 2025/26 season. 
      “They undertake to reach intermediate annual targets, and to the application of conditional financial and sporting measures should these targets not be met.” More

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      Mikel Arteta breaks silence on Arsenal’s failed transfer move for Aston Villa ace Douglas Luiz after THREE bids rejected

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      MIKEL ARTETA has revealed Arsenal did everything possible to sign Douglas Luiz on deadline day after having THREE bids rejected for the Aston Villa defensive midfielder.The Gunners had offers of £20million, £23m and £25m knocked back by the Villans who were adamant the Brazilian was going nowhere.
      Arsenal failed in their quest to sign Aston Villa ace Douglas Luiz on deadline dayCredit: PA
      Gunners boss Mikel Arteta has broken his silence following the club’s pursuit of LuizCredit: PA
      Luiz, 24, was keen on a switch to the Emirates – just a day after he scored in Villa’s 2-1 defeat against the North London outfit.
      But no agreement could be found between between the two clubs, with Arteta failing to be reunited with the player he briefly coached at Manchester City.
      The Villans were reluctant to part ways with Luiz despite the nine-cap international set to become a free agent at the end of the season.
      Arsenal were forced to make a late swoop for a midfielder following injuries picked up by Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny.
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      Commenting on Arsenal’s failed pursuit of Luiz in his pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday’s clash against Manchester United, Arteta said: “We had a lot of things still to do in the squad.
      “The club has done phenomenal job and put everything on the table to to try and get the players and the profile we wanted.
      “We did business pretty early but unfortunately in the last 72 hours Thomas got injured in the same place as last time and Mo has a long-term injury.
      “Then we had to react in the market and we tried to bring in the players that are right for the team and work for the club and didn’t manage to do that.
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      “We pushed to strengthen the team and bring the best possible people and players to this football club.
      “We have managed to a certain level. Time was a big limitation with what happened in the last 72 hours in our midfield.
      “It is the team that we have and for the me it is the best squad and the best players that I have available. There is nothing else we can do.
      “We have an academy as well that we have to use and try to utilise the players in the best possible way.”
      In another blow for Arsenal, Arteta has revealed that the likes of Aaron Ramsdale, Martin Odegaard and Oleksandr Zinchenko could all miss the trip to Old Trafford. More

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      Brendan Rodgers slams Wesley Fofana’s advisors for taking ‘cheap shot’ during Leicester goodbye after Chelsea transfer

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      BRENDAN RODGERS has launched a blistering attack on Wesley Fofana’s advisers.And he accused them of being behind the savage quotes Chelsea’s new £70million defender allegedly aimed at him following his controversial move to Stamford Bridge.
      Wesley Fofana appeared to take a brutal swipe at Brendan Rodgers upon signing for ChelseaCredit: Getty
      Fofana appeared to deliver a parting shot at Rodgers on his personal Instagram account, hours after the 21-year-old sealed his life-changing seven-year-deal with the Blues.
      Fofana thanked Leicester fans for their ‘kindness and constant support, even in the moments you were led to believe I didn’t respect the club’.
      However he followed that up with a direct swipe at Rodgers, adding: “I chose not to communicate during this transfer window despite all the criticism and all the often false and misleading comments, even when they were coming from the club.
      “I understood and I learned. I didn’t want to damage the image of the institution and I chose to take it rather than answer. 
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      “I thank Top for his understanding, thanks to the managers, to the coach who has always appreciated me, even if he chose to expose me a lot lately… I got it coach.”
      That was taken as a blast at his former boss but Rodgers claims those words did not come from Fofana and blamed other influences within his camp for the ‘cheap shot.’
      Rodgers rapped: “I never get too emotional with words but look at the logic of it.
      “Wesley was exposed here to a club when very few people knew who he was. 
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      “We brought him here as a 19-year-old, put him in the team, his profile went worldwide as a kid and he was absolutely brilliant.
      “He got injured, the club could have been exposed but they weren’t, they looked after him, gave him a new contract and his agents would have done really well as well.
      “We felt he was going to be here and I felt that he wanted to be here. But the game’s changed.
      “I would say the post didn’t come from Wesley. I know that for sure because I’ve had other experiences where I had a message from Wesley, which I knew wasn’t from Wesley.
      “So the post is probably a cheap shot towards the end from people and representatives other than him.”
      Rodgers believes the long-running saga over Fofana’s on-off move to Chelsea contributed to his side’s poor start to the season and current position at the foot of the table.
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      But he wishes the French kid well and says the public spat will not affect the warmth he feels towards Fofana. 
      “The kid is a great lad. He was brilliant for me,” he said. 
      “I’m not happy he has left because I’ve lost a top player. But I’m happy for him.
      “I’m not going to sit here and destroy a young guy, at 21 years of age, who gave me everything when I know really, where the message has come from.
      “We wish him all the very best and we’ll move on. I haven’t spoken to him directly but I will at some point.
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      “Our relationship is really strong. I think he said in one of his interviews I was a father-figure for him.
      “I have strong relations with him. A brilliant player, a guy who had come off the streets and came on to this stage and was brilliant for us.”
      Rodgers insists there is no personal damage done to the relationship with FofanaCredit: Getty More

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      Tottenham’s Bryan Gil posts cryptic pic about ‘being happy but not realising’ after Valencia transfer collapses

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      TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR star Bryan Gil has hinted he is unhappy at the club.Gil was set to seal a loan move to Valencia on deadline day before the move collapsed with Spurs unable to find a replacement.
      Bryan Gil joined Spurs last summer before going on loan in JanuaryCredit: AFP
      Gil’s cryptic Instagram post after the collapse of his Valencia loanCredit: Instagram @bryan11gil
      And following the collapse of the move, Gil made a cryptic post on his Instagram page.
      He posted an image with the caption: “Sometimes an old photo makes us value the moments where we were happiest and we didn’t realise.”
      Gil has not played a single minute under Antonio Conte this season.
      It is clear to see he is far down the pecking order in terms of attackers at Tottenham, with the signing of Richarlison pushing him further down the order.
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      The 21-year-old played just 85 minutes of Premier League football under both Nuno Espirito Santo and Conte before the latter sanctioned a loan move to Valencia for the winger.
      Tottenham brought Gil for a fee of £22million plus Erik Lamela from Sevilla, with Gil at the time being one of La Liga’s rising stars.
      However, things have not worked out for him across the English channel and his move to England is threatening to turn sour.
      Tottenham had been in line to secure a loan deal for Dan James before he sealed a season long-loan with Fulham.
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      For Spurs any outgoing movement in the market would need to be facilitated by incoming players, with Conte refusing to weaken his squad ahead of a packed fixture schedule.
      Games will be coming thick and fast ahead of the World Cup, and Erik ten Hag referenced the need for quality in numbers for Manchester United’s £85.5m deadline day deal of Antony. More

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      Premier League clubs smash £1BILLION net spend barrier for first time in transfer window as Chelsea splash most cash

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      PREMIER LEAGUE clubs’ net spending broke the £1billion barrier for the first time this transfer window.But League chiefs believe the rise in revenues across the board means spending is NOT out of control.

      Todd Boehly’s Chelsea were the biggest spenders in the Premier League this summerCredit: Getty
      The total amount spent by Prem clubs in the summer window was a staggering £1.92bn and 34 per cent more than the previous record of £1.4bn, set in the summer of 2017.
      With the 20 top flight clubs recouping £850million in sales, it meant a net spend of £1.07bn, the first time the billion pound mark has been crossed, dwarfing the £665m net spend of 2017.
      Top-flight chiefs, though, believe the stunning spending is justified.
      The previous 2017 record equated to 30 per cent of the clubs’ total turnover that season.
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      And even though this summer’s dealing went through the roof, it only represented 32 per cent of turnover.
      That is because of the rise in broadcast TV revenue, which will be worth more than £10bn over the next three seasons after a huge rise in overseas income.
      With gate income up with full houses back after the Covid-induced squeeze on clubs and a number of increased commercial deals, Premier League bosses are happy the spending was not disproportionate.
      There is also an acceptance that 2022 was the first summer after the pandemic.
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      Added to that was the arrival of new owners at Chelsea, who contributed £255.3m – 13 per cent of the League’s total spend – and the first summer window for the new Saudi-led Newcastle board.
      Their £204m net spend, according to Transfermarkt, was marginally more than Manchester United’s while Brighton and Leicester made the biggest profits.
      And Nottingham Forest’s remarkable squad overhaul was also, at least in part, felt inevitable after so many of the promotion-winning players under Steve Cooper were on loan at the club or coming to the end of their contract.
      Football’s leading financial analysts, Deloitte, suggested the spending pattern was no surprise – but a sign of the Prem’s rude health.
      Lead partner Tim Bridge said: “The record level of spending during this transfer window is a clear indication of Premier League clubs’ confidence, as fans return to stadia and a new broadcast cycle begins.
      “It’s now become part and parcel of the Premier League that clubs are willing to pay significant sums to maximise performance. 
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      “This season, the desire to acquire playing talent has reached new levels as the pressure for clubs to stay in the competition is higher than ever before.”
      However, Bridge warned: “Recent years have demonstrated the risks of clubs sustaining high levels of spend while failing to get their financial house in order. 
      “Particularly in the current economic climate, as costs begin to rise, the importance of retaining financial stability off the pitch should be as much a focus for clubs as ensuring their success on it.”
      Around £150m of the spending went to Championship clubs, including Spurs’ £20m acquisition of Djed Spence from Middlesbrough – one of those on loan at Forest last term.
      Forest’s total spend of £126m was the highest by any promoted club in English history and only the third time a team joining the Prem had splashed out more than £100m.
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      Bridge added: “The high spend of those clubs looking to secure their place in the Premier League is an indicator of the widening gap between the Premier League and the Championship. 
      “This shift is partly attributable to the financial impact of the pandemic, which was felt more harshly by Championship than Premier League clubs.”
      Antony was the most expensive transfer in the world this summer at £85.5mCredit: Getty
      Newcastle smashed their transfer record to sign Alexander Isak for £60mCredit: Getty
      Nottingham Forest have seen a dramatic turnover with a complete overhaulCredit: Reuters More