Belgian football clubs among top sellers in January transfer window
FIFA recorded a total of 4,716 international transfers in men’s football during the winter transfer window, an increase of 0.6 per cent compared to the previous year. French clubs spent the most, and Belgian clubs received the third highest amount of transfer payments.
The world football body published its International Transfer Snapshot on Tuesday, which lists all transfers of the past winter transfer period. It shows that clubs’ spending on transfers in men’s football amounted to 1.46 billion dollars, the second-highest amount ever for a January transfer window.
In women’s football, spending in the transfer period reached a new record of 2.1 million dollars, 165.5 per cent higher than a year ago. FIFA recorded 357 international transfers in the women’s game, up 0.3 per cent from January 2023.
French clubs were the biggest spenders in the men’s game, with a total spend of 291.9 million dollars, more than double the amount they spent last January. English teams usually top the rankings and this year were the second biggest spenders, at 184 million dollars.
Belgian clubs spent 28.4 million dollars, ranking them 13th among the countries surveyed. However, Belgium ranks third for incoming payments, at 110.2 million dollars for 69 players. Only Brazil at 251.2 million and Portugal with 132.2 million saw more money come in. Among Belgium’s big transfers were Gift Orban and Malick Fofana, who both left KAA Gent for Olympique Lyonnais.
Gift Orban and Malick Fofana of Gent before their sale to Olympique Lyonnais in France © PHOTO DAVID CATRY / ISOSPORT
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