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English clubs dominate international transfer deals-FIFA

Football

By Reuters | Jan 28, 2015

Wayne Rooney celebrates after scoring a goal with teammates during a past English Premier League football match. PHOTO / AFP

LONDON: English clubs are spending more money in the international transfer market than any other country in the world according to a FIFA report published on Wednesday.

The findings of the 2015 FIFA/TMS Global Transfer Market Systems Report, covering the last 12 months, shows English clubs spent more than $770 million on foreign players -- about $308 million (67 percent) more than their nearest rivals Spain.

In total, clubs around the world spent $4.06 billion signing players from outside their own borders. The report does not include domestic transfers.

Brazil is the most active country in terms of international transfers with 1,335 deals -- incoming and outgoing -- followed by England with 1,263 and Portugal with 823.

One area highlighted in the report for the first time concerns the transfers of young players under the age of 18.

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Spanish clubs sign more overseas youngsters under 18 -- a fact highlighted last week when Real Madrid unveiled 16-year-old Norwegian "wonderkid" Martin Odegaard who they bought from Stromsgodset earlier this month.

Real's arch rivals Barcelona have been hit by a FIFA transfer ban for breaching the strict rules regarding the signing of young players, while Real Madrid are also being investigated by FIFA for alleged similar offences.

The report states: "In 2014, Spain was the country that engaged the highest number of minors. 400 minor applications were submitted, and 352 were accepted. This is a much higher number than any other association worldwide."

Mark Goddard, general manager of FIFA/TMS, told a conference call: "It is important to note that the more minor applications the better. We are happy to see they are putting in so many applications -- that's what they should be doing.

"We can then examine them and the ones that do not break any rules are approved."

The FIFA/TMS partnership was established in 2007 with the transfer matching system (TMS) set up to facilitate and monitor international transfers.