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Premier League clubs spent £70m on agent fees
The signing of Lescott took City's total spending to nearly £150m
England's top-flight clubs spent more than £70m on fees to agents between October 2008 and September 2009, according to Premier League figures. Manchester City, bankrolled by Sheikh Mansour, were the biggest spenders - shelling out almost £13m.
Manager Mark Hughes spent nearly £150m in the transfer market in the same period, including £25m on Emmanuel Adebayor and £22.5m on Joleon Lescott.
Chelsea were second having spent £9.5m while Burnley were the lowest spenders.
Manchester United were near the bottom of the list, spending £1.5m on fees having been relatively quiet in the transfer market.
Last summer, they spent a reported £16m on Wigan's Antonio Valencia and £3m on French winger Gabriel Obertan.
City, however, have embarked on a massive recruitment drive over the last year.
As well as Adebayor and Lescott, City signed goalkeeper Shay Given, defenders Wayne Bridge and Kolo Toure, strikers Craig Bellamy, Carlos Tevez and Roque Santa Cruz as well as midfielders Gareth Barry and Nigel de Jong.
City chief financial officer Graham Wallace told the club's website: "As has previously been stated by our chief executive Garry Cook, the level of player acquisition over the past year has been unprecedented as we have sought to rebuild our playing squad.
"Squad building at this level and within such a short time frame is unlikely to be repeated.
"The figure in question relates to payments made for 35 players, many of whom predate this time period.
"The fees represent an average of £360,000 per transaction, and the total amount falls well within our annual budget and operating plan as approved by our board."
Tottenham were fourth in the list with a figure of £6,066,935 and manager Harry Redknapp said: "When I see some of the figures banded about it seems like we're in the wrong game.
"That's the game to be in. It's incredible when I see some of the figures, just amazing. Obviously people have made an awful lot of money out of being football agents over the last few years."
It is the first time the figures from top-flight clubs have been published after the elite 20 followed the example set by the Football League, who began to publish annual spending reports five years ago.
Under new regulations, clubs agree to the publication of the figures after 30 November each year.
A Football Association spokesperson said: "We are pleased that, through these new requirements, clubs are bringing greater transparency to the domestic transfer market.
"For the first time, there will be a game-wide picture of the level of spending on agents. The leagues and other key stakeholders have been fully supportive, following the example set by the Football League with its publication of agents fees over the last few years."
Total money spent on agents (from Oct 08 - Sep 09):
Manchester City - £12,874,283
Chelsea - £9,562,223
Liverpool - £6,657,305
Tottenham - £6,066,935
West Ham - £5,527,548
Arsenal - £4,760,241
Wigan - £3,576,972
Portsmouth - £3,184,725
Bolton - £3,166,611
Everton - £2,008,407
Sunderland - £2,007,040
Aston Villa - £1,708,374
Blackburn - £1,610,885
Hull - £1,599,188
Manchester United - £1,517,393
Fulham - £1,469,258
Wolves - £1,235,703
Birmingham - £974,982
Stoke - £716,042
Burnley - £468,398
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/8387561.stm
The signing of Lescott took City's total spending to nearly £150mEngland's top-flight clubs spent more than £70m on fees to agents between October 2008 and September 2009, according to Premier League figures. Manchester City, bankrolled by Sheikh Mansour, were the biggest spenders - shelling out almost £13m.
Manager Mark Hughes spent nearly £150m in the transfer market in the same period, including £25m on Emmanuel Adebayor and £22.5m on Joleon Lescott.
Chelsea were second having spent £9.5m while Burnley were the lowest spenders.
Manchester United were near the bottom of the list, spending £1.5m on fees having been relatively quiet in the transfer market.
Last summer, they spent a reported £16m on Wigan's Antonio Valencia and £3m on French winger Gabriel Obertan.
City, however, have embarked on a massive recruitment drive over the last year.
As well as Adebayor and Lescott, City signed goalkeeper Shay Given, defenders Wayne Bridge and Kolo Toure, strikers Craig Bellamy, Carlos Tevez and Roque Santa Cruz as well as midfielders Gareth Barry and Nigel de Jong.
City chief financial officer Graham Wallace told the club's website: "As has previously been stated by our chief executive Garry Cook, the level of player acquisition over the past year has been unprecedented as we have sought to rebuild our playing squad.
"Squad building at this level and within such a short time frame is unlikely to be repeated.
"The figure in question relates to payments made for 35 players, many of whom predate this time period.
"The fees represent an average of £360,000 per transaction, and the total amount falls well within our annual budget and operating plan as approved by our board."
Tottenham were fourth in the list with a figure of £6,066,935 and manager Harry Redknapp said: "When I see some of the figures banded about it seems like we're in the wrong game.
"That's the game to be in. It's incredible when I see some of the figures, just amazing. Obviously people have made an awful lot of money out of being football agents over the last few years."
It is the first time the figures from top-flight clubs have been published after the elite 20 followed the example set by the Football League, who began to publish annual spending reports five years ago.
Under new regulations, clubs agree to the publication of the figures after 30 November each year.
A Football Association spokesperson said: "We are pleased that, through these new requirements, clubs are bringing greater transparency to the domestic transfer market.
"For the first time, there will be a game-wide picture of the level of spending on agents. The leagues and other key stakeholders have been fully supportive, following the example set by the Football League with its publication of agents fees over the last few years."
Total money spent on agents (from Oct 08 - Sep 09):
Manchester City - £12,874,283
Chelsea - £9,562,223
Liverpool - £6,657,305
Tottenham - £6,066,935
West Ham - £5,527,548
Arsenal - £4,760,241
Wigan - £3,576,972
Portsmouth - £3,184,725
Bolton - £3,166,611
Everton - £2,008,407
Sunderland - £2,007,040
Aston Villa - £1,708,374
Blackburn - £1,610,885
Hull - £1,599,188
Manchester United - £1,517,393
Fulham - £1,469,258
Wolves - £1,235,703
Birmingham - £974,982
Stoke - £716,042
Burnley - £468,398
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/8387561.stm
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