THE CHIRPING OF CRICKETS
At the end of a January transfer window in which Fabrizio Romano’s phone buzzed with less frequency than a hermit’s doorbell, the final tallies are in. After three consecutive record-breaking January spends on the bounce, financial outlay is down; way down. As down as a No 1 hit by denim clad, three-chord tricksters Status Quo called Down Down, boasting the chorus “down down, deeper and down”.
With a combined outlay of just £100m, Premier League teams spent £715m less than in the 2023 winter window. A total of 19 Premier League teams spent £227m less than Chelsea did in the corresponding month last year. A pittance of £30m was spent in disclosed fee…