Why the Premier League’s traditional ‘Big Six’ are buying more from the rest of the league - The Athletic

The perception of increasing Premier League-to-Premier League transfers this summer is incorrect, as such moves account for only 25% of arrivals (excluding loans), equaling the lowest rate in the last five summers.

However, the high-profile nature of specific intra-league transfers creates the illusion of an increase. Examples include Noni Madueke (Chelsea to Arsenal), Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford to Manchester United), Matheus Cunha (Wolves to Manchester United), Anthony Elanga (Nottingham Forest to Newcastle), Mohammed Kudus (West Ham to Tottenham), Joao Pedro (Brighton to Chelsea), and Liam Delap (Ipswich to Chelsea). Moves involving the 'Big Six' clubs generate the most attention.

Although the overall intra-Premier League transfer rate is below the recent average, a significant trend is emerging: wealthier 'Big Six' clubs (Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, Tottenham) are increasingly acquiring talent from other Premier League clubs. This summer, 39% of all Premier League-to-Premier League moves involve the 'Big Six' buying from the rest of the league – the highest share since 2010.

This shift contrasts sharply with the 2015-2019 period when the 'Big Six' primarily focused on signing players from abroad, with less than 15% of their summer signings coming from other Premier League clubs. During that time, European talent like Kevin De Bruyne, Mohamed Salah, Son Heung-min, William Saliba, and Jorginho were seen as more lucrative targets.