Premier League summer spending record broken as Leeds United sign Okafor

Leeds United has completed the signing of AC Milan striker Noah Okafor for £18 million, a transfer that has tipped the Premier League’s summer spending past an all-time record of £2.37 billion. The Switzerland international joins the newly-promoted club on a four-year deal.

Okafor is the ninth summer signing for Leeds since their return to the top flight. "As a kid, I dreamed of playing in the Premier League. That's why for me it was quite an easy decision," said Okafor. "My football suits the Premier League so this is like a dream come true. I can't wait to step on the field."

The 25-year-old forward played for Basel and RB Salzburg before joining AC Milan on a five-year deal in 2023. He struggled for consistent playing time, scoring seven goals in 54 games for the Italian club and spending the second half of last season on loan at Serie A rivals Napoli.

Okafor's arrival at Elland Road is part of a wider trend in the Premier League, which has seen an explosion in spending this summer. According to data from FootballTransfers.com, the £2.37 billion total surpasses the previous record of £2.36 billion set in the summer of 2023.

Several clubs have contributed to this record-breaking figure by setting new club records of their own. Brentford broke their record with a deal worth up to £42.5 million for Dango Ouattara, while newly-promoted Burnley and Sunderland spent £25 million and £26 million respectively on French midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu and Senegal midfielder Habib Diarra.

Nottingham Forest has broken their club record twice this summer, first for Switzerland winger Dan Ndoye and then for Omari Hutchison for £37.5 million. Liverpool also made a statement with the signing of German playmaker Florian Wirtz for a guaranteed £100 million, a deal that could rise to a British record with add-ons.

With 10 days remaining in the transfer window, it is all but certain that the new spending record will be pushed even higher, making this the biggest transfer window in the history of the Premier League.