Price war among lenders pushes transfer financing costs to unprecedented lows for top clubs
IMAGO | Alexander Isak fronted Premier League clubs’ record €3.59 billion summer spending, aided by unprecedentedly low transfer financing costs.
The Recap: Record transfer spending coincided with unprecedented competition among lenders, driving borrowing costs for top clubs to historic lows.
Data Insights: Margins on transfer receivables fell from north of 2 per cent on average to 1.5 per cent among elite clubs, as an influx of new funders flooded the market with cheap credit.
Why It Matters: The unprecedented squeeze on lending margins is changing how money moves in football, revealing a new balance of power between clubs seeking liquidity and lenders chasing returns.
The Perspective: If the current ‘race to the bottom’ continues, the short-term liquidity boom for clubs could give way to long-term consolidation, leaving fewer funders and higher borrowing costs for clubs across European football.
8 October 2025 - 3:53 PM
Europe's leading football clubs have accessed the cheapest liquidity in football finance history, as increased competition among banks and funds has driven financing costs to unprecedented lows.
Lending margins on transfer receivables - loans secured against instalment payments owed between clubs - have fallen to record levels this summer, according to market sources. The shift represents a significant change in football finance dynamics duri
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