Premier League clubs may have eclipsed their European rivals in terms of spending during the transfer window but both Spain's and Italy's top flights have made an overall surplus from player trading.
Deadline day spending of £140million by England's top-flight clubs pushed the total splashed out in the summer transfer window to £630m - smashing the previous record.
In Spain and Italy the total spent was £335m in each league but both the Primera Division (£95m) and Serie A (£10m) generated net surpluses despite Gareth Bale's world record 100m euro (£85.3million) transfer to Real Madrid.
In Germany's Bundesliga, the net spend was only £50m compared to £400m in England.
The advent of UEFA's financial fair play measures, plus economic difficulties in those countries, appear to have contributed to a more prudent approach.
Analysis by the business advisory firm Deloitte said Premier League clubs' gross spending on players was 29 per cent up on the 2012 figure of £490m and £130m more than the previous record of £500m set in 2008.
Alex Thorpe, consultant in Deloitte's sports business group, said each Premier League club is benefiting from a share of an extra £600m of television revenues this season alone after the negotiation of huge new broadcasting contracts.
Thorpe said: "Whereas many clubs around Europe have been reliant on selling players in order to spend, the financial advantages Premier League clubs enjoy has enabled net spending of £400m across the league.
"Many clubs, including new entrants to the league, have successfully competed in the European transfer market to attract high profile foreign talent."
The four English clubs competing in this season's Champions League - Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United - accounted for for £230m, 37 per cent of the total.
Source: PA
