Leeds boss McDermott outraged by £140m transfer splurge

Premier League clubs spent £140m on Monday, pushing the total outlay during the summer to a staggering £630m, which smashes the previous record by more than £150m.

In Spain and Italy, the total spent was £335m in each league but both La Liga’s Primera Division (£95m) and Serie A (£10m) generated net surpluses despite Gareth Bale’s world record 100m euro (£86m) transfer to Real Madrid.

In Germany’s Bundesliga, the net spend was only £50m compared to £400m in England, of which only £30m went to clubs oustide the top flight with the rest going abroad.

The advent of UEFA’s financial fair play measures, plus economic difficulties, appear to have contributed to a more prudent approach elsewhere.

For Leeds boss McDermott, who signed four players during the summer with the £1m paid for Luke Murphy the club’s biggest fee for seven years, the numbers are worrying.

“What happened on Monday was obscene,” he said. “If you look at the money some clubs spent when some people probably cannot afford to go to a game, it’s absolutely obscene.

“I don’t think there’s a lot of money around in the Championship.

“Wigan have got money; QPR have and Reading have. Leicester I thought had money, but I think they’ve got a big wage bill now.

“There isn’t the money around in this league like there was.

“There is in the Premier League, for everyone to see. I never thought I’d see the day where Arsenal would spend £42m on a player – that’s incredible.”

Hull City were frantically trying to keep up with the Joneses on Monday but were left frustrated in their pursuit of a striker.

Steve Bruce secured a loan deal for Egyptian frontman Gedo to return to the club but he was left disappointed when West Brom pulled the plug on a £5.5m move for Shane Long.

That collapsed just on deadline giving Bruce no room for manoeuvre with other targets.

In the Championship, Barnsley were Yorkshire’s busiest club on deadline day – and throughout the summer – moving Ben Alnwick on before acquiring Peter Ramage on a season-long loan from Crystal Palace.

Middlesbrough secured two late deals, for Sierra Leone striker Kei Kamara and Norwich midfielder Jacob Butterfield, and also retained the services of Grant Leadbitter and Rhys Williams, who were the subject of late interest.

But otherwise it was a quiet day for Yorkshire’s Championship set, who have a second chance to strengthen in the emergency loan window which opens on Sunday and runs until November 25.

Football League clubs can loan from the Premier League during that period, but top-flight clubs cannot bring players in, except goalkeepers or free agents.

McDermott added: “Deadline day is complete hype and the emergency window opens soon if you want to do a deal.”