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Premier League’s biggest transfer spenders ever revealed as Chelsea blow rivals away with four of top five spots

THE Premier League’s biggest transfer spenders have been revealed.

And Chelsea have blown their rivals away by occupying FOUR of the top five spots.

a man wearing a chelsea scarf talks to another man
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Chelsea have spent well over a billion under Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali[/caption]

The Prem’s status and wealth has long been a source of envy for rival continental leagues.

Superstars including Mo Salah, Erling Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne all ply their trade in England’s top flight.

And each summer sees clubs splash the cash in a bid for fight for trophies.

Now, the biggest window spenders in history have been revealed.

Financial expert Kevin Maguire produced a list of the top money kings including Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, Manchester City and Manchester United.

But it’s Chelsea who are the largest spenders with some eye-watering figures in the last few years.

Money was no object for former Blues owner Roman Abramovich.

Yet even that has paled in comparison to the billion-plus spent by successors Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali.

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And Chelsea occupy no less than four of the top five spots in the list.

But are they number one? Read on to find out…

a man with a beard wears a blue and yellow shirt with the word city on it
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Josko Gvardiol was a big purchase for Man City last year[/caption]

10. MANCHESTER CITY (2023/24): £222m

PEP GUARDIOLA went on the offensive after winning the Treble.

The Spaniard lost several big players including Ilkay Gundogan, Riyad Mahrez and Aymeric Laporte, with Cole Palmer also departing.

And he made sure to replace them as best as he could, starting with the £75m capture of Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig.

Matheus Nunes, Jeremy Doku and Mateo Kovacic all followed too.

And Guardiola even forked out to secure the services of Argentina wonderkid Claudio Echeverri.

a man in a green shirt that says standard chartered on it
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Alisson remains a key player for Liverpool[/caption]

9. LIVERPOOL (2018/19): £223m

JURGEN KLOPP’S historic season saw him lead the Reds to Champions League glory.

Liverpool also finished second to Man City in the league with 97 points while losing only one match.

And their savvy shopping played a huge role, with the Reds deciding to drop £53m on Brazil goalie Alisson.

A similar fee was spent on RB Leipzig midfielder Naby Keita, with key man Fabinho also brought in from Monaco.

And Klopp made sure he had quality on the bench too as he raided relegated Stoke for star forward Xherdan Shaqiri.

a soccer player wearing a shirt that says kraken on it
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Brennan Johnson was Ange Postecoglou’s first big-money signing[/caption]

8. TOTTENHAM (2023/24): £232m

ANGE POSTECOGLOU’S first season saw some big changes.

The Aussie was forced to deal with the loss of captain Harry Kane for starters.

But he made sure Bayern’s £82m fee was wisely reinvested in numerous signings, with £46m Brennan Johnson from Nottingham Forest the biggest deal.

James Maddison, Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro all came in alongside Guglielmo Vicario and Radu Dragusin.

And Postecoglou also made sure Dejan Kulusevksi’s loan from Juventus was made permanent, while also planning for the future with the capture of young forward Alejo Veliz.

a man wearing a red adidas shirt applauds
PA:Press Association
Romelu Lukaku was a key figure at United under Jose Mourinho[/caption]

7. MAN UTD (2017/18): £243m

JOSE MOURINHO led United to their best-place finish since the Sir Alex Ferguson days during this term, coming second while also tasting defeat in the FA Cup final.

After winning the Europa League the previous season, Jose attacked the market by beating Chelsea to the £84m signing of Romelu Lukaku from Everton.

He then raided his old club for key midfielder Nemanja Matic.

And the Special One also poached a young Victor Lindelof from Benfica.

But Mourinho was not done yet, finishing January with an audacious swoop for Arsenal’s key player Alexis Sanchez.

a soccer player wearing an emirates fly better jersey
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Arsenal sent out shockwaves with the signing of Gabriel Jesus[/caption]

6. ARSENAL (2022/23): £251m

MIKEL ARTETA was eager to make up for a disappointing season by strengthening Arsenal’s squad with higher-quality players.

His first move was to sanction a £73m double-swoop for Man City duo Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko.

And he followed that up with deals for Fabio Vieira, Matt Turner and Marquinhos.

But Arsenal challenged for the title, Arteta realised he needed more depth.

So in January, he splashed out again on Leandro Trossard, Jorginho and Jakub Kiwior before Arsenal finished second.

a soccer player with the number 1 on his shorts
Kepa Arrizabalaga remains the most expensive goalie in history
PA

5. CHELSEA (2018/19): £281m

MAURIZIO SARRI was not shy upon his arrival at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues had lost Thibaut Courtois and Eden Hazard to Real Madrid.

And Sarri responded by spending a record £67m on goalie Kepa Arrizbalaga from Athletic Bilbao.

A big fee was also spent to bring key player Jorginho from Napoli, while Chelsea even forked out a huge loan fee to sign Gonzalo Higuain on loan from Juventus in January.

That same month saw them pre-purchase Christian Pulisic ahead of a season-long transfer ban, with Sarri going on to lift the Europa League before quitting his post.

a soccer player wearing a shirt that says yokohama on it
PA:Empics Sport
Alvaro Morata struggled to impress at Chelsea[/caption]

4. CHELSEA (2017/18): £290m

A YEAR earlier, the Blues set out to defend their title under Antonio Conte — which remains the last time Chelsea won the Premier League.

Key figures in Diego Costa, Nemanja Matic and John Terry departed.

And Chelsea were left with some questionable replacements — who still cost a king’s ransom.

A sweet £55m was spent on Alvaro Morata alone, with the striker proving to be one of the worst signings of the Abramovich era.

Chelsea also splashed out on flops like Tiemoue Bakayoko, Danny Drinkwater and Davide Zappacosta, although Antonio Rudiger and Olivier Giroud eventually showed their worth.

a soccer player with the number 2 on his jersey
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Kyle Walker was one of Pep Guardiola’s big early signings[/caption]

3. MAN CITY (2017/18): £328m

PEP GUARDIOLA was not used to losing titles and decided to go big in the market after his debut City season ended in a third-place finish.

Aymeric Laporte was his most expensive signing that term at £65m.

While a new defence was completed with the purchases of Kyle Walker, Benjamin Mendy, Danilo and Ederson.

Guardiola also made a key purchase in Portuguese playmaker Bernardo Silva.

While fees were also paid on youngsters like Douglas Luiz and Jack Harrison.

a soccer player wearing a shirt that says ' fever ' on it
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Moises Caicedo is the most expensive signing in Premier League history[/caption]

2. CHELSEA (2023/24): £396m

NOT content with their splurge the previous January, Chelsea decided to shell out on no less than 12 players.

Moises Caicedo was the biggest signing at £115m, with fellow midfielders Romeo Lavia and Lesley Ugochukwu also arriving for big fees.

In attack, Christopher Nkunku was joined by Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson.

While defender Axel Disasi came in with TWO goalies in Robert Sanchez and Djordje Petrovic.

And in true BlueCo fashion, youngsters like Deivid Washington and Angelo arrived for fees usually spent on more senior figures.

a soccer player wearing a blue shirt that says nike on it
Reuters
Chelsea rocked the boat with the £105m capture of Enzo Fernandez[/caption]

1. CHELSEA (2022/23): £754m

THE BLUES rewrote the book in the first full season under Boehly and Eghbali.

A bizarre summer window under Thomas Tuchel, who was sacked the following month, saw huge fees dropped on stars like Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly, Wesley Fofana, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Marc Cucurella.

Fast forward several months and this time it was Graham Potter who was having to deal with a bloated squad as Chelsea embarked on more major spending.

A stunning £105m was spent on Enzo Fernandez, while Mykhailo Mudryk, Benoit Badiashile, and Noni Madueke were signed for tasty fees.

There were more big deals for teens completed too, while Joao Felix’s loan from Atletico cost a cool £10m — and all that spending resulted in a 12th place finish.

a poster showing the biggest ever spenders in the premier league

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Why isn’t Kai Widdrington in a pairing on Strictly Come Dancing 2024?

KAI Widdrington’s unexpected absence from the celebrity pairings on Strictly Come Dancing 2024 has left fans buzzing with speculation.

The story behind his absence from the pairings reveals insights and theories that could explain why he’s not paired up this season.

a man in a tuxedo smiles in front of a sign that says national lottery
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Kai Widdrington joined Strictly Come Dancing in 2021[/caption]
a man is carrying a woman in his arms on a dance floor
PA
He has been in a pair every season since he joined the show[/caption]

Why isn’t Kai Widdrington in a pairing on Strictly Come Dancing 2024?

Kai Widdrington‘s absence from the celebrity pairings on Strictly Come Dancing 2024 has been a topic of much discussion.

The official explanation is that there are typically more professional dancers than available celebrity partners.

This season, Kai, Carlos Gu and Lauren Oakley are the professionals left without pairings.

However, fans have speculated that there might be more to it.

Some believe that Kai’s absence could be linked to a strategic decision involving fellow dancer Neil Jones.

Neil, who has often been without a partner in the past, might be given a chance this year as part of a potential farewell to him.

Another theory suggests that Neil might be a better fit for certain celebrity partners due to his style or experience, leading to Kai being sidelined this year.

Kai himself has expressed his disappointment but remains positive, hoping for a partner in future series.

He told the Daily Star: “Everyone wants to get a celebrity.

“Unfortunately it wasn’t my time this series.

“Two boys couldn’t have one this series and sadly I am one of them.

“Some of us don’t get partners and that’s the way it is.”

Will Kai Widdrington still appear in Strictly Come Dancing 2024?

Yes, Kai will still appear in Strictly Come Dancing 2024, despite not being paired with a celebrity.

His role will be more focused on group performances and supporting the show in other capacities, rather than having a dedicated celebrity partner.

Kai said: ‘We have been filming a lot of the group routines.

“There are some amazing ones.

“We have worked really hard through the summer to get them ready for the series.

“One of the ones I feature in is very funny.”

Will Kai Widdrington return to Strictly Come Dancing in 2025?

While it’s hard to say for certain whether Kai Widdrington will return to Strictly in 2024, given his popularity and previous contributions to the show, it’s certainly possible he could return next year.

The likelihood of him appearing is looking positive though, as he’s expressed his hopes for being paired up with a celebrity in the next series.

Kai said: “Let’s see what happens next year.

“Hopefully I’ll get one then.”

Fans and viewers generally have a strong attachment to the pros and Kai’s continued presence in the group routines suggests he remains a valued member of the team.

Strictly 2024 pairings

Here's who is matched with who this series...

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Everyone can see the plants but you need 20/20 vision to spot the hidden ring in 7 seconds

THIS mind-boggling optical illusion has puzzle fanatics stumped and struggling to find the answer – but do you have what it takes?

If you can spot the rogue ring in this funky brainteaser within seven seconds, you may have 20/20 vision and the high IQ of a professor.

a black and white drawing of two girls planting flowers in a garden .
jagranjosh
Can you spot the ring within seven seconds?[/caption]

Everyone can see the children located at the centre of this image – but only individuals with a high IQ can solve the taxing illusion.

The picture may look simple – a black and white garden scene with two girls sat on the grass with a plant pot and a picnic – but the illusion is harder to solve than you may think.

The kids are seated enjoying the greenery in all its glory but its outlines make it hard to distinguish what’s what in the image.

They busy scene is complete with plenty of colour including a small pond so it’s easy to miss out any hippos while you’re distracted.

Are you able to work out where the animal lies in the image?

It might seem a bit daunting at first, but the key is to carefully examine each section of the scene.

Be quick, the clock is ticking! Scroll down to reveal the answer if you’re still stumped.

Meanwhile, why not try some other optical illusions while you scroll?

Test your brain power and solve the questions in this test to reveal if you have a high IQ.

This picture will surely leave you baffled – and you might scratch your head trying to find the correct solution.

Although it may seem like an ordinary image, this is no easy feat, and the average person gives up after a minute.

If you look at the top right of the image very thoroughly, you’ll spot a ring cleverly wrapped around a hosepipe with a sparkly jewel protruding from the centre.

But don’t panic if you didn’t spot the ring – scroll down below to find the solution.

Psychologists at The University of Glasgow found that staring at an optical illusion can improve eye sight by allowing you to see small print.

Escape London says puzzles can also give your mind a great workout and may “boost your brain’s activity” which “reduces the risk of dementia.”

And according to ZenBusiness: “These visual puzzles can give you a good mental workout that can, in turn, help you think more efficiently and solve problems more easily.”

a black and white drawing of two girls planting flowers in a garden .
Did you spot the ring?
Can you spot the hidden hammer in five seconds?
Congratulations you’ve found the hammer!Credit: Jagran Josh
Can you spot the hidden brollie?
Can you spot the hidden brollie?
Can you spot the mouse hiding in the kitchen?
Can you spot the mouse hiding in the kitchen?
Congratulations you've found the hammer!
Congratulations you’ve found the hammer!
The umbrella was next to a tree
The umbrella was next to a tree
The mouse was hidden in the corner cabinet
The mouse was hidden in the corner cabinet

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CNG: FG begins conversion of 150 commercial vehicles in Kaduna

The Federal Government has commenced the conversion of 150 commercial vehicles free of charge in Kaduna State. The move is aimed at reducing the cost of transportation following the increase in pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) otherwise known as fuel. According to the Coordinator, Logistics and Supply chain of the initiative, Thomos Ayu, […]

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Mali beat Nigeria in FIBA U-18 Women’s Afrobasket final

Nigeria’s junior D’Tigress suffered a 76-56 loss to Mali in the final of the FIBA U-18 Women’s Afrobasket final on Saturday night. Oummou Koumare, who was voted the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament, put up a massive 31 points, four rebounds, and five steals against Nigeria. The U-18 national women’s basketball team, the […]

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‘Without you, I may not have been governor’, Oshiomhole begs Igbindeion

Senator Adams Oshiomhole has asked the patriarch of Igbinedion family, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, to forgive him, saying without the Esama of Benin, he could not have been elected governor of Edo State. The senator, who currently represents Edo north, governed Edo State between 2008 and 2016. He was to take over from Lucky, the eldest […]

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CDS rewards troops who killed Notorious Bandit with N1m

The Chief of Defense Staff, General Christopher Musa, has announced a cash reward of N1 milion to the troops involved in the recent massive operation in Zamfara state, where bandits have wreaked havoc. Daily Trust had reported how a notorious bandit identified as Kachalla Buzu alias Halilu Sububu, was gunned down during the operation in Zamfara. […]

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