English clubs reduced their spending on international transfers by 80% compared to their record expenditure in January 2023, according to a FIFA report released on Tuesday.

Despite a record total of 5,073 international transfers across men's and women's football, English clubs showed unusual restraint in their spending habits.

This cautious approach by English clubs has been attributed to the Premier League's implementation of Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), leading to consequences such as a 10-point deduction for Everton and additional charges for Nottingham Forest.

In contrast to English clubs, spending in other countries remained relatively unaffected.

The total amount spent on international transfer fees decreased by 8.2% compared to the previous January but still amounted to $1.46 billion, marking the second-highest total in any January window.

French clubs emerged as the biggest spenders last month, with a total outlay of $291.9 million.

However, this prudence in spending did not extend to the women's game, as evidenced by Chelsea's acquisition of forward Mayra Ramírez from Levante for a world-record fee of approximately €450,000 ($485,000), with potential additional fees of €50,000.

FIFA also reported record spending in women's football, totaling $2.1 million, which is more than two-and-a-half times higher than the previous year's figure.