Leeds' signing of Okafor takes EPL spending to reported record of £2.37B

Noah Okafor's move from AC Milan to Leeds United on Thursday, worth a reported £18 million ($24 million), means English Premier League clubs have spent more than the previous record in a single transfer window.

The money spent on the 25-year-old Swiss international, who signed a four-year deal, takes the total outlay by the clubs to £2.37 billion, passing the previous mark of £2.36 billion in the summer of 2023.

That total will only grow as there is still over a week to go before the transfer window closes.

Okafor, capped 24 times, made his name at Austrian side RB Salzburg, winning four league titles, before joining Milan and played a minor role in Napoli's Scudetto triumph last term after being sent on loan there.

"As a kid, I dreamed of playing in the Premier League. That's why for me it was quite an easy decision," said Okafor on the club website.

"My football suits the Premier League, this is like a dream come true. I can't wait to step on the field.

"I heard that the Premier League is the best league in the world, it's so intense. I have loads of friends that played there or are playing there.

"I am ready for this new challenge."

Okafor, who is reunited with former Salzburg teammate Brenden Aaronson and fellow Swiss Isaac Schmidt, said he had his breath taken away when Milan played Leeds in a pre-season friendly at Lansdowne Road in Dublin.

"I was like, why are there so many fans in a friendly game?

"And then I saw on the screen it was like 50,000. So I was like, wow.

"And it was quite loud, but I heard in the stadium (Elland Road), the atmosphere should be crazy."

Okafor is Leeds's ninth signing since they won the second tier Championship to return to the Premier League after a two-year hiatus.

They travel to one of the title favourites Arsenal on Saturday on the back of beating Everton 1-0 in their opening match.

The Gunners, who beat Manchester United 1-0 in their season opener, have not lost at home to Premier League newboys since a 1-0 reverse at the hands of Newcastle in November, 2010.

Ampadu blow

Should Arsenal avoid defeat on Saturday, they would equal the Premier League's longest such run, with Chelsea racking up 43 such games between 2001 and 2015.

Leeds' task was made harder when captain Ethan Ampadu was ruled out Thursday until at least after the international break in early September following a knee injury which forced the Wales midfielder off in the second half against Everton.

"It's bad news with him sadly," said Leeds manager Daniel Farke. "The next (few) games we have to play without him.

"MCL (medial cruciate ligament) injury, he will definitely be out until at least the international break. I hope to have him back the other side of the international break. He's pretty quick after injury back on the training pitch.

"He's a tough boy. It's a blow for us, we will miss him in the upcoming games."