Ipswich Town Joins List of Big-Spending Promoted Teams in EPL

Ipswich Town has joined the list of clubs that spend big after getting promoted to the Premier League. They spent over €178 million on new players for the 2026/27 season.

The Tractor Boys are back in the top league after another promotion. They have a new manager, Gary O’Neil, who is pushing for a bolder approach in the transfer market. The aim is to stay in the Premier League and not drop back to the Championship.

But spending a lot of money doesn’t always mean staying in the Premier League. History has shown that.

Here are the 10 biggest-spending promoted teams, according to Transfermarkt on Wednesday.

1. Burnley 2023-24, €110.5m

Burnley spent €110.5 million on 10 players in the summer of 2023 as they got ready for life back in the Premier League. James Trafford was one of the most important signings, but Burnley struggled that season and ended up 19th, eight points from safety. They were sent back down to the Championship.

1. Fulham 2018-19, €113.1m

Fulham also spent big in the summer of 2018, bringing in 18 players. Aleksandar Mitrovic was one of the key signings, but they couldn’t turn spending into wins. Fulham only won seven league games and finished 19th, 10 points from safety. Many of those players stayed and helped Fulham get promoted again the next season.

1. Leeds United 2025-26, €113.7m

Leeds United spent €113.7 million after winning promotion. They wanted to avoid being a team that goes up and down. They focused on strengthening the whole squad instead of just making big-name signings. Anton Stach was their biggest buy, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin came on a free transfer. The plan worked as Leeds finished 14th and stayed in the Premier League.

1. Southampton 2024-25, €117.2m

Southampton also spent a lot to stay in the Premier League but had a terrible season. Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Flynn Downes, and Mateus Fernandes were among the new players, while goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale added experience. Despite spending, Southampton only managed 12 points and got relegated.

1. Ipswich Town 2024-25, €125m

Ipswich spent about €125 million when they returned to the Premier League in 2024. They moved up quickly from League One and needed to boost their squad. Most of their signings were players who could also play in the Championship. Ipswich was relegated after one season but bounced back immediately.

1. Burnley 2025-26, €131.5m

Burnley tried to avoid another quick drop by spending €131.5 million on new players. They bought three players from Chelsea: Lesley Ugochukwu, Armando Broja, and Bashir Humphreys. But these signings did not change their luck. Zian Flemming from Millwall was one of their better signings. Burnley got relegated again, marking their second drop in four seasons.

1. Aston Villa 2019-20, €148.6m

Aston Villa made big changes after getting promoted in 2019, spending €148.6 million on new players. Ezri Konsa, Douglas Luiz, Matt Targett, Tyrone Mings, and Wesley Moraes were among the new faces, with Pepe Reina coming in on loan. This spending paid off as Villa survived by just one point and improved a lot the next season.

1. Nottingham Forest 2022-23, €155.2m

Nottingham Forest made headlines with a big spending spree after winning promotion in 2022. They spent €155.2 million to build a squad strong enough for the Premier League. Forest managed to stay in the league during their first season by four points. They faced a points deduction for breaching financial rules but remained in the division.

1. Ipswich Town 2026-27, €178.35m*

Ipswich has raised their spending this summer, with around €178.35 million spent. O’Neil’s strategy includes mixing young talent with experienced players from the Premier League. Sasa Lukic and Issa Diop joined from Fulham, while Florentino Luis came from Burnley. They also invested in younger players like Emersonn and Abdul Fatawu. Julio Enciso’s return has boosted their attack and makes him the club's most expensive signing this summer. Ipswich is now among the top spenders in the Premier League, even though they spread their spending over many signings instead of one big one. The big question is if this investment will be enough to keep them in the Premier League.

1. Sunderland 2025-26, €188.7m

Sunderland tops the list after spending €188.7 million following their promotion in 2025. The Black Cats made impressive signings, especially since they finished fourth in the Championship, 24 points behind champions Leeds and runners-up Burnley. They completely revamped their squad, with Granit Xhaka adding experience and leadership. Instead of just surviving, Sunderland did better than expected and earned a spot in European football in their first season back in the Premier League.

These figures are based on reported transfer spending from Transfermarkt and may change before the transfer window closes.