Ligue 1: lower number of sales and purchases during the transfer window, record deficit of - €30.2m

The 2014 winter transfer window in Ligue 1 (01 to 31/01/2014) is characterised by a decrease in the number of transactions (93 in January 2014 against 111 in 2013, - 16.2%), a decrease in total sales (€22.1m in 2014 against €63.4m in 2013, - 65.1%) and a decrease in total purchases (€52.3m in 2014 against €61.3m in 2013, - 14.7%) made by the clubs of the French first division.

The total balance of transactions, positive in January 2013 at €2.1m, is a deficit of €30.2m in 2014. This is a Lique 1 record deficit since the introduction of the winter market in 2003, and is due to large purchases made by Paris Saint-Germain (€25m) and AS Monaco (€11.5m), without which the balance of payments in Ligue 1 would be positive at €6.3m.

As in 2013, the French first division deals first and foremost with foreign championships, which constitutes more than 80% of sales (€21.1m, 95.5%) and purchases (€44.3m, 84.7%). The three largest sales transactions in Ligue 1 were all conducted with clubs of the other major European leagues.

"In a context of reduced payroll and expenditure control for the vast…