KEIR RADNEDGE REPORTS: The Premier League transfer market may appear to have been quiet but that could be is deceptive. The deadline is not until August 8, just before the season starts which leaves a fortnight for dealing down to the last minute and doubling the cash spent already.

Perhaps the perception stems from the fact that Manchester City and Liverpool – top two last season – have kept their powder dry. Also, the Nations League, Copa America and Gold Cup enforced a slow start.

City’s serious spending set up Pep Guardiola in power three years ago and this summer they have splashed ‘only’ £62m on midfielder Rodri from Atletico Madrid as a prospective successor to Fernandinho.

As for Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp’s European champions undertook their heavy squad investment in the two windows of 2018. Their current softly-softly approach has not surprised John Aldridge, the former Reds striker now turned radio analyst.

He said: “Jurgen Klopp appears ready to hand Liverpool’s youthful talent a chance to shine in his first team rather than signing big money players and he has earned the right to be backed in this bold decision.

“There is a fantastic crop of young talents coming through though the big concern would be what happens if one or two of his front three of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino were out for an extended period.”

Tottenham are famously conservative as they balance the cost of the new stadium but even they have paid a club record £55m for midfielder Tanguy Ndombele. London derby rivals Chelsea are out of high-spending market after accepting the first transfer window ban imposed by FIFA for breaching youth registration rules. Yet even the Blues have spent £40m on Mateo Kovacic under a clause of his loan last year from Real Madrid.

That leaves Manchester United who have been busy and expect to spend another £100m to £200m in the next two weeks as they rebuild to meet the demands of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Already they have invested more than £70m in rightback Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Wales forward Daniel James. More new ‘names’ are expected, headed probably by £80m Harry Maguire from Leicester.

Further down the league clubs have been busier than perhaps the general perception. The market has already seen several transfer fees of more than £40m.

Newcastle are spending that much, a club record, on Joelinton while Leicester have also spend a club record £40m on Youri Tielemans from Monaco plus Ayoze Perez for £30m from Newcastle.

Close behind them come promoted Aston Villa who have spent more than £100m so far led by ex-Bournemouth leftback Tyrone Mings at £26.5m. Villa are well aware that last year Fulham spent £150m and still went back down.

So ‘only’ £750m spent so far . . . less than £600m needed to match last year and time enough for a handful of major signings to manage it.

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