Premier League clubs spent an eye-watering £260,664,118 on agents fees in the last year. That figure represents a 23.5% increase on the £211,011,187 spent in the previous 12 months.

Liverpool, who bought Alisson, Fabinho, Naby Keita and Xherdan Shaqiri in the summer, shelled out the most in payments to intermediaries, paying almost £17million more than the second-biggest spenders, Chelsea.

Wolves and Fulham’s spend represented the biggest percentage increases year-on-year – 223 per cent and 239 per cent respectively for the Premier League new boys. Fat lot of good it did Fulham…

Tottenham made not one first-team signing during the year to January 31, but still their spend on agents increased by 55%.

Only two clubs paid out a reduced amount to agents: Watford and Southampton.

Here’s the Premier League table of biggest spenders on agents between February 1 2018, and January 31 2019…

1) Liverpool: £43,795,863

17/18 spend on agents: £26,793,503

Increased by 63.4%

2) Chelsea: £26,850,552

17/18 spend on agents: £25,143,786

Increased by 6.7%

3) Manchester City: £24,122,753

17/18 spend on agents: £23,475,309

Increased by 2.75%

4) Manchester United: £20,759,350

17/18 spend on agents: £18,002,193

Increased by 15.3%

5) Everton: £19,116,370

17/18 spend on agents: £12,056,512

Increased by 58.6%

6) West Ham: £14,414,845

17/18 spend on agents: £8,387,694

Increased by 71.6%

7) Leicester City: £12,720,618

17/18 spend on agents: £9,918,530

Increased by 28.3%

8) Arsenal: £11,181,730

17/18 spend on agents: £10,560,689

Increased by 5.9%

9) Tottenham: £11,141,255

17/18 spend on agents: £7,173,667

Increased by 55.3%

10) Watford: £10,894,179

17/18 spend on agents: £13,390,605

Decreased by 18.6%

Last year's agents' fees compared to today's figures. An increase of c £50m. Liverpool and #ChelseaFC, maintain 1st and 2nd place although @LFC extend their lead by some distance. #EPL pic.twitter.com/W9LgVEHhvP — Steve Scott (@stevescott_itv) April 4, 2019

11) Bournemouth: £10,295,433

17/18 spend on agents: £7,733,988

Increased by 33.1%

12) Newcastle: £8,868,027

17/18 spend on agents: £7,409,760

Increased by 19.7%

13) Fulham: £8,234,360

17/18 spend on agents: £2,428,175

Increased by 239.1%

14) Crystal Palace: £6,976,425

17/18 spend on agents: £6,173,622

Increased by 13%

15) Brighton: £6,859,429

17/18 spend on agents: £4,415,325

Increased by 55.4%

16) Wolves: £6,479,714

17/18 spend on agents: £2,001,023

Increased by 223.8%

17) Southampton: £6,151,107

17/18 spend on agents: £6,296,804

Decreased by 2.3%

18) Huddersfield: £5,023,807

17/18 spend on agents: £2,465,815

Increased by 103.7%

19) Burnley: £3,975,928

17/18 spend on agents: £3,299,917

Increased by 20.5%

20) Cardiff: £2,802,375

17/18 spend on agents: £2,026,917

Increased by 38.3