UEFA report finds increased squad sizes is reducing workload for many but transfer inflation is rampant

September 15 – UEFA’s European Club Talent and Competition Landscape report, released this morning, has underlined two of the defining features of modern European football: the growing effort to protect players from overload and the relentless rise in transfer spending.

Across the continent’s top 20 leagues, clubs used more players than ever before in 2024/25 – a decision UEFA say is a conscious rebuttal of the increasing player workload.

The report finds that the introduction of five substitutions and greater emphasis on rotation has driven an 8% rise in player usage since the rule was first adopted. Nearly 21,000 players featured in top-flight football last season, a record that shows how managers are spreading the workload across larger squads to combat that threat of injury that continues to loom over top players.

Even among the 22% of players still classified as ‘heavy workload’ – those making 30 or more league appearances – the demands have shifted. Full 90-minute outings have dropped by a quarter compared with previous seasons, leading to an 8% fall in minutes played even though the number of appearances is unchanged.

Coaches are also making full use of their benches: the average number of substitutions per match rose again to 4.4, with England, Scotland and Norway posting the sharpest increases as they catch up with the rest of Europe.

Off the pitch, the summer transfer market hit new heights. Spending by European clubs jumped 33% to €9.1 billion, with sales of €9.3 billion – a figure indirectly fuelled by Saudi Arabia’s ongoing influence, though that stone is left unturned in UEFA’s official report. A record 220 transfers set new benchmarks at individual clubs, including Liverpool, who broke their own record twice in the same window by signing Florian Wirtz and later Alexander Isak for £116 million and £125 million respectively.

UEFA pointed to sharp inflation in fees, with club-trained players delivering average profit margins of 80% and generating more than €7 billion overall. Almost one in ten euros went on teenagers, and over half on players aged 23 or under, evidence of a clear tilt towards long-term investment.

In his foreword, UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin framed the findings as a warning as much as a celebration. “Subtle trends can shape the game’s future,” he wrote, adding that workload management and squad rotation are now central to the ongoing debates over calendars, competition formats and transfer rules – something which UEFA has helped clubs to manage.

“Strong organisations succeed because they notice change early and adjust quickly,” he continued.

“That is especially true in football, where often subtle trends can shape the game’s future. These landscape reports have been an essential tool for UEFA and European football in understanding shifts in participation, competition, and support. They also aim to bring greater transparency to the game and support evidence-based decision-making. This third edition of the European Club Talent and Competition Landscape report, provided by UEFA Intelligence Centre, continues in that spirit.

“The participation at the top level is expanding. Nearly 21,000 players featured in top-division football last season. The findings of this report highlight how clubs are sharing playing time across larger squads, making full use of substitutions and rotation to manage demands.

“The transfer market remains highly active. The summer window saw record levels of spending and sales, with new patterns emerging. Notably, 9% of total transfer spending went on teenagers, and more than half on players aged 23 and under – a clear signal of clubs’ investment in long-term potential and growth.”

Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at Moc.l1757936280twot1757936280ofdlr1757936280be1757936280sni@g1757936280he is the one.1757936280Yrrah1757936280