Clubs in England were the world’s biggest spenders in new signings this season, paying $1.2 billion (£790m) in the two transfer windows available in summer and winter.

That was more than a quarter of the total spending worldwide, and also 67 per cent higher than the second biggest spender, Spain – $700m.

Football clubs around the world forked out a record $4.1bn (£2.7bn) on player transfers during 2014, according to FIFA.

It is the first time spending has risen above the four-billion dollar mark and a 2.1 per cent increase on 2013.

Increasingly lucrative television rights deals have given Premier League clubs in England the financial muscle to bring in global stars.

The following list includes the signings made in the English top flight in the January transfer window alone.

January signings

Arsenal
Krystian Bielik, mf from Legia Warsaw − £2.4m. Gabriel Paulista, def from Villarreal − £11.3m.

Aston Villa
Carles Gil, mf from Valencia − £3.2m. Scott Sinclair, fwd from Manchester City − loan.

Burnley
Michael Keane, def from Manchester United − undisclosed.

Chelsea
Juan Cuadrado, mf from Fiorentina − £26.8m.

Crystal Palace
Yaya Sanogo, fwd from Arsenal − loan. Pape Souare, def from Lille − £3.45m. Jordon Mutch, fwd from QPR − £4.75m. Shola Ameobi, fwd from Newcastle − free. Lee Chung-yong, mf Bolton − £750,000. Wilfried Zaha, fwd from Manchester United.

Everton
Aaron Lennon, fwd from Tottenham − loan.

Hull City
Dame N’Doye, mf from Lokomotiv Moscow − undisclosed.

Leicester City
Mark Schwarzer, gk from Chelsea − free. Andrej Kramaric, fwd from FC Rijeka − £9m. Robert Huth, def from Stoke − loan.

Liverpool
None.

Manchester City
Wilfried Bony, fwd from Swansea − £25m.

Manchester United
Victor Valdes, gk from Barcelona − free. Andy Kellett, def from Bolton − loan.

Newcastle United
None.

Queens Park Rangers
Mauro Zarate, mf from West Ham − loan.

Southampton
Eljero Elia, fwd Werder Bremen − loan. Filip Djuricic, mf from Benfica − loan. Ryan Bertrand, def from Chelsea.

Stoke City
Philipp Wollscheid, mf from Bayer Leverkusen − loan.

Sunderland
Jermain Defoe, fwd from Toronto − £6m.

Swansea City
Matt Grimes, def Exeter − £1.75m. Kyle Naughton, def from Tottenham − £5m. Nelson Oliveira, fwd from Benfica − loan. Jack Cork, mf from Southampton − £3m.

Tottenham Hotspur
Dele Ali, mf from MK Dons.

West Bromwich Albion
Callum McManaman, fwd from Wigan − £4.75m. Darren Fletcher, mf from Manchester United.

West Ham United
Doneil Henry, def from Apollon Limassol − undisclosed.