The great money race to sign players was curbed with the economy crisis that hit the world this year. Experts say next season there will be another setback in the UK with the government's decision to increase income tax to 50 per cent.
Premier League spending has unpredictably fallen for the first time in more than six years − even if Manchester City went berserk this summer and wanted to sign anyone available for a move.
Clubs in the top flight spent £215m on players from other teams in the Premier League − the same as the record level seen in 2008. However, transfer fees paid to overseas clubs totalled £155m - down £95m from last summer.
Premier League clubs spent about £450m in the summer transfer window, less than the record £500m of last year, a Deloitte report says.
While the level of purchases remained the same, there had been a 40 per cent fall in transfers from overseas clubs.
Other noteworthy soccer pieces for August read:
• Newcastle fans turn St James' Park into 'a shrine' to honour football legend Bobby Robson who passed away.
• England U-19 lose to hosts Ukraine 0-2 in the UEFA Championship final.
• The Scottish Football League relegate Livingston to the Third Division after the club was found to be in breach of insolvency rules.
• In the third qualifying round, second leg of the Champions League, Celtic turn the tables on Dinamo Moscow with a 2-0 away win to progress 2-1 on aggregate. The victory is the Bhoys' first away win in the continent in 23 matches.
• While Fulham progress to the group phase of the Europa League after a 6-0 aggregate win over FK Vetra of Lithuania, Scottish clubs Aberdeen and Motherwell are eliminated after two-legged defeats to Olomouc (Czech Republic) 1-8 and Steaua Bucharest (Romania) 1-3, respectively.
• Former England defender Danny Mills calls it a day at the age of 32 after two injury-plagued years.
• At Wembley, FA Cup winners Chelsea beat champions Manchester United 4-1 on penalties to lift the Community Shield.
• League Cup first round shocks: Gillingham-Plymouth 2-1, Rotherham-Derby 2-1, Sheffield United-Port Vale 1-2, Coventry-Hartlepool 0-1.
• In a World Cup qualifier, Scotland are sent reeling by Norway away 4-0. In friendly internationals England draw 2-2 (Defoe 2) with the Netherlands in Amsterdam. Other results: Montenegro-Wales 2-1, Northern Ireland-Israel 1-1, Ireland-Australia 0-4.
• In UEFA U-21 qualifying matches, Wales demolish Hungary 4-1 at home, but Northern Ireland go down 1-2 in Portugal.
• Arsenal beat Everton 6-1 at Goodison Park to equal the biggest open-day victory in the history of the Premier League.
• League Cup second round surprises: Port Vale-Sheffield Wednesday 2-0; Ross County-Hamilton 2-1; Blackpool-Wigan 4-1.
• Arsenal topple Celtic 3-1 at home to move into the group phase of the Champions League 5-1 on aggregate.
• In the Europa League, Fulham (3-2 aggregate over Amkar Perm, of Russia) and Everton (5-1 against Sigma Omolouc, of the Czech Republic) proceed to the group phase. But Aston Villa bow out on the away goals rule to Rapid Vienna (Austria) after a 2-2 aggregate draw and Hearts are eliminated by Dynamo Zagreb (Croatia) 4-2 on two legs.