The insane stat that proves Sunderland, Watford and Blackburn Rovers are the Championship's best spenders

Sunderland’s prudent spending during the summer transfer window appears to have laid the foundations for what has already been a memorable season. The free transfer additions of Aaron Connolly, Alan Browne, Ian Poveda and Simon Moore have added depth to the squad inherited by head coach Regis Le Bris and loan signings Chris Mepham and Wilson Isidor have both made a major impact during the first half of the season.

The only cash signings made were young striker Ahmed Abdullahi and midfielder Milan Aleksic, who are both viewed as long-term projects and have made just one solitary Championship appearance between them so far this season. With the help of figures provided by TransferMarkt, we see where the Black Cats summer spending ranks in relation to their current league position and compare it to their rivals across the second tier of the English game.