LIVERPOOL PAID THE MOST FOR AGENT

Liverpool leads Premier League table on agents' fees after spending $57 million

As Liverpool vies for top spot in the English Premier League, the Merseyside club is the leader of the pack when it comes to payments on player agents' fees, according to England's Football Association.

The club paid intermediaries or agents $57.2 million (£43,795,863) between February 2018 and January 2019 -- $22 million more than its nearest rival.

Liverpool spent almost double the amount rivals Manchester United forked out and over $30 million more than title rivals Manchester City.

Liverpool's outlay is a reflection of $226 million recruitment strategy that targeted the acquisition of Brazilians Alisson and Fabinho, Guinea international Naby Keita and Swiss international Xherdan Shaqiri ahead of the start of the 2018/2019 season.

During transfers, clubs will employ agents to help facilitate deals. Intermediaries and agents will also represent players.

As most agents' fees are paid in installments, that $57.2 million sum may also take into account the deals done for the likes of Virgil van Dijk, who joined Liverpool in the 2018 January transfer window, and Mohamed Salah, who signed for Jurgen Klopp's team in June 2017.

Liverpool spent $35 million on agents' fees for the previous period.

In total, the 20 English Premier League clubs spent $340.7 million on such fees last year, eclipsing the 2017/18 record of $275.8 million.

Despite being way off the pace in this season's title race, Chelsea spent the second-highest amount -- $35 million -- on agent's fees, while relegation threatened Burnley paid the least -- just over $5 million to intermediaries.

On Friday, Liverpool continues its hunt for a first domestic top-flight title in 29 years when it faces Southampton.

A win would take Klopp's side back to the top of the Premier League table, ahead of Manchester City, though Liverpool will have played a game more.