Prudent rivals get good value for money

Although their mid-season sackings would suggest Albion's Alan Irvine and Villa's Paul Lambert did not spend wisely in last summer's transfer window – a new survey would suggest otherwise. more

According to figures compiled by the Daily Mail, both clubs are sitting pretty in the top half of the Premier League table on a pounds-to-points basis.

And any thoughts of Jose Mourinho doing the best business of the summer have been blown out of the water by watching them drop to seventh when the amount of cash each top-flight club has spent on transfer fees and wages – while taking into account sales as well – is divided by the number of points gained this season.

Garry Monk's frugal approach at Swansea City – as well as the multi-million pound deal to sell Wilfried Bony to Manchester City – helps them top the pile with a net spend of £386,607 per point.

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Southampton (£410,526 per point) are a close second, with Stoke (£719,000) and Tottenham (£968,966) making up the top four.

Relegated Burnley (£1,074,483) are fifth and Leicester (£1,129,730) sixth, with Chelsea the first of the big guns in seventh after a net spend of £1,216,667 per point.

Only Palace (£1,229,524) separate Mourinho's champions from ninth-placed Villa (£1,276,316) and 10th-placed Albion (£1,389,268).

Liverpool (£1,806,452) just survive relegation in 15th, but Arsenal (£2,295,714), Manchester City (£2,424,658) and Manchester United (£3,483,824) make up the bottom three.