If anything symbolises the madness of the transfer market, it is the selling business done by West Ham United since they were relegated to the Championship. They have sold Mateus Fernandes to Spurs for £85million and just when you thought the silly money was confined to Premier League purchasers, along come Al-Hilal with £55million for Crysencio Summerville, it seems.
Some reports suggest the fee could go up to £60million, some suggest £65million. And there are some who thought the Saudis had curbed their daft spending.
Summerville's modest record
Seriously, Summerville is a nice player to watch - and, at 24, at a nice age - but in the two seasons he had after joining West Ham from Leeds for £25million, he made 50 Premier League appearances and scored the grand total of six Premier League goals. He produced four assists in those 50 appearances.
He had a decent World Cup, scoring for the Netherlands against Japan and Sweden, but has been prone to long periods of low productivity. He started last season by going 16 Premier League matches without a goal and finished it by going seven Premier League matches without a goal.
Part of the reason West Ham went down
He was part of the reason West Ham went down - as, of course, was Fernandes, who was making it two relegations on the spin after helping Southampton into the Championship. Yet somehow, West Ham have got a minimum of £140million for this pair.
We know the market inflates at a serious rate but it is getting to the stage where it simply does not make sense. Summerville cost West Ham £25million two years ago. Has he really improved that much?
Record-breaking window
Of course, the same could apply to so many of the signings made this summer. This is shaping up to be another record-breaking transfer window. It does not close until September 1 - more than five weeks away - and by my rough calculations, well over £1.6billion has been spent by Premier League clubs alone. On the global list of spenders this summer, Premier League clubs occupy the top six places.
Spurs head the table, followed by Chelsea and Manchester City, with Newcastle United in fourth spot. Newcastle, though, are showing a £50million profit as it stands.
With big transfer fees come big wages and there is no doubt a lot of clubs will be treading carefully when it comes to complying with the Premier League's financial regulations. But there does not seem to be much restraint right now.
Fans will eventually pay
The money, of course, has to come from somewhere and it is the fans who will eventually pay. But as attendances continue to be exceptional and commercial interest remains high, Premier League clubs feel empowered to take the transfer market to new levels.
A lot of people say the bubble has to burst. And the sort of money that is being spent on some players - a combined £233million on Morgan Rogers and Elliot Anderson - feels like madness. But there is no sign of it stopping. And it is hard to deny the market madness is a big part of what makes the Premier League so compelling.
