Premier League chairman Richard Scudamore has defended increasing transfer fees in England's top division.

Scudamore said: "Well obviously, the more income the Premier League clubs generate - and this has always been the same since football began 150 years ago nearly - they have invested that money in trying to acquire better and better talent.

"I don't think we should get too carried away by necessary transfer fee inflation, I think (Zinedine) Zidane for £46m back in 2001.

"In 2001 the Premier League's turnover was about £460m, and so 10 per cent. If that were true today then transfer fees would be £300m and so we're nowhere near that level.

"Clubs obviously spend because the most important thing is to have the talent on the pitch, the most important thing is to make sure that talent is brought together cohesively by a manager, and that's what creates the excitement for the game - without that investment you really don't have the show from which all else flows."