It's hard to believe that Burton Albion are in a division alongside a team that has just spent £30 million on strikers this summer alone, but that is very much the case.

Ashley Fletcher's move today from West Ham United to Middlesbrough for £6.5 million is the latest splurge from Boro, who are bidding to bounce straight back to the Premier League following their relegation last term.

Boro have also signed Britt Assombalonga for £15 million from Nottingham Forest, and Denmark striker Martin Braithwaite from Toulouse for around £9 million.

Jordan Rhodes has headed out of the Riverside Stadium, and swapped Boro for Sheffield Wednesday for £10 million.

Burton's relegation rivals Bolton Wanderers are yet to spend any cash on a striker - but have landed Newcastle United marksman Adam Armstrong on loan for the season.

Millwall and Barnsley - both tipped for the drop this term - have landed Tom Elliot and Ike Ugbo from AFC Wimbledon and Chelsea respectively to bolster their bid to battle for survival.

Forest, who actually finished below Albion last term, have strengthened their forward ranks with the signing of Daryl Murphy from Newcastle, Jason Cummings from Hibernian and Barrie McKay from Rangers for a combined £3.5 million.

The irony is that the most spent on a single player by a club this term is on a midfielder - a whopping £17 million splashed on Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves.

Kylian Mbappe's potentuial move to Real Madrid could smash the current transfer record
Kylian Mbappe's potentuial move to Real Madrid could smash the current transfer record

But even that pales into comparison to the news emerging from the continent earlier this week that Monaco's 18-year-old striking sensation Kylian Mbappe could be on the move to Real Madrid for an eye-watering £161 million.

Back to reality, and Albion have spent just £500,000 on their new frontman - Liam Boyce - and he is arguably as accomplished as any of the aforementioned names, having hit 23 goals in the Scottish Premiership last season.

And Boyce - the only player to have been signed for a fee at the Pirelli this summer - topped the charts ahead of Celtic duo Scott Sinclair and Moussa Dembele.

Brewers boss Nigel Clough has said Albion are actively looking for another wide player and a forward, with a high possibility with that player being a loan signing.

Burton have signed six players so far, defensive duo Stephen Warnock and Jake Buxton, midfielders Matty Lund, Luke Murphy - returning on loan from Leeds United - and Hope Akpan, and Boyce.

Remarkably, it is only Boyce who has cost a fee, with the rest bar Murphy acquired on free transfers.

Brewers fans will await more signings in earnest, while looking on in disbelief at the amount that Albion's opponents this season are throwing at their respective strikeforces.