Transfers are frequent in domestic football as teams look to fill positions with players who have the potential to win championships; the cost of these moves varies greatly based on the player’s skill level. Scroll on to read all about the expensive football transfers.
In the summer of 2017, Paris Saint-Germain caused a stir in the football world when they acquired Kylian Mbappe from Monaco and signed Neymar from Barcelona. Although they are still the two most expensive players ever, PSG’s spectacular double swoop undoubtedly significantly inflated the transfer market.
In fact, a flurry of significant transfers soon ensued as Barcelona attempted to try and cover Neymar’s absence by paying nine-figure fees to sign players like Antoine Griezmann, Philippe Coutinho, and Ousmane Dembele. Additionally in Spain, Real Madrid finally paid €100 million to bring Eden Hazard to Santiago Bernabeu, while Atletico Madrid splashed €126 million on Benfica’s incredible attacking talent, Joao Felix.
The COVID-19 pandemic temporarily caused a significant impact on the transfer market, but many clubs, especially in England, recovered in a matter of seasons. Since 2021, a number of players, including Declan Rice, Enzo Fernandez, Jack Grealish, Jadon Sancho, Mykhailo Mudryk, Antony, Darwin Nunez, and Moises Caicedo, have been signed by Premier League clubs for enormous sums of money.
In the meantime, European powerhouses Real Madrid and Bayern Munich have shown their strength by bringing in Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, two prominent players. Aurelien Tchouameni has also joined the fray.
Furthermore, a new force has emerged in the Middle East: Saudi Pro League teams, who signed players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Neymar in 2023, rocked the transfer market. These are football history’s ten most costly and astounding transfers.
Most expensive football transfers:
10. Paul Pogba – US$110 million:
Due to a lack of playing time, the 29-year-old French football player left Manchester United in 2012 and signed a free transfer to Juventus. Manchester United announced in 2016 that it had signed the star for a then-record-breaking US$110 million (£93 million) after he led France to victory in the 2013 Fifa U-20 World Cup and was named the best player in the competition, according to The Guardian.
This was the largest transfer fee ever paid by an English team until 2021. Because of his salary and the cut from his transfer deals, Pogba has amassed an enormous net worth of US$125 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Because of his salary and the cut from his transfer deals, Pogba has amassed an enormous net worth of US$125 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
9. Romelu Lukaku – US$116 million:
Less than a year after joining Chelsea for US$116 million, Lukaku returned to Inter Milan in June on a loan for US$8.3 million, as reported by Eurosport. According to Football Transfers, Lukaku broke Neymar’s record for the highest combined transfer fee in history in February when he reached US$350 million. The 29-year-old Belgian football player has moved to and from Manchester United, Chelsea (twice), Inter Milan, and Anderlecht.
His net worth increased to US$60 million in 2022 as a result of these transfers, according to Sportskeeda. According to Football Transfers, Lukaku lavishes his money on an ostentatious garage that houses collections of Rolls-Royce and Mercedes models. The football player allegedly purchased adjacent apartments in Milan to maintain a close relationship with his mother and son while he focused on his performance.
8. Cristiano Ronaldo – US$117 million:
Juventus paid a hefty sum of approximately US$117 million to acquire the highly popular Portuguese football player Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid in 2018. This information was reported by DW. This amount was the biggest that an Italian team had ever given to a player over 30 (according to Rarest.org). After joining Juventus, Ronaldo went on to win the Serie A and the Supercoppa Italiana in his first full season in Turin, per FotMob.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, the 37-year-old has a net worth of approximately US$500 million, making him the third-richest football player in the world. The reports, he made this wealth through brand endorsements, modelling jobs, and his athletic career.
According to British media, despite using his wealth to purchase pricey watches like the US$1.5 million diamond-encrusted Franck Muller watch, he is also a philanthropist and an ambassador for significant organisations like World Vision and Unicef. According to Insider, the kind-hearted sportsman gave US$5 million to aid Nepal following the devastating 2015 earthquake.
7. Jack Grealish – US$120 million:
When Manchester City paid US$120 million for the British football player in 2021, it broke Pogba’s previous record for the highest transfer fee paid by an English club, according to Sky Sports. The 27-year-old was present for Man City’s fourth Premier League title victory in May 2022 following his departure from Aston Villa.
Grealish, one of the highest-paid players on the Man City team, has seen his wealth increase as a result of fashion endorsements, including one with Gucci, which has increased his US$12 million net worth, according to First Sportz. According to Sportsbrief, he has made headlines for spending close to US$100,000 on a VIP package in Las Vegas and for flaunting his wealth with his elegant Range Rover purchase.
6. Antoine Griezmann – US$125 million:
The adaptable French football player, who moved from Atletico Madrid to Barcelona in 2019, now appears in the top 10. While Atlético maintained that Barcelona’s payment fell US$83 million short of the agreed-upon price, ESPN stated that the transfer cost US$125 million. Griezmann returned to Atlético in 2021 after winning titles and netting numerous goals with Barcelona, according to The Guardian.
The 31-year-old, who is among the most well-known players in the game, is thought to be worth roughly US$60 million according to Celebrity Net Worth. According to The Sports Lite, he owns a US$6 million villa in Madrid and a collection of high-end vehicles that include a McLaren 675LT, Rolls-Royce Wraith, Ferrari F12, and Maserati Granturismo. Griezmann also makes charitable donations.
5. João Félix – US$130 million:
The 23-year-old Portuguese football player is a forward for both the Portugal national team and the La Liga team Atletico Madrid. In 2019, he was named the Primeira Liga’s Best Young Player of the Year and the Golden Boy (best player in Europe under 21).
According to Euro Sports, Atletico Madrid spent US$130 million to acquire Félix from Benfica in 2019. As per Rarest.org, this was the second-highest amount ever paid for a teenage football player.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Félix already has an impressive net worth of US$25 million, which he likes to spend on expensive vehicles like the BMW X3M, as seen on his Instagram.
4. Ousmane Dembélé – US$150 million:
Ousmane Dembélé began his professional career in 2015 and, while playing for Borussia Dortmund, made his debut for the French senior team just a year later. Then, according to ESPN, Barcelona paid about US$150 million to bring him to Spain. According to reports, the base fee was US$125 million, and add-ons could cost up to an additional US$25 million.
The 25-year-old has won two La Liga titles and scored 32 goals since joining his new Spanish team. According to Celebrity Net Worth, he currently has a bank account of approximately US$35 million. FirstSportz reports that he drives multiple Mercedes and owns a mansion in Barcelona.
3. Philippe Coutinho – US$170 million:
When Coutinho represented Brazil in the Copa America in 2015 and the Copa America Centenario in 2016, he showed off his incredible potential. According to Rarest.org, he made his World Cup debut at the 2018 Fifa World Cup, where he scored two goals and was selected for the Fifa World Cup Dream Team.
The Guardian also states, Coutinho moved from Liverpool to Barcelona in 2018 as part of a massive US$170 million deal. According to Celebrity Net Worth, the 30-year-old, who is currently playing for Aston Villa back in England, has a net worth of US$60 million.
2. Kylian Mbappé – US$186 million:
In 2017, Kylian Mbappé made headlines when he joined Paris St Germain for an incredible US$186 million, making him the most expensive teenage player in football, according to Planet Football. Rarest.org reported this transfer.
Even so, this enormous sum has turned out to be a wise investment because he has scored goals ever since at a rate that is almost exactly equal to one per game. During the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, he scored four goals, the first of which made him the youngest French goal scorer in World Cup history, according to ESPN.
The 23-year-old’s net worth is estimated by Celebrity Net Worth to be $150 million US thanks to his career. High-end vehicles such as the Mercedes-Benz V Class, Ferrari 488 Pista, and numerous Volkswagens are rumoured to be owned by him.
Goal reports that in addition to making these extravagant purchases, he declared that he would donate his World Cup 2018 bonuses to the Premiers de Cordees charity, which aims to arrange sports for kids with disabilities.
1. Neymar – US$230 million:
The Brazilian native has a history of making record-breaking transfers, but according to Rarest.org, his most profitable one to date was in 2017 when he transferred from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for an incredible US$230 million.
Additionally, according to the BBC, the 30-year-old holds several football records, including the Guinness World Record for the fastest goal in Olympic history. In February 2013, he also made history as the first athlete from Brazil to feature on the cover of Time magazine.
So, this was all about the expensive football transfers in history. Also read, Top-Most valuable teams in NBA ranked!
