The 20 Most Expensive Transfers in Football History

Transfer fees in modern football have reached unprecedented levels, reflecting the sport’s global growth and commercial power. Over the years, elite clubs have spent record-breaking sums to secure the world’s top talent. Here is a look at the 20 most expensive transfers in football history, ranked by reported transfer fee.

1) Neymar

Barcelona → Paris Saint-Germain (2017)
Fee: €222 million
The most expensive transfer of all time, Neymar’s move to PSG shattered the market and changed football economics forever.

2) Kylian Mbappé

Monaco → Paris Saint-Germain (2018)
Fee: €180 million
Initially a loan, Mbappé’s permanent move made him the most expensive teenager in football history.

3) Philippe Coutinho

Liverpool → Barcelona (2018)
Fee: €145 million
Barcelona’s attempt to replace Neymar saw them invest heavily in Coutinho.

4) João Félix

Benfica → Atlético Madrid (2019)
Fee: €126 million
Atlético broke their transfer record to sign the highly rated Portuguese forward.

5) Enzo Fernández

Benfica → Chelsea (2023)
Fee: €121 million
Chelsea made Enzo the most expensive Premier League signing ever following his World Cup triumph.

6) Antoine Griezmann

Atlético Madrid → Barcelona (2019)
Fee: €120 million
Barcelona triggered Griezmann’s release clause after years of pursuit.

7) Jack Grealish

Aston Villa → Manchester City (2021)
Fee: €117.5 million
Grealish became the most expensive British player in history.

8) Jude Bellingham

Borussia Dortmund → Real Madrid (2023)
Fee: €103 million (excluding add-ons)
One of the biggest midfield transfers ever, reflecting Bellingham’s elite potential.

9) Paul Pogba

Juventus → Manchester United (2016)
Fee: €105 million
Pogba returned to Old Trafford for a then-world-record fee.

10) Romelu Lukaku

Inter → Chelsea (2021)
Fee: €115 million
Chelsea paid heavily to bring Lukaku back to Stamford Bridge.

11) Gareth Bale

Tottenham → Real Madrid (2013)
Fee: €101 million
A world-record move at the time, Bale went on to win multiple Champions League titles.

12) Cristiano Ronaldo

Real Madrid → Juventus (2018)
Fee: €100 million
A historic transfer involving one of football’s greatest players.

13) Eden Hazard

Chelsea → Real Madrid (2019)
Fee: €100 million
One of the most anticipated transfers of the decade, though injuries limited its success.

14) Harry Kane

Tottenham → Bayern Munich (2023)
Fee: €100 million
Kane finally left the Premier League to pursue major trophies in Germany.

15) Ousmane Dembélé

Borussia Dortmund → Barcelona (2017)
Fee: €105 million
Another major signing made possible by Neymar’s departure.

16) Declan Rice

West Ham → Arsenal (2023)
Fee: €116 million
Rice became Arsenal’s record signing and one of the most expensive midfielders ever.

17) Moisés Caicedo

Brighton → Chelsea (2023)
Fee: €116 million
Chelsea continued their heavy investment with a record fee for the Ecuadorian midfielder.

18) Aurelien Tchouaméni

Monaco → Real Madrid (2022)
Fee: €100 million (including add-ons)
Real Madrid secured a long-term midfield cornerstone.

19) Antony

Ajax → Manchester United (2022)
Fee: €95 million
A reunion with Erik ten Hag that sparked major debate over value.

20) Harry Maguire

Leicester City → Manchester United (2019)
Fee: €87 million
Still the most expensive defender in football history.

These transfers reflect not only player quality, but also the immense financial power of modern football. As broadcasting deals and global audiences continue to grow, new records may yet be broken.