The Top 100 Most Expensive Football Player List:
Rank | Player | Clubs | Year | Fee |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Neymar | Barcelona - PSG | 2017 | €222m |
2 | Kylian Mbappe | Monaco - PSG | 2017 | €145m (+€35m) |
3 | Joao Felix | Benfica - Atletico Madrid | 2019 | €126m |
4 | Enzo Fernandez | Benfica - Chelsea | 2023 | €121m |
5 | Philippe Coutinho | Liverpool - Barcelona | 2018 | €120m (+€40m) |
5 | Antoine Griezmann | Atletico Madrid - Barcelona | 2019 | €120m |
7 | Moises Caicedo | Brighton - Chelsea | 2023 | €117m (+€17.5m) |
7 | Declan Rice | West Ham - Arsenal | 2023 | €117m (+€6m) |
7 | Jack Grealish | Aston Villa - Manchester City | 2021 | €117m |
10 | Romelu Lukaku | Inter - Chelsea | 2021 | €115m |
11 | Ousmane Dembele | Borussia Dortmund - Barcelona | 2017 | €105m (+€40m) |
11 | Paul Pogba | Juventus - Manchester United | 2016 | €105m (+€5m) |
13 | Jude Bellingham | Dortmund - Real Madrid | 2023 | €103m (+€31m) |
14 | Gareth Bale | Tottenham - Real Madrid | 2013 | €100.8m |
15 | Eden Hazard | Chelsea - Real Madrid | 2019 | €100m (+€46m) |
15 | Harry Kane | Tottenham - Bayern Munich | 2023 | €100m (+€16m) |
15 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid - Juventus | 2018 | €100m |
18 | Antony | Ajax - Manchester United | 2022 | €95m (+€5m) |
19 | Harry Maguire | Leicester City - Manchester United | 2019 | €94m |
19 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Manchester United - Real Madrid | 2009 | €94m |
21 | Gonzalo Higuain | Napoli - Juventus | 2016 | €90m |
21 | Neymar | PSG - Al-Hilal | 2023 | €90m |
21 | Josko Gvardiol | RB Leipzig - Manchester City | 2023 | €90m |
24 | Romelu Lukaku | Everton - Manchester United | 2017 | €88m (+€17.5m) |
25 | Neymar | Santos - Barcelona | 2013 | €86.2m |
26 | Jadon Sancho | Borussia Dortmund - Manchester United | 2021 | €85m |
27 | Virgil van Dijk | Southampton - Liverpool | 2018 | €84.5m |
28 | Luis Suarez | Liverpool - Barcelona | 2014 | €82m |
29 | Wesley Fofana | Leicester City - Chelsea | 2022 | €80.5m (+€6m) |
30 | Aurelien Tchouameni | Monaco - Real Madrid | 2022 | €80m (+€20m) |
30 | James Rodriguez | Monaco - Real Madrid | 2014 | €80m |
32 | Kepa Arrizabalaga | Athletic Club - Chelsea | 2018 | €80m |
33 | Lucas Hernandez | Atletico Madrid - Bayern Munich | 2019 | €80m |
33 | Romelu Lukaku | Manchester United - Inter | 2019 | €80m |
35 | Nicolas Pepe | Lille - Arsenal | 2019 | €79m |
36 | Alvaro Morata | Real Madrid - Chelsea | 2017 | €78.9m |
37 | Zinedine Zidane | Juventus - Real Madrid | 2001 | €77.5m |
38 | Darwin Nunez | Benfica - Liverpool | 2022 | €75m (+€25m) |
38 | Randal Kolo Muani | Eintracht Frankfurt - PSG | 2023 | €75m (+€15m) |
38 | Matthijs de Ligt | Ajax - Juventus | 2019 | €75m (+€10.5m) |
38 | Rasmus Hojlund | Atalanta - Manchester United | 2023 | €75m (+€9m) |
38 | Kevin De Bruyne | Wolfsburg - Manchester City | 2015 | €75m |
38 | Frenkie de Jong | Ajax - Barcelona | 2019 | €75m |
38 | Dusan Vlahovic | Fiorentina - Juventus | 2022 | €75m |
45 | Angel Di Maria | Real Madrid - Manchester United | 2014 | €74.6m |
46 | Alisson Becker | Roma - Liverpool | 2018 | €73m |
47 | Arthur Melo | Barcelona - Juventus | 2020 | €72m (+€10m) |
48 | Kai Havertz | Chelsea-Arsenal | 2023 | €72m (+€3.5m) |
49 | Casemiro | Real Madrid - Manchester United | 2022 | €71m (+€11.8m) |
50 | Mykhailo Mudryk | Shakhtar Donetsk - Chelsea | 2023 | €70m (+€30m) |
50 | Kai Havertz | Bayer Leverkusen - Chelsea | 2020 | €70m (+€9m) |
50 | Luka Jovic | Eintracht Frankfurt - Real Madrid | 2019 | €70m |
50 | Rodri | Atletico Madrid - Manchester City | 2019 | €70m |
50 | Sandro Tonali | AC Milan - Newcastle United | 2023 | €70m |
50 | Dominik Szoboszlai | RB Leipzig - Liverpool | 2023 | €70m |
56 | Zlatan Ibrahimovic | Inter - Barcelona | 2009 | €69.5m |
57 | Raheem Sterling | Liverpool - Manchester City | 2015 | €69.1m |
58 | Ruben Dias | Benfica - Manchester City | 2020 | €68m (+€3.6m) |
59 | Riyad Mahrez | Leicester City - Manchester City | 2019 | €67.8m |
60 | Matthijs de Ligt | Juventus - Bayern Munich | 2022 | €67m (+€10m) |
61 | Diego Costa | Chelsea - Atletico Madrid | 2018 | €66m |
62 | Marc Cucurella | Brighton - Chelsea | 2022 | €65.1m (+€8.2m) |
63 | Alexander Isak | Real Sociedad - Newcastle United | 2022 | €65m (+€5m) |
63 | Thomas Lemar | Monaco - Atletico Madrid | 2018 | €65m |
63 | Jeremy Doku | Rennes - Manchester City | 2023 | €65m |
63 | Kaka | AC Milan - Real Madrid | 2009 | €65m |
63 | Aymeric Laporte | Athletic Club - Manchester City | 2018 | €65m |
63 | Joao Cancelo | Juventus - Manchester City | 2019 | €65m (inc. Danilo) |
69 | Edinson Cavani | Napoli - PSG | 2013 | €64.5m |
70 | Christian Pulisic | Borussia Dortmund - Chelsea | 2019 | €64m |
71 | Mason Mount | Chelsea - Manchester United | 2023 | €63.9m (+€5.8m) |
72 | Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang | Borussia Dortmund - Arsenal | 2018 | €63.75m |
73 | David Luiz | Chelsea - PSG | 2014 | €62m (+€6m) |
73 | Romeo Lavia | Southampton - Chelsea | 2023 | €62m (+€6m) |
73 | Matheus Nunes | Wolves - Manchester City | 2023 | €62m |
76 | Angel Di Maria | Manchester United - PSG | 2015 | €61.6m |
77 | Achraf Hakimi | Inter - PSG | 2021 | €60m (+€11m) |
77 | Miralem Pjanic | Juventus - Barcelona | 2020 | €60m (+€5m) |
77 | Oscar | Chelsea - Shanghai SIPG | 2017 | €60m |
77 | Christopher Nkunku | RB Leipzig - Chelsea | 2023 | €60m |
77 | Manuel Ugarte | Sporting CP - PSG | 2023 | €60m |
77 | Erling Haaland | Borussia Dortmund - Manchester City | 2022 | €60m |
77 | Naby Keita | RB Leipzig - Liverpool | 2018 | €60m |
77 | Luis Figo | Barcelona - Real Madrid | 2000 | €60m |
77 | Tanguy Ndombele | Lyon - Tottenham | 2019 | €60m |
77 | Malcom | Zenit - Al-Hilal | 2023 | €60m |
77 | Otavio | Porto - Al-Nassr | 2023 | €60m |
88 | Raphinha | Leeds United - Barcelona | 2022 | €59m (+€6m) |
89 | Fernando Torres | Liverpool - Chelsea | 2011 | €59m |
90 | Fred | Shakhtar Donetsk - Manchester United | 2018 | €58.9m |
90 | Jorginho | Napoli - Chelsea | 2018 | €58.9m |
92 | Hulk | Zenit - Shanghai SIPG | 2016 | €58.6m |
92 | Ben White | Brighton - Arsenal | 2021 | €58.6m |
94 | Benjamin Mendy | Monaco - Manchester City | 2017 | €58.2m |
95 | Richarlison | Everton - Tottenham | 2022 | €58m (+€12m) |
95 | John Stones | Everton - Manchester City | 2016 | €58m |
97 | Kyle Walker | Tottenham - Manchester City | 2017 | €56.7m |
98 | Raheem Sterling | Manchester City - Chelsea | 2022 | €56.2m |
99 | Ben Chilwell | Leicester City - Chelsea | 2020 | €55.8m |
100 | Lisandro Martinez | Ajax - Manchester United | 2022 | €55.3m (+€12.5m) |
Here are some of the most expensive football players based on transfers up to that point:
- Neymar: Neymar’s transfer from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in 2017 set a world record transfer fee at the time, with PSG paying approximately €222 million for his services.
- Kylian Mbappé: Mbappé is another PSG player who commanded a significant transfer fee. He was transferred from AS Monaco to PSG on loan in 2017, with an option to make the deal permanent for around €145 million.
- João Félix: In 2019, Atletico Madrid signed João Félix from Benfica for a reported fee of approximately €126 million, making him one of the most expensive young talents in football.
- Philippe Coutinho: Barcelona signed Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool in 2018 for a transfer fee reported to be around €120 million, making him one of the most expensive midfielders at the time.
- Ousmane Dembélé: Barcelona also signed Ousmane Dembélé from Borussia Dortmund in 2017 for an initial fee of around €105 million, with additional add-ons.
- Antoine Griezmann: Barcelona acquired Antoine Griezmann from Atletico Madrid in 2019 for a reported fee of approximately €120 million.
- Cristiano Ronaldo: In 2018, Cristiano Ronaldo transferred from Real Madrid to Juventus for a fee reported to be around €100 million.
Please keep in mind that the transfer market is dynamic, and player values can change with each transfer window.
Why do Football Clubs pay so much for players?
Football clubs pay significant amounts for football players for several reasons:
- Talent and Skill: Clubs are willing to pay high transfer fees for players with exceptional talent and skills. Top-tier players can have a significant impact on a team’s performance, helping them win matches, titles, and competitions.
- Market Demand: The demand for talented football players is high, and clubs often compete with each other to secure the services of the best players. This competition can drive up transfer fees as clubs seek to outbid each other.
- Commercial Value: Star players often have a high commercial value. They can attract sponsorships, merchandise sales, and a larger global fanbase, which can bring in revenue for the club. Clubs may view the investment in a star player as a way to boost their brand and income.
- Long-Term Investment: Clubs see player acquisitions as long-term investments. A successful player can contribute to the club’s success over many seasons, both on and off the field. A club may recoup the initial investment through on-field performance, merchandise sales, and potential future transfer fees if the player is sold later.
- Scarcity: Truly exceptional players are relatively scarce, and clubs may be willing to pay a premium for the chance to sign them. When there are only a few players with specific qualities or skills, their market value can be very high.
- Competition and Rivalry: Rivalry between clubs, both domestically and internationally, can drive up prices. Clubs may be willing to spend more to strengthen their squads and gain an advantage over their competitors.
- Financial Resources: Some clubs, particularly those with significant financial resources, are capable of making high-value transfers due to their revenue streams, sponsorship deals, and wealthy owners. These clubs can afford to pay top prices for top players.
- Inflation and Transfer Market Dynamics: Transfer fees have been subject to inflation in the football world. As the financial stakes have risen in the sport, so have the transfer fees. Clubs may be willing to pay high prices because they expect that player values will continue to rise.
- Agent Fees and Player Wages: Transfer fees are not the only costs associated with player acquisitions. Clubs also have to factor in agent fees and player wages, which can be substantial, especially for elite players.
It’s important to note that while clubs may pay high transfer fees for players, not all transfers result in success, and there are risks involved. Clubs must carefully assess the potential return on investment and consider various factors before making significant financial commitments in the transfer market.
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