Top 10 most expensive football player transfers​ in world football history

Most expensive football player transfers​ is one of the topics that always attracts strong attention from fans, investors, and football experts. So, why are these huge transfer deals so attractive? Are they just huge numbers that reflect the financial strength of the clubs, or do they also reflect the expectations of success and change that these players can bring to the team? Join Kingsoccertips.com to learn about the players who have set transfer records, the factors that affect their value, and the impact of these deals on modern football. Each transfer is not only a transaction about people, but also a story about the strategy, talent and ambition of the world’s top clubs.

Top 10 most expensive football player transfers

1. Neymar – 222 million euros

Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior was born on February 5, 1992, and currently plays as a forward for Paris Saint-Germain and the Brazilian national football team. Paris Saint-Germain made a splash when they signed Neymar from Barcelona in 2017 for a record 200 million euros, making him the most expensive player in the world. Immediately after Neymar’s legal representative arrived at Barcelona’s headquarters, placed a check for 222 million euros on the table and was approved, the Neymar deal was officially completed.

This made Neymar a free agent, free to sign for PSG or any other team. PSG paid 222 million euros for Neymar to leave Barcelona, ​​however, Neymar became a free agent in name only. With an unprecedented deal, he has set a record for the most expensive player in the world to date.

After 116 matches for PSG, Neymar has 87 goals and 52 assists. If it weren’t for the injuries that have plagued him over the past three seasons, his achievements would probably be much better.

2. Philippe Coutinho – 160 million euros

Philippe Coutinho Correia was born on June 12, 1992, and currently plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for Aston Villa and the Brazil national team. Known for his combination of vision, passing, dribbling and the ability to create extremely attractive long-range shots, he is a key factor, extremely important for Aston Villa

In January 2018, Coutinho signed for Barcelona for a reported club record fee of 160 million euros. This made him the second most expensive player in the world at the time, and the most expensive midfielder by 2022, having won two La Liga titles at Barcelona. However, he was loaned out to German club Bayern Munich on a season-long deal ahead of the 2019–20 season.

As part of the team that won the treble of Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and UEFA Champions League. On 6 January 2018, Liverpool confirmed that they had reached an agreement with Barcelona for the transfer of Coutinho. His transfer fee was reported to be an initial £105 million rising to £142 million with various conditions met.

After Neymar left, Barca bought Coutinho in the hope that he would bring creativity to the team’s play. However, after 4 years struggling with injuries and a season on loan at Bayern Munich, Coutinho still cannot escape the title of ‘Barca’s disastrous contract.

3. Kylian Mbappe – €180 million

Kylian Mbappe Lottin born 20 December 1998 is a French professional footballer who plays as a forward for Paris Saint-Germain and the France national team. Considered one of the best and highest paid players in the world, he is now known for his dribbling, speed and finishing.

In 2017, at the age of 18, Mbappe signed for Paris Saint-Germain on a permanent transfer for €180 million, making him the second most expensive player and most expensive teenager. At PSG, he has won four Ligue 1 titles, three Coupes de France, is the club’s all-time top scorer and helped the team reach their first UEFA Champions League final in 2020.

With the presence of this young talent, PSG is holding the most expensive attack in the world with more than 500 million euros, which is a formidable challenge for other teams in the Champions League this season. To date, he has 132 goals and 61 assists after only 171 matches for PSG. Mbappe has only 1 year left on his contract with the French team and has publicly expressed his desire to move to Real Madrid.

4. Ousmane Dembele – 145 million euros

Masour Ousmane Dembele was born on May 15, 1997, and currently plays as a winger for Barcelona and the French national team.

Dembélé began his career at Rennes before joining Dortmund in 2016. He won the DFB-Pokal with die Borussen in the 2016–17 season, scoring a goal in the final. A year later, he moved to Barcelona for an initial fee of €145 million, becoming the second most expensive player ever along with compatriot Paul Pogba. On 25 August 2017, La Liga side Barcelona announced that they had reached an agreement to sign Dembélé for a fee of up to €105 million plus a reported €40 million in add-ons. On 28 August, he completed his medical and signed a five-year contract, with a buyout clause of €400 million. Barcelona have just sold Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain for €222 million, so the deal means Dembele has become the second most expensive player in the club’s history.

Having joined Barca from Dortmund for €145 million, Dembele was expected to replace Neymar. But a series of injuries in matches has prevented him from performing up to expectations. After a serious hamstring injury, he has just suffered a knee injury and will be out for at least 2 months. After 118 appearances, he has only scored 30 goals for the Camp Nou team. In this new season, Dembele is showing signs that he is still a bright star in the squad, hopefully this will be a big step forward in his career.

5. Eden Hazard – €160 million

Eden Michael Hazard, born 7 January 1991, plays as a winger or attacking midfielder for Real Madrid and captains the Belgium national team. Known for his creativity, dribbling, passing and vision, Hazard is considered one of the best players of his generation.

He joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2019 for a transfer fee of €160 million, making it one of the highest transfer fees ever, however, constant injuries have seen Hazard play few games and have declined in form. At Chelsea, Hazard has established himself as one of the best players in the world as he has continued to achieve great success. On 7 June 2019, Real Madrid announced on their website that Hazard would sign for them for the 2019–20 season. He has signed a contract until 30 June 2024 for a reported fee of €100m, which could rise to €146.1m in add-ons, with a deal worth £400,000 a week. Hazard becomes Madrid’s most expensive player since Gareth Bale, who was signed for €101m in 2013. If anything, he will become Madrid’s most expensive player of all time.

Playing for Real Madrid was Hazard’s dream, and in the summer of 2019 he made his dream come true. However, he has been injured 12 times in the past four years and has only made 43 appearances for Los Blancos. Hazard still has three years left on his contract and is determined to get back to his best. His performances at Euro 2020 were positive and this season will be an opportunity for the 30-year-old to assert himself ahead of upcoming matches.

6. Antoine Griezmann – 120 million euros

Antoine Griezmann was born on March 21, 1991, and currently plays for Atlético Madrid on loan from Barcelona and the French national team, mainly as a striker. In 2019, he moved to Barcelona for a transfer fee of 120 million euros, becoming the 5th most expensive player of all time. Here, he won the Copa del Rey. In August 2021, he returned to Atlético Madrid on loan. In the 2019-2020 pre-season, Griezmann officially joined Bacrcelona with a 5-year contract, with a record breaking contract price at Barcelona of up to 800 million pounds. On 12 July 2019, Barcelona announced the signing of Griezmann on a five-year contract after activating his €120 million buyout clause.

However, later that day, Atlético Madrid objected to Barcelona’s deal to sign the player, saying the fee was €80 million less than his release clause, claiming that Griezmann had agreed to move to the Camp Nou before 1 July 2019, when his €200 million buyout clause was reduced to €120 million.

At the time, he was highly anticipated, but Griezmann struggled to recapture the form he had enjoyed at Atletico Madrid and was widely criticised. His performances have improved since the start of the previous season. Barcelona tried to sell Griezmann in the summer transfer window of 2021, but the player refused to leave.

7. Joao Felix – 126 million euros

Joao Felix Sequeira was born on November 10, 1999, and currently plays as a striker for La Liga club Atlético Madrid and the Portugal national football team. He can also play as a winger or an attacking midfielder. In 2019, Joao Felix was awarded the Golden Boy award (a title for the best player under the age of 21 of the year).

Felix’s performances attracted the interest of several European clubs, with Atlético Madrid signing him in 2019 for a club record €126 million (£113 million), the fourth most expensive football transfer, the second most expensive ever paid for a teenager and the highest fee for a Portuguese player to leave the domestic league. In his second season at the club, Joao Felix helped the team win the 2020–21 La Liga title, ending the club’s seven-year title drought.

Felix signed a seven-year contract with Spanish club Atlético Madrid for a transfer fee of €126 million (£113 million), the fourth highest fee ever paid in football, Benfica’s biggest transfer and Atlético’s most expensive signing ever, as well as the second highest fee ever paid for a teenager (after Kylian Mbappe), with the Spanish club initially paying €30 million and the remaining €96 million in instalments, thus exceeding Felix’s €120 million release clause and with Benfica paying €12 million for mediation services. Upon his arrival at the club, he was given the number 7 shirt previously worn by Antoine Griezmann, who left for Barcelona.

8. Paul Pogba – €105 million

Paul Labile Pogba born 15 March 1993, currently plays for club Juventus and the France national team. He operates primarily as a central midfielder, but can be deployed as a left winger, attacking midfielder, defensive midfielder and deep-lying midfielder.

On 8 August 2016, Pogba returned to his former club, Manchester United, on a five-year contract for a then-world record transfer fee of €105 million (£89.3 million) plus €5 million in add-ons, surpassing Gareth Bale’s previous record. Pogba’s agent, Mino Raiola, received €27 million from Juventus when he rejoined Manchester United. Juventus disclosed the fee as an add-on, at €26.154 million.

Pogba was one of United’s first major signings under Jose Mourinho. He enjoyed a successful first season, winning the EFL Cup and the Europa League. However, the Frenchman has yet to win any more silverware with United. During his time at MU, Pogba attracted more attention for his off-field stories and the controversy related to his agent Mino Raiola’s statements than his performance on the field.

9. Cristiano Ronaldo – €105m

Cristiano Ronaldo was born on 5 February 1985 and currently plays as a forward for Manchester United and captains the Portugal national football team. He is widely regarded as the best player in the world and one of the greatest players of all time.

In 2018, he moved to Juventus for €105m (£88m), the highest ever paid by an Italian club and the highest ever paid for a player over the age of 30. He won two Serie A titles, two Supercoppa Italiana and a Coppa Italia in three seasons at Juventus, before returning to Manchester United in 2021. Despite months of negotiations over a new contract with Real Madrid, on 10 July 2018 Ronaldo signed a four-year contract with Italian club Juventus after completing a transfer worth €100 million, including a further €12 million in add-ons.

This was the most expensive transfer ever for a player over the age of 30, and the highest paid by an Italian club. Upon signing, Ronaldo claimed that he was leaving Madrid because he wanted a new challenge, but later blamed the move on the lack of support he received from club president Florentino Pérez.

When Juventus spent 105 million euros on Ronaldo, many people doubted his ability to adapt, as he was 33 years old at the time. However, the Portuguese superstar’s performance exceeded expectations. After 3 seasons with Juventus, Ronaldo scored more than 100 goals for the Bianconeri. He left the team in the most shocking transfer in the summer of 2021 to return to Manchester United for 25 million euros.

10. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (£146m)

Zlatan IIbrahimovic, one of the greatest strikers in football history, has played for many prestigious clubs such as Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, ​​AC Milan, PSG and Manchester United. Each of these clubs has seen him make a strong impression and achieve remarkable results, thereby affirming his legendary status in the football world.

Zlatan’s transfer to Barcelona in 2009 for a fee of £57 million was one of the most notable deals of his career. Joining the Nou Camp under the guidance of Pep Guardiola, Zlatan became part of a star-studded squad. Although he only played there for a short season, he contributed to the overall success of the team and left his mark on the team, although his relationship with Guardiola did not last long.

Conclusion

Most expensive football player transfers​ are not simply big numbers but also reflect the constant fluctuations of the global football market. These deals carry with them the expectation of a major change in the teams’ performance, and also show the financial strength and long-term strategy of the clubs. Although transfer values ​​may change over time, each of the most expensive deals contributes to creating a part of history and especially bringing football closer to fans around the world.

See also: Top 10 who is the most injured football player​ of all time