Neymar completed his move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain for a staggering fee of €222 million in the summer of 2017 and the big deals haven’t stopped since, with Kylian Mbappe joining him in Paris for €145m plus €35m in bonuses.
As a result of his move to the French capital, the Brazilian is now the most expensive player of all time, having smashed the previous record held by Manchester United’s Paul Pogba, who arrived at Old Trafford in 2016 from Juventus for €105m. Mbappe, meanwhile, moves to second on the list.
Atletico Madrid’s massive outlay for Benfica’s Joao Felix of €126m in July of 2019 makes the Portuguese star the third highest on our list.
Philippe Coutinho’s move from Liverpool to Barcelona in January 2018 puts him now fourth, while Barca’s captures of France duo Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele from Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund respectively sees them ahead of Pogba.
Eden Hazard’s move to Real Madrid from Chelsea for €100m plus add-ons puts him joint-tied for ninth. Cristiano Ronaldo occupies positions nine and 11 on the list, with his move to Juventus in the summer of 2018 eclipsing the cost of his transfer to Real Madrid from Manchester United nine years earlier.
You can see the full list of the world’s most expensive footballers below.
Pos. 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 Philippe Coutinho Liverpool – Barcelona 2018 €120m (+€40m)
5 Antoine Griezmann Atletico Madrid – Barcelona 2019 €120m
6 Ousmane Dembele Borussia Dortmund – Barcelona 2017 €105m (+€45m)
7 Paul Pogba Juventus – Manchester United 2016 €105m
8 Gareth Bale Tottenham – Real Madrid 2013 €100.8m
9 Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid – Juventus 2018 €100m
9 Eden Hazard Chelsea – Real Madrid 2019 €100m (+€40m)
11 Cristiano Ronaldo Manchester United – Real Madrid 2009 €94m
12 Gonzalo Higuain Napoli – Juventus 2016 €90m
13 Harry Maguire Leicester City – Manchester United 2019 €87.1m
14 Neymar Santos – Barcelona 2013 €86.2m
15 Romelu Lukaku Everton – Manchester United 2017 €84.8m
16 Virgil van Dijk Southampton – Liverpool 2018 €84.5m
17 Luis Suarez Liverpool – Barcelona 2014 €82.3m
18 James Rodriguez Monaco – Real Madrid 2014 €80m
18 Kepa Arrizabalaga Athletic Bilbao – Chelsea 2018 €80m
18 Lucas Hernandez Atletico Madrid – Bayern Munich 2019 €80m
18 Romelu Lukaku Manchester United – Inter 2019 €80m
22 Nicolas Pepe Lille – Arsenal 2019 €79m
23 Alvaro Morata Real Madrid – Chelsea 2017 €78.9m
24 Zinedine Zidane Juventus – Real Madrid 2001 €77.5m
25 Matthijs de Ligt Ajax – Juventus 2019 €75m (+€10.5m)
26 Kevin De Bruyne Wolfsburg – Manchester City 2015 €75m
27 Frenkie de Jong Ajax-Barcelona 2019 €75m
28 Angel Di Maria Real Madrid – Manchester United 2014 €74.6m
29 Alisson Becker Roma – Liverpool 2018 €73m
30 Luka Jovic Frankfurt – Real Madrid 2019 €70m
30 Rodri Atletico Madrid – Manchester City 2019 €70m
32 Zlatan Ibrahimovic Inter – Barcelona 2009 €69.5m
33 Raheem Sterling Liverpool – Manchester City 2015 €69.1m
34 Riyad Mahrez Leicester City – Manchester City 2019 €67.8m
35 Diego Costa Chelsea – Atletico Madrid 2018 €66m
36 Thomas Lemar Monaco – Atletico Madrid 2018 €65m
36 Kaka AC Milan – Real Madrid 2009 €65m
36 Aymeric Laporte Athletic Club – Manchester City 2018 €65m
36 Joao Cancelo Juventus – Manchester City 2019 €65m (inc. Danilo)
40 Edinson Cavani Napoli – PSG 2013 €64.5m
41 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Borussia Dortmund – Arsenal 2018 €63.75m
42 David Luiz Chelsea – PSG 2014 €62.5m
43 Angel Di Maria Manchester United – PSG 2015 €61.6m
44 Oscar Chelsea – Shanghai SIPG 2017 €60.3m
45 Naby Keita RB Leipzig – Liverpool 2018 €60m
46 Luis Figo Barcelona – Real Madrid 2000 €60m
47 Tanguy Ndombele Lyon – Tottenham 2019 €60m
48 Fernando Torres Liverpool – Chelsea 2011 €59m
49 Fred Shakhtar Donetsk – Manchester United 2018 €58.9m
50 Jorginho Napoli – Chelsea 2018 €58.9m
51 Hulk Zenit – Shanghai SIPG 2016 €58.6m
52 Benjamin Mendy Monaco – Manchester City 2017 €58.2m
53 John Stones Everton – Manchester City 2016 €58m
54 Kyle Walker Tottenham – Manchester City 2017 €56.7m
55 Hernan Crespo Parma – Lazio 2000 €55m
55 Bruno Fernandes Sporting – Manchester United 2020 €55m (+€25m)
57 Alexandre Lacazette Lyon – Arsenal 2017 €53m (+€7m)
58 Gianluigi Buffon Parma – Juventus 2001 €52m
59 Eliaquim Mangala Porto – Manchester City 2014 €51.7m
60 Alex Teixeira Shakhtar Donetsk – Jiangsu Suning 2016 €50m
60 Bernardo Silva Monaco – Manchester City 2017 €50m
60 Fabinho Monaco – Liverpool 2018 €50m
60 Eder Militao Porto – Real Madrid 2019 €50m
60 Aaron Wan-Bissaka Crystal Palace – Manchester United 2019 €50m
65 Anthony Martial Monaco – Manchester United 2015 €49.3m
66 Gylfi Sigurdsson Swansea City – Everton 2017 €49.2m
67 Christian Vieri Lazio – Inter 1999 €49m
68 Gaizka Mendieta Valencia – Lazio 2001 €48m
68 Ferland Mendy Lyon – Real Madrid 2019 €48m
70 Mesut Ozil Real Madrid – Arsenal 2013 €47m
71 Juan Sebastian Veron Lazio – Manchester United 2001 €46m
71 Rio Ferdinand Leeds United – Manchester United 2002 €46m
71 Ronaldo Inter – Real Madrid 2002 €46m
71 Juan Mata Chelsea – Manchester United 2014 €46m
71 Douglas Costa Bayern Munich – Juventus 2017 €46m
76 Christian Benteke Aston Villa – Liverpool 2015 €45.8m
77 James Rodriguez Porto – Monaco 2013 €45m
77 Joao Mario Sporting C.P. – Inter 2016 €45m
77 Granit Xhaka Borussia Monchengladbach – Arsenal 2016 €45m
80 Tiemoue Bakayoko Monaco – Chelsea 2017 €45m
80 Richarlison Watford – Everton 2018 €45m
80 Vinicius Junior Flamengo – Real Madrid 2018 €45m
80 Rodrygo Santos – Real Madrid 2019 €45m
80 Mateo Kovacic Real Madrid – Chelsea 2019 €45m
80 Sebastien Haller Eintracht Frankfurt – West Ham 2019 €45m
86 Nemanja Matic Chelsea – Manchester United 2017 €44.7m
87 Youri Tielemans Monaco – Leicester City 2019 €44.6m
88 Leroy Sane Schalke – Manchester City 2016 €44m
89 Andriy Schevchenko AC Milan – Chelsea 2006 €43.9m
90 Robinho Real Madrid – Manchester City 2008 €43m
90 Radamel Falcao Atletico Madrid – Monaco 2013 €43m
92 Alexis Sanchez Barcelona – Arsenal 2014 €42.5m
93 Rui Costa Fiorentina – AC Milan 2001 €42m
93 Javier Pastore Palermo – PSG 2011 €42m
93 Thiago Silva AC Milan – PSG 2012 €42m
93 Jackson Martinez Atletico Madrid – Guangzhou Evergrande 2016 €42m
93 Henrikh Mkhitaryan Borussia Dortmund – Manchester United 2016 €42m
93 Mohamed Salah Roma – Liverpool 2017 €42m
99 Leonardo Bonucci Juventus – AC Milan 2017 €42m
100 Lilian Thuram Parma – Juventus 2001 €41.5m
100 Corentin Tolisso Lyon – Bayern Munich
Pos. 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 Philippe Coutinho Liverpool – Barcelona 2018 €120m (+€40m)
5 Antoine Griezmann Atletico Madrid – Barcelona 2019 €120m
6 Ousmane Dembele Borussia Dortmund – Barcelona 2017 €105m (+€45m)
7 Paul Pogba Juventus – Manchester United 2016 €105m
8 Gareth Bale Tottenham – Real Madrid 2013 €100.8m
9 Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid – Juventus 2018 €100m
9 Eden Hazard Chelsea – Real Madrid 2019 €100m (+€40m)
11 Cristiano Ronaldo Manchester United – Real Madrid 2009 €94m
12 Gonzalo Higuain Napoli – Juventus 2016 €90m
13 Harry Maguire Leicester City – Manchester United 2019 €87.1m
14 Neymar Santos – Barcelona 2013 €86.2m
15 Romelu Lukaku Everton – Manchester United 2017 €84.8m
16 Virgil van Dijk Southampton – Liverpool 2018 €84.5m
17 Luis Suarez Liverpool – Barcelona 2014 €82.3m
18 James Rodriguez Monaco – Real Madrid 2014 €80m
18 Kepa Arrizabalaga Athletic Bilbao – Chelsea 2018 €80m
18 Lucas Hernandez Atletico Madrid – Bayern Munich 2019 €80m
18 Romelu Lukaku Manchester United – Inter 2019 €80m
22 Nicolas Pepe Lille – Arsenal 2019 €79m
23 Alvaro Morata Real Madrid – Chelsea 2017 €78.9m
24 Zinedine Zidane Juventus – Real Madrid 2001 €77.5m
25 Matthijs de Ligt Ajax – Juventus 2019 €75m (+€10.5m)
26 Kevin De Bruyne Wolfsburg – Manchester City 2015 €75m
27 Frenkie de Jong Ajax-Barcelona 2019 €75m
28 Angel Di Maria Real Madrid – Manchester United 2014 €74.6m
29 Alisson Becker Roma – Liverpool 2018 €73m
30 Luka Jovic Frankfurt – Real Madrid 2019 €70m
30 Rodri Atletico Madrid – Manchester City 2019 €70m
32 Zlatan Ibrahimovic Inter – Barcelona 2009 €69.5m
33 Raheem Sterling Liverpool – Manchester City 2015 €69.1m
34 Riyad Mahrez Leicester City – Manchester City 2019 €67.8m
35 Diego Costa Chelsea – Atletico Madrid 2018 €66m
36 Thomas Lemar Monaco – Atletico Madrid 2018 €65m
36 Kaka AC Milan – Real Madrid 2009 €65m
36 Aymeric Laporte Athletic Club – Manchester City 2018 €65m
36 Joao Cancelo Juventus – Manchester City 2019 €65m (inc. Danilo)
40 Edinson Cavani Napoli – PSG 2013 €64.5m
41 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Borussia Dortmund – Arsenal 2018 €63.75m
42 David Luiz Chelsea – PSG 2014 €62.5m
43 Angel Di Maria Manchester United – PSG 2015 €61.6m
44 Oscar Chelsea – Shanghai SIPG 2017 €60.3m
45 Naby Keita RB Leipzig – Liverpool 2018 €60m
46 Luis Figo Barcelona – Real Madrid 2000 €60m
47 Tanguy Ndombele Lyon – Tottenham 2019 €60m
48 Fernando Torres Liverpool – Chelsea 2011 €59m
49 Fred Shakhtar Donetsk – Manchester United 2018 €58.9m
50 Jorginho Napoli – Chelsea 2018 €58.9m
51 Hulk Zenit – Shanghai SIPG 2016 €58.6m
52 Benjamin Mendy Monaco – Manchester City 2017 €58.2m
53 John Stones Everton – Manchester City 2016 €58m
54 Kyle Walker Tottenham – Manchester City 2017 €56.7m
55 Hernan Crespo Parma – Lazio 2000 €55m
55 Bruno Fernandes Sporting – Manchester United 2020 €55m (+€25m)
57 Alexandre Lacazette Lyon – Arsenal 2017 €53m (+€7m)
58 Gianluigi Buffon Parma – Juventus 2001 €52m
59 Eliaquim Mangala Porto – Manchester City 2014 €51.7m
60 Alex Teixeira Shakhtar Donetsk – Jiangsu Suning 2016 €50m
60 Bernardo Silva Monaco – Manchester City 2017 €50m
60 Fabinho Monaco – Liverpool 2018 €50m
60 Eder Militao Porto – Real Madrid 2019 €50m
60 Aaron Wan-Bissaka Crystal Palace – Manchester United 2019 €50m
65 Anthony Martial Monaco – Manchester United 2015 €49.3m
66 Gylfi Sigurdsson Swansea City – Everton 2017 €49.2m
67 Christian Vieri Lazio – Inter 1999 €49m
68 Gaizka Mendieta Valencia – Lazio 2001 €48m
68 Ferland Mendy Lyon – Real Madrid 2019 €48m
70 Mesut Ozil Real Madrid – Arsenal 2013 €47m
71 Juan Sebastian Veron Lazio – Manchester United 2001 €46m
71 Rio Ferdinand Leeds United – Manchester United 2002 €46m
71 Ronaldo Inter – Real Madrid 2002 €46m
71 Juan Mata Chelsea – Manchester United 2014 €46m
71 Douglas Costa Bayern Munich – Juventus 2017 €46m
76 Christian Benteke Aston Villa – Liverpool 2015 €45.8m
77 James Rodriguez Porto – Monaco 2013 €45m
77 Joao Mario Sporting C.P. – Inter 2016 €45m
77 Granit Xhaka Borussia Monchengladbach – Arsenal 2016 €45m
80 Tiemoue Bakayoko Monaco – Chelsea 2017 €45m
80 Richarlison Watford – Everton 2018 €45m
80 Vinicius Junior Flamengo – Real Madrid 2018 €45m
80 Rodrygo Santos – Real Madrid 2019 €45m
80 Mateo Kovacic Real Madrid – Chelsea 2019 €45m
80 Sebastien Haller Eintracht Frankfurt – West Ham 2019 €45m
86 Nemanja Matic Chelsea – Manchester United 2017 €44.7m
87 Youri Tielemans Monaco – Leicester City 2019 €44.6m
88 Leroy Sane Schalke – Manchester City 2016 €44m
89 Andriy Schevchenko AC Milan – Chelsea 2006 €43.9m
90 Robinho Real Madrid – Manchester City 2008 €43m
90 Radamel Falcao Atletico Madrid – Monaco 2013 €43m
92 Alexis Sanchez Barcelona – Arsenal 2014 €42.5m
93 Rui Costa Fiorentina – AC Milan 2001 €42m
93 Javier Pastore Palermo – PSG 2011 €42m
93 Thiago Silva AC Milan – PSG 2012 €42m
93 Jackson Martinez Atletico Madrid – Guangzhou Evergrande 2016 €42m
93 Henrikh Mkhitaryan Borussia Dortmund – Manchester United 2016 €42m
93 Mohamed Salah Roma – Liverpool 2017 €42m
99 Leonardo Bonucci Juventus – AC Milan 2017 €42m
100 Lilian Thuram Parma – Juventus 2001 €41.5m
100 Corentin Tolisso Lyon – Bayern Munich
Most expensive British player
Gareth Bale is the most expensive British player of all time, having cost Real Madrid €100.8 million in 2013.
At the time, Bale was the most expensive player in history, but he slipped to eighth in the ranking in 2019. He is now behind the likes of Paul Pogba, Antoine Griezmann and Philippe Coutinho.
The costliest English player in history, incidentally, is Manchester United defender Harry Maguire, who joined from Leicester City in 2019 for €87.1m.
Most expensive teenager
Kylian Mbappe is the most expensive teenager ever after joining PSG on a loan-to-buy deal that will be worth €180 million after bonuses.
Not only is he the most expensive teenage footballer of all time, but Mbappe is also second-most expensive player of all time.
Joao Felix follows Mbappe as the second most expensive teenager, having been signed by Atletico Madrid from Benfica for €126m in 2019.
Most expensive defender
Harry Maguire became the most expensive defender of all time when Manchester United forked out a fee worth €87.1 million to Leicester City for the England international’s services in 2019.
Maguire overtook Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk in the process, but only relatively marginally, with the Netherlands centre-back costing the Reds €84.5m
Most expensive goalkeeper
Kepa Arrizabalaga is the most expensive goalkeeper in history after Chelsea spent €80 million to meet his release clause with Athletic Club in 2018.
For a long time, former Juventus captain Gianluigi Buffon held this mark having joined the Turin outfit from Parma for €52m, which is a colossal fee when inflation is taken into account.
Then within a matter of weeks, the record was shattered twice. First Liverpool brought in Roma’s Alisson Becker for €73m, to temporarily take the mark as the world’s most expensive keeper.
Not to be outdone, Chelsea matched Kepa’s release clause not even a month later, meaning the Spain international has quickly dethroned Alisson for the No.1 spot in transfer history.
Biggest transfer outside of Europe
The most a non-European club has ever paid for a player is €60.3m, which Shanghai SIPG handed over to Chelsea for Brazil midfielder Oscar in 2016.
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