Most expensive footballers of all time: The biggest

Transfers have increasingly become one of the most anticipated and talked-about aspects of modern football, often capturing more attention from fans than the action on the pitch. 

As clubs constantly look to strengthen their squads in pursuit of silverware, success or survival, spending big in the market has become a vital part of the sport. 

That has led to transfer fees quickly escalating to staggering figures, reflecting both the immense pressure to compete and the ever-growing commercial power of the game.

While not every major move has lived up to expectations, each one has had an impact on the sport, gradually redefining the financial landscape of the game.

With that in mind, Sports Mole presents the list of the 10 most expensive footballers of all time.

10. Jack Grealish (Aston Villa to Manchester City, £101.2m)

Grealish’s £101.2m move from Aston Villa to Manchester City ahead of the 2021-22 seasons set a new British transfer record, and while he has won countless trophies – including the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup in a famous 2022-23 treble – the Englishman has often underwhelmed compared to expectations.

Grealish has contributed to just 40 goals in 157 appearances across all competitions for the Citizens, registering only 17 goals and 23 assists, with his best individual campaign coming in 2022-23, when he scored five and assisted 11 goals in 50 matches in all tournaments. 

The Englishman’s time at Man City appears to be nearing its end, with reports suggesting that Grealish could leave the club this summer, and the move has ultimately fallen short of the impact many expected when he made his much-anticipated arrival.

9. Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid to Barcelona, £103.4m)

After several sensational years at Atletico Madrid, Griezmann made the move from the capital to Barcelona in June 2019 for a staggering £103.4m, but the Frenchman never looked at his best for the Blaugrana. 

Despite scoring 35 and assisting 16 goals in 102 appearances for Barcelona, Griezmann struggled to fit into a system that was tailor-made for superstar Lionel Messi, and the forward was ultimately allowed to leave as the club looked to offload high earners, with the Frenchman failing to justify his substantial wages.

Griezmann returned to Atletico Madrid on loan in 2021 before making the deal permanent in 2023, and the Frenchman has thrived since his return.

8. Eden Hazard (Chelsea to Real Madrid, £104.1m)

Hazard had long been linked with a move away from Chelsea to join Real Madrid, with the winger making it clear throughout his career that his ambition was to play in the famous white strip. 

The move eventually took place in July 2019 for an eye-watering £104.1m, but Hazard failed to ever replicate his stunning Chelsea performances for Los Blancos. 

Numerous injury issues meant Hazard appeared just 76 times across four seasons for Real Madrid, managing only seven goals and nine assists in that time.

7. Enzo Fernandez (Benfica to Chelsea, £104.3m)

Fernandez had already attracted interest from several top European clubs after an impressive first six months at Benfica following his arrival from River Plate in the summer of 2022, and his standout performances during Argentina’s 2022 FIFA World Cup winning campaign ultimately earned him a big-money move.

Chelsea activated Fernandez’s release clause for £104.3m in January – an unheard of amount of money to spend in the winter window – and the Argentinian has been a steady performer for the Blues ever since. 

The midfielder’s standout season undoubtedly came last term, as Enzo Maresca pushed Fernandez into a more advanced role, allowing him to display his attacking qualities – displayed by his nine goals and 17 assists in 53 appearances across all competitions.

6. Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool, £107.7m)

Wirtz was one of the most sought-after attacking midfielders before making his move to Liverpool in July 2025, with the Reds beating the likes of Bayern Munich and Manchester City to the German’s signature. 

Wirtz is yet to play a competitive match for Liverpool, but the attacking midfielder has already shown his attacking threat with a goal in his second pre-season friendly for the club. 

The German will be looked upon to help Liverpool defend their Premier League crown in 2025-26, and Wirtz certainly has all the attributes to be one of the very best players in the division.

5. Joao Felix (Benfica to Atletico Madrid, £109.6m)

Felix was one of the most talented young players in world football at the time of his move to Atletico Madrid, having scored 20 and assisted eight goals in 42 appearances in his debut campaign for Benfica in 2018-19. 

The Portuguese forward failed to ever consistently show his potential for Atletico Madrid, though, falling in and out of the team due to his inconsistent form. 

Felix has since left the club and appeared for Chelsea, Barcelona and AC Milan, while he has recently moved to Al-Nassr. 

4. Ousmane Dembele (Borussia Dortmund to Barcelona, £116.3m)

Dembele quickly emerged as one of the most talented youngsters in the world after scoring 12 goals and registering five assists in 29 appearances in his debut campaign for Rennes in 2015-16, earning a move to Borussia Dortmund as a result of his performances. 

10 goals and 20 assists for Dortmund then earned the Frenchman a massive £116.3m move to Barcelona, but Dembele’s time in Spain was hampered by injuries and inconsistency. 

Dembele has since moved to Paris Saint-Germain and made good on the remarkable potential he once promised, with the Frenchman leading the race for the Ballon d’Or after scoring 35 goals and recording 14 assists as PSG lifted the Champions League trophy. 

3. Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool to Barcelona, £116.3m)

After several world-class years for Liverpool, Coutinho earned his dream move to Barcelona in January 2018, but the Brazilian failed to cement his place in the starting team during his time in Spain. 

Coutinho’s best season after leaving Liverpool came after a loan move from Barcelona to Bayern Munich in 2019-20, scoring 11 and assisting nine as he lifted the Champions League trophy with the German club. 

The attacking midfielder has since appeared for Aston Villa and Al-Duhail, while he has been playing for Vasco da Gama for the last two years.

2. Kylian Mbappe (AS Monaco to Paris Saint-Germain, £155.1m)

A sensational breakout campaign for AS Monaco in 2016-17 – scoring 26 and assisting eight in 44 appearances – earned Mbappe his major move to PSG, initially on loan before becoming permanent for £155.1m in July 2018. 

The Frenchman cemented himself as one of the world’s best players during his time in the French capital, scoring 256 and registering 96 assists in 308 appearances for PSG before eventually moving to Real Madrid in the summer of 2024. 

1. Neymar (Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain, £191.3m)

Neymar’s move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain shattered the previous transfer record, with the French giants paying a staggering £191.3m to secure the Brazilian’s services.

While Neymar continued to showcase his quality, his time in France was plagued by injuries – never making more than 31 appearances in a single season – and he ultimately fell short of delivering PSG the Champions League title that they had signed the Brazilian to lead them to. 

Now eight years on from Neymar’s record-breaking move, the Brazilian’s transfer still stands head and shoulders above the rest and is almost certain to remain the highest fee for years to come, with no deal since coming close to the astronomical fee paid by PSG.

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