Most expensive footballers of all time: Top 11 biggest transfers in football history ranked

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.

11. 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 season set a new British transfer record, and while he has since lifted major honours – including the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup in a famous 2022-23 treble – the Englishman has often fallen short of expectations.

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

Now on loan at Everton for the 2025-26 season, Grealish appears to be rekindling his spark, with his Premier League player of the month award for August – the first such accolade of his career – serving as evidence of a rejuvenated figure in a new environment.

10. 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.

9. 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.

8. 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 midfileder's breakthrough campaign came last season as Enzo Maresca pushed him into a more advanced role, allowing him to showcase his attacking qualities with nine goals and 17 assists in 53 appearances across all competitions, including an equaliser in the UEFA Conference League final that sparked Chelsea’s comeback win over Real Betis to lift the trophy, before adding the Club World Cup to his honours.

Fernandez has carried that momentum into the current season, and it remains to be seen whether he can eclipse the numbers he set in the previous campaign.

7. 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.

The German has made a quiet start to life on Merseyside, but his quality is unquestionable, and expectations remain that he will soon make his mark despite the pressure around him.

Liverpool will look to him as they defend their league crown in 2025-26, and he possesses all the attributes to establish himself among the very best in the division.

6. 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.

5. 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.

The Frenchman has since moved to Paris Saint-Germain and fulfilled the remarkable potential he once promised, recently being crowned the 2025 Ballon d'Or winner after inspiring PSG to a treble last season — the Champions League, Ligue 1, and French Cup — with 35 goals and 14 assists.

4. 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.

3. Alexander Isak (Newcastle United to Liverpool, £125m)

Isak's long-awaited move from Newcastle to Liverpool finally went through on transfer deadline day in the summer of 2025, with the Reds paying a British record fee of £125m.

The Sweden international made it clear at the start of the window that he wanted to leave St James' Park, and Newcastle reluctantly accepted a huge fee on September 1, 2025.

Isak, who is now sporting the number nine shirt for Liverpool, could potentially cost £130m once add-ons have been taking into consideration.

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.