In brief
Three of the top five most expensive players in Premier League history have been acquired by Chelsea, demonstrating their extravagant spending under Roman Abramovich and Todd Boehly.
Nine-figure payments have only ever been demanded by two English players.
Because of the league’s profit and sustainability regulations, it is more difficult to spend a lot of money during this season’s transfer window.
The Premier League is one of the greatest leagues in the world, and its supporters demand the world’s best players to perform every single week. Being consistent from the first week of August to the final match in May makes it one of the most difficult events to win.
Clubs usually try to spend a lot of money during the transfer window to help with the difficulties that arise during the campaign. It is more difficult in 2025 because to the league’s sustainability and profit regulations, which make clubs take more care to prevent losing points. That hasn’t been the case in prior years, though. The most costly transfers in Premier League history are examined here.
10Harry Maguire
£75m
In 2019, Harry Maguire paid £75 million to join Manchester United from Leicester City. He was the most costly defender in football history at the time, but he has since lost that title. The Englishman has always been a conventional centre-back who can clear the box with outstanding skill, but he doesn’t have the edge to be regarded as one of the world’s top defenders nowadays. Because of his price tag, Maguire, who is prone to blunders, has frequently been used as a scapegoat at Old Trafford. But his work ethic is unquestionable because, in spite of criticism, he never gives up.
Information Transfer
Date
August 5, 2019
Place
The centre-back
Club From
Leicester
Joined the Club
United Manchester
9Josko Gvardiol
£77m
Josko Gvardiol became the most costly defender in history in 2023. The Croatian, who arrived from Bundesliga powerhouse RB Leipzig following a successful 2022 World Cup campaign, is the ideal modern-day defender. In addition to his exceptional defensive abilities, he can play as a centre-back or on the left flank and has never been afraid to take the offensive.
Even though he is only 23, Gvardiol will be vital to the Citizens’ future after helping them win the Premier League in 2024. top-tier, combative, and calm. Now, that’s what you want in a defender.
Information Transfer
Date
August 5, 2023
Place
The centre-back
Club From
RB Leipzig
Joined the Club
City of Manchester
8Antony
£80m
Since Sir Alex Ferguson departed the team in 2013, Manchester United has made a number of unsatisfactory acquisitions. They appear to have had no strategy, and their problems were summed up in 2022 when they signed Antony for an incredible £80 million. The Brazilian winger was obviously a gifted player at the time—he was a standout player for Ajax—but the price was much higher than anyone had anticipated.
The 25-year-old has had trouble staying consistent since coming. For the first three games, his cunning and flare have kept the division exciting, but he has subsequently failed miserably at the Theatre of Dreams and appears headed for the exit.
Information Transfer
Date
August 30, 2022
Place
The right winger
Club From
Ajax
Joined the Club
United Manchester
7Paul Pogba
£90m
In 2016, Paul Pogba rejoined Manchester United. Four years before, he had left the team for free as an academy graduate, but the Red Devils wanted to bring him back after he performed well in Italy and was named to the Team of the Year. Pogba returned to Old Trafford for a then-world record cost of almost £90 million. In spite of his talent, he fell short of expectations.
Despite his innate talent and ability to easily outshine the opponents, the Frenchman struggled with attitude, which caused him to lose favour with Jose Mourinho very quickly. ‘What could have been’ was a perfect example of the now-32-year-old.
Information Transfer
Date
August 8, 2016
Place
midfielder in the centre
Club From
Juventus
Joined the Club
United Manchester
6Romelu Lukaku
£96m
Romelu Lukaku has amassed some of the highest transfer fees in history during his career. The Belgian has been engaged in numerous costly transactions, but Chelsea’s decision to re-sign him from Inter Milan in 2021 was the most costly. It never worked out at Chelsea, but the 28-year-old was a sensation in Italy at the time, helping his team win Serie A.
The Belgian never got into gear for a number of reasons, including attitude, difficulty forming a partnership with managers, and just not fitting the system. However, he has once again found more success in Italy, where he is once again a star, this time with Napoli.
Information Transfer
Date
August 12, 2021
Place
Attacker
Club From
Milan Inter
Joined the Club
Chelsea
5Moises Caicedo
£99m
When Moises Caicedo was scouted by some of the world’s largest teams in 2023, he was among the greatest young players in the world. Liverpool and Chelsea engaged in a bidding battle to sign him in the summer after Arsenal attempted to sign him at the beginning of the year.
He was eventually acquired by Mauricio Pochettino’s team for just under £99 million, and the former Seagull is gradually displaying his peak performance under Enzo Maresca. Perhaps the cost burdened him because it took him some time to find it, but Caicedo is now an essential part of Stamford Bridge’s operations.
Information Transfer
Date
August 14, 2023
Place
midfielder in the centre
Club From
Brighton
Joined the Club
Chelsea
4Declan Rice
£100m
In 2023, Declan Rice and West Ham United won the Conference League. Even though it’s only the third division of European football, it meant everything to a team that doesn’t often compete for big prizes. Declan Rice’s decision to spend £100 million to join title contenders Arsenal felt like the ideal conclusion to his career as the festivities progressed.
Since he is among the top midfield players in the world, no one had any complaints over the cost, and he has continued to play at a high level ever since. Rice disrupts play and tries to initiate attacks in the centre of the midfield fight. Without him, the Gunners would be far worse.
Information Transfer
Date
July 15, 2023
Place
A defensive midfielder
Club From
West Ham
Joined the Club
The Arsenal
3Jack Grealish
£100m
In 2021, Jack Grealish decided to leave Aston Villa, his boyhood club, in pursuit of significant success. Everyone knew he was one of the top players in the Premier League since he had kept the Villans in the league by himself the previous season.
Pep Guardiola was able to get a winger who could easily dominate games by exercising his £100 million release clause. Grealish has, however, found it difficult to duplicate the form he displayed in the Midlands after relocating to the north. Grealish’s innate skills have been wasted in pursuit of titles, and he now appears heading for the Etihad exit door. Grealish frequently chooses to circulate the ball in City’s possession-based style rather than taking players on.
Information Transfer
Date
August 5, 2021
Place
Winger on the left
Club From
Villa Aston
Joined the Club
City of Manchester
2Enzo Fernandez
£103m
The most costly player to ever sign with a Premier League team is Enzo Fernandez. Near the beginning of the BlueCo era, Chelsea sought to make a statement of purpose during a hectic winter transfer window at the beginning of 2023. By signing Fernandez, they demonstrated their desire to soar through the ranks, and they accomplished just that.
The World Cup winner hasn’t, however, demonstrated the quality to match the £103 million asking price since signing. The Argentine has been questioned about his inability to control games and his uneasy appearance in the middle of the park, but there are still glimmers of his potential, which is why supporters continue to support him.
Information Transfer
Date
January 31, 2023
Place
Midfielder in the centre
Club From
Benfica
Joined the Club
Chelsea
1Florian Wirtz
£116m
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