The 10 most expensive signings in footballing history

There is tons of talent in football nowadays. There are more and more clubs who are detecting talent when they are very young so can sign them and develop them at their own club. Some of them spot them late and have to fork out big money for them. Here we have a list with the 10 most expensive transfers in footballing history. 

However, football has changed a lot financially. The sport has become more and more of a business and so having money has become more important. The increase in television money and the pandemic have lead to different type of deals. There is usually a fixed amount to pay plus bonuses based on performances. 

Footballers which cost 100 million now cost more like 140. In this list, we have just focussed on the fixed amount of money paid for a player. 

Another key thing to highlight is the fact that only three of the 10 deals did not involve Barcelona or Real Madrid. 

These are the 10 most expensive signings in football ever:

Eden Hazard (100 million euros)

In summer 2019, the Belgian cost Real Madrid 100 million euros plus another 30 in variables. As of today, the cost is now 115. However, several media outlets in Belgium, as a result of fraud in the country, published that Chelsea actually got 160 million. Real Madrid deny this. 

Gareth Bale (101 million)

Although it was announced at the time that Gareth Bale had gone from Tottenham to Real Madrid for less money than the 96 million euros Cristiano Ronaldo went for, 'Football Leaks' ended up revealing the documents of the agreementm which should it cost them 100759417 euros. 99743542 million was part of the agreement plus around a million as part of a FIFA solidarity payment. 

Paul Pogba (105 million) 

According to Mino Raiola, it was cheap, but the truth is that in 2016, the Frenchman became the most expensive signing in the history of football. All of that after Man Utd paid Juventus 105 million euros. As well as that, there was a bonus for winning the Champions League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup and even winning the Ballon d'Or. He has only won the Carabao Cup out of all of those, which was in the season he arrived at Old Trafford, but the cost of the transfer did not even go up by one million. 

Ousmane Dembele (105 million) 

Another example of Borussia Dortmund's good business. Barca paid 105 million euros for him initially, but they have now paid 140 million with all the bonuses. 

Cristiano Ronaldo (117 million) 

He has made history in many ways, also thanks to the cost of his transfers. In 2009, Real Madrid bought him off Man Utd for 96 million euros, an amount which now club had paid ever before back then. In summer 2018, the 117 million euros Juventus paid Real made him the most expensive signing ever in Serie A. 

Antoine Griezmann (120 million) 

Barcelona took advantage of the reduction of the Frenchman's buyout clause from 200 million euros to get him from Atletico Madrid for 120. This was despite the Madrid based side saying this was not true. The 120 million euros spent by Barca was the same they had paid for Coutinho shortly before that. 

Phillipe Coutinho (120 million)

Months after Dembele became the most expensive purchase made by Barcelona ever, Coutinho's signing came along. He was bought for 120 million euros. There were also some bonuses which were easily to achieve so that has now made it 145 million. 

Joao Felix (127.2 million)

Atletico Madrid surprised people by spending big on the Portuguese youngster. They spent 126 million euros on the former Benfica man plus 1.2 million euros in solidarity payments. 

Kylian Mbappe (145 million) 

He went to PSG on a loan deal from Monaco with a compulsory purchase clause for 145 million. Although there was talk at the time of it being 180 million, the other 35 million would only be played if the player was sold before his contract ended in 2022 or renewed at PSG. Neither of those things have happened yet. 

Neymar (222 million)

It looks very difficult for anyone to be able to beat this record. Not only was it the most expensive signing in football ever, it was also a marketing strategy. It seemed unthinkable that the Qatari owners would pay so much to take him away from Leo Messi and Barca. Without bonuses or negotiations, PSG paid a buyout clause which no one thought they would pay.