#1 Kevin De Bruyne - €150 million
Capable of dominating the midfield battle almost single-handedly, De Bruyne can be a devastating and intimidating presence in the centre of the pitch. His long-range shooting and neat passes have enabled him to excel under Pep Guardiola.
The Belgian's paramount importance to Manchester City's success can be summed up by Guardiola's below statement:
I think he is a special, outstanding player. He makes everything. Without the ball, he is the first fighter, and with the ball he is clear – he sees absolutely everything.
The 27-year-old has gained a meteoric rise in his market value as a consequence of Belgium's favorable World Cup run in which De Bruyne played a key role.
Edited by Neeraj Manivannan