'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Football transfers have been an age-old concept, with football clubs around the world operating by buying and selling players extremely regularly. Initially done with the objective of finding the right players for the club, football transfers have now essentially become a business.
The last decade has also seen the transfer market inflate dramatically. For context, 23 of the 25 most expensive football transfers of all time have happened since 2013.
Neymar's world-record transfer from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain worth €222 million further caused a domino effect. The next 7 most expensive transfers around the world occurred only after Neymar Jr.'s ground-breaking move greatly inflated the market.
That said, this list takes a look at the transfers of only European players. Without further ado, here are the
Trending
5 most expensive transfer fees paid for European players
Transfer fee figures as per Transfermarkt.com and acknowledge the add-on fees that have become relevant thus far.
#5 Cristiano Ronaldo - €117 million
Moved from: Real Madrid
Moved to: Juventus
In July 2018, Cristiano Ronaldo called time on his glittering stint at Real Madrid, which lasted nine years, in which he won 15 major titles including 4 UEFA Champions League trophies.
Despite being older than 30, Cristiano Ronaldo was still deemed to be worth more than €100 million by Serie A giants, Juventus, who paid that much up front and were contracted to pay more based on add-on fees. As of today, the total transfer fee stands at €117 million.
Unfortunately for Cristiano Ronaldo and Juventus, the union was made in order to achieve UEFA Champions League success, but that particular objective is yet to be realized. However, in three seasons at the club, Ronaldo has already scored 101 goals in just 133 matches across competitions for Juventus, and has helped the club win 5 major titles.
#4 Antoine Griezmann - €120 million
Moved from: Atletico Madrid
Moved to: Barcelona
The summer of 2019 saw Barcelona lure Antoine Griezmann away from Atletico Madrid, where he had spent 5 years. Controversially, Barcelona paid his release clause of €120 million, although Atletico Madrid disputed that the deal had been agreed upon before July 1st, when his release clause was still at €200 million. However, the transfer was eventually upheld.
Alas, in the two seasons that have followed, Griezmann has visibly struggled, scoring just 35 goals in 99 appearances across competitions. To make matters worse, he is amongst the highest wage earners at Barcelona, whose current financial crisis could mean Griezmann could soon be shown the door.
#3 Joao Felix - €127.20 million
Moved from: Benfica
Moved to: Atletico Madrid
Joao Felix broke into Benfica's first team in the 2018-19 season at the age of 17, and went on to stun the world with his astronomical rise to prominence. That season, the Portuguese starlet scored 20 goals in 43 matches across competitions, drawing the attention of numerous big European clubs.
Atletico Madrid eventually snapped him up in July 2019 by breaking their own club transfer record and paying a staggering fee of €126 million and handing the youngster a 7-year contract. As of today, that fee stands at €127.20 million.
In the last two seasons, Joao Felix has made 76 appearances across competitions for Atletico Madrid, and has scored 19 goals. Notably, he helped the club lift the LaLiga trophy in the 2020-21 season.
#2 Ousmane Dembele - €135 million
Moved from: Borussia Dortmund
Moved to: Barcelona
Following Neymar Jr's historic move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona decided to invest a part of the €222 million into securing Ousmane Dembele from Borussia Dortmund, for a whopping fee of €105 million plus €40 million in add-ons.
In the four seasons since, the Frenchman has endured an injury-riddled stint, allowing him just 118 appearances across competitions in which he has scored a total of 30 goals.
A winner of five major trophies, including two LaLiga titles, till date Dembele has cost Barcelona a fee of €135 million including add-ons, making him the second-most expensive European footballer in the sport's history.
#1 Kylian Mbappe - €145 million
Moved from: AS Monaco
Moved to: Paris Saint-Germain
After his rise to fame at AS Monaco due to his incredible exploits, Kylian Mbappe became the second-most expensive player of all time, and the most expensive teenager ever, in the summer of 2017.
Paris Saint-Germain managed to sign him from AS Monaco by agreeing a jaw-dropping fee of €180 million. As things stand, however, only €145 million of the €180 million has been paid, with the payment of €35 million yet to be made.
Widely considered to be one of the best players in the world at the moment, Kylian Mbappe is unsurprisingly hot property. In four seasons with PSG, his mind-numbing stats of 132 goals in 171 appearances across competitions have made him highly sought-after.
Aged just 22, Mbappe has already won 11 major titles at club level, and also won the 2018 FIFA World Cup with France.
His current market value is estimated to be €160 million, making him the most valuable player in the world!
