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The role of wide forwards has seen a variety of interesting changes over the last two decades.
Many wide players in the past were traditionally those who hugged the touchline, whipped crosses into the box and occasionally drifted infield. However, several players after the turn of the century began occupying the half-space between an out-and-out wide midfielder and a centre-forward.
Cristiano Ronaldo's transition from being a tricky wide player early in his career to arguably the greatest goalscorer in history is a great example of this. For a prolonged period in his career, before he became a recognised centre-forward, he was one of the most terrifying wide forwards in the world.
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In more recent years, Mohamed Salah of Liverpool has been a great example of a modern wide-forward.
With Trent Alexander-Arnold providing the width on the right, the Egyptian superstar effectively plays as an inside forward. Salah typically occupies space in and around the penalty area and cuts in on his left to score goals time and again for the Reds. The 28-year-old is easily one of the best wide forwards in world football.
Several such players throughout football history have defined and redefined the role of wing forwards. Due to their ever-increasing importance to teams, they certainly have been expensive commodities to purchase in the transfer market.
On that note, here, we take a look at five of the most expensive left-wingers in football history.
#5 Vinicius Jr | Real Madrid | €45m
Vinicius Jr is, by some distance, the youngest winger on this list. Real Madrid forked out a huge €45m transfer fee back in 2018 after he lit up the Brazilian Serie A with Flamengo. The 20-year-old has made 118 appearances in all competitions for Real Madrid in his three seasons so far. Vinicius also became the most expensive Brazilian winger since Neymar Jr after this move.
Apart from his memorable UEFA Champions League 2020-21 season, his tally of 14 goals and 23 assists in 118 games makes for poor reading. However, Vinicius has a long way ahead of him and has already shown that he's one of the quickest players around.
The best of the Brazilian wonderkid is most certainly yet to come.
#4 Pavel Nedved | Retired | €45m
Pavel Nedved is regarded as one of the best ever foreign players to ply their trade in Serie A and for Juventus. The 48-year-old helped SS Lazio win the 1999/2000 Serie A title, along with the Coppa Italia and the Supercoppa Italia. He then moved to Juventus for €45m in the aftermath of Zinedine Zidane's world-record departure to Real Madrid.
Then-Juventus director Luciano Moggi famously claimed after signing him;
"[Pavel] Nedved always scored against us. We’ll buy him so we can resolve this problem."
The Czech Republic star went on to play 327 times in all competitions for Juventus, scoring 65 times and setting up 57 goals. Nedved also won the Ballon d'Or in 2003, edging out Thierry Henry of Arsenal for the top spot. He was simply a brilliant player in his prime and is one of the best wide players of his generation.
Also read: 10 Best midfielders in the Premier League this season (2020-21)
#3 Raheem Sterling | Manchester City | €63.7m
Manchester City have made their fair share of massive transfers in the past, but Raheem Sterling's purchase remains one of their most high-profile moves to date.
They signed the forward from rivals Liverpool back in 2015 in a big-money deal that saw him become the most expensive English player of all time. Sterling then went on to play 291 times for Manchester City in all competitions, scoring 114 times and assisting 87. More importantly, the winger has enjoyed enormous success since moving to the Etihad Stadium in terms of titles.
Sterling won three league titles, reached a UEFA Champions League final, and helped City establish a monopoly in the English cup competitions. It remains to be seen if he will remain at the Etihad for longer amidst rumours of an impending exit from the club.
#2 Eden Hazard | Real Madrid | €115m
Eden Hazard has suffered one of the most unfortunate declines experienced by a top footballer in recent seasons, be it for whatever reason. The brilliant Belgian established himself as one of the best footballers in Europe during his time at Chelsea. Season after season, he grew in stature and fired Chelsea to two Premier League titles, among other honours.
After nearly a decade of brilliance at Stamford Bridge, during which he made 352 appearances in all competitions, Real Madrid came calling for Hazard.
They paid Chelsea a staggering €115m to take him to the Santiago Bernabeu, a move that they would live to regret. Hazard managed a mere 43 appearances in all competitions across two seasons with Real Madrid, yielding five goals and eight assists. If reports are to be believed, he could possibly be on the transfer list this summer as they look to offload him.
#1 Neymar Jr | Paris Saint-Germain | €222m, €88.2m
Neymar Jr is the only list to have made this list not just once, but twice, as he was purchased and sold by Barcelona for massive transfer fees. The Brazilian superstar moved to the Nou Camp for a €88.2m fee at the time from Santos. After four successful campaigns, including a historic European treble alongside Lionel Messi and co, Neymar got another big-money move.
In the summer of 2017, Paris Saint-Germain came calling for Barcelona's crown jewel and eventually activated Neymar's €222m release clause. This made Neymar the most expensive footballer in the history of the sport, shattering Paul Pogba's record fee of €105m.
Neymar played 186 games for Barcelona and has, so far, turned up 116 times for PSG in all competitions, racking 87 goals and 52 assists in this period. He ended all the seemingly never-ending speculation about a return to Barcelona by signing a new contract extension up until 2025 recently.
Also read: European Team of the Season (2020-21)
