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The English Premier League is arguably the most competitive football league in the world. The competition has all but everything, be it the interminable viewership, cash-rich clubs, high-profile footballers or big-budget transfers.
All the same, in the recent years, the Premier League clubs have been utterly underwhelming in Europe's top flight with the Spanish La Liga taking center stage as a consequence of their commendable triumphs.
As stated previously, the astronomical transfers over the years have also impacted the English League which has morphed into a mega-money competition with top-notch clubs splurging millions to scoop up world-beaters.
On that note, let us take a look at the 5 most expensive transfers in Premier League history.
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#5 Alvaro Morata
Transfer Fee: £58m
From: Real Madrid C.F.
To: Chelsea F.C.
Morata was one of the key reasons of Chelsea's uninspiring season in which they dropped to fifth in the Premier League and consequently, failed to qualify for the Champions League.
The 25-year-old kicked off his debut season at Stamford Bridge in an admirable fashion, scoring seven goals in seven appearances for The Pensioners. Nevertheless, in the latter half of the campaign, he saw himself falling down the pecking order with Antonio Conte losing faith in the Spaniard.
In the 48 appearances he made, Morata was only able to manage a disappointing tally of 15 goals.
Due to his substandard form, the former Real Madrid striker also ended up not making the cut for the Spanish national team for the fast-approaching World Cup.
#4 Ángel Di María
Transfer Fee: £59.7m
From: Real Madrid C.F.
To: Manchester United F.C.
Di Maria joined The Red Devils in 2014, becoming the then most expensive British transfer of all-time.
However, the Argentine underwent a majorly disenchanting season at the Old Trafford before moving to Ligue 1 champions, Paris Saint-Germain, in 2015.
He himself also remained discontent with the one-time Manchester United manager, Louis Van Gaal, whom he held culpable for playing him out of position.
The 30-year-old featured in 32 matches across all competitions, with a shocking tally of 4 goals and 12 assists.
At the end of the season, Di Maria was billed by many football pundits and journalists as the worst signing of the season.
#3 Virgil van Dijk
Transfer Fee: £75m
From: Southampton F.C.
To: Liverpool F.C.
Virgil van Dijk became the most expensive defender of all-time when Liverpool shelled out £75m to acquire him from Southampton in the winter transfer window of 2018.
Since his arrival, he has been a key player for The Reds, making 22 appearances across all competitions. Prior to his transfer, Liverpool were beset by major defensive problems, which the Dutchman has solved to a great extent.
In the Premier League, the 26-year-old has won seven tackles this season with a success rate of 33% and has made 17 interceptions, 77 clearances and two blocks.
Van Dijk is a sturdy defender with a technical know-how of attacking due to his aerial prowess, which has made him a potential goal-threat from the set-pieces.
#2 Romelu Lukaku
Transfer Fee: £75m
From: Everton F.C.
To: Manchester United F.C.
In the recent years, Lukaku has merchandised himself as one of the best strikers in modern football.
He joined Manchester United in July 2017 as a replacement for Wayne Rooney who had departed the Red Devils for his boyhood club, Everton.
The buzzworthy transfer did fuel many brickbats but the Belgian was quick to humble his critics with back-to-back commendable performances. At the end of the 2017-18 season, he had bagged 27 goals and nine assists. Nevertheless, Manchester United had a fairly disappointing campaign which drew to a close without any silverware.
The 25-year-old will be seen in the upcoming all-important FIFA World Cup featuring for the Belgian national team under Roberto Martinez.
#1 Paul Pogba
Transfer Fee: £89m
From: Juventus F.C.
To: Manchester United F.C.
Sir Alex Ferguson might be billed as 'the greatest manager of all-time' but his decision of letting Pogba go in 2012 was undoubtedly a clanger.
Over the course of the years, the Frenchman has established himself as one of the most promising young players in Europe.
As of now, he is the fulcrum of Jose Mourinho's midfield, administering the entire game from the core of the pitch. The bright spot in an anemic Manchester United squad, the 25-year-old made 28 appearances for The Red Devils, managing 6 goals and 10 assists in the process.
Pogba has garnered plaudits from numerous football experts for his passing and dribbling skills due to which he is able to run rings around the opposition seamlessly.
