Most expensive footballers in the world in each position

LW: Neymar Jr | Paris Saint-Germain | €222m

Neymar celebrates reaching his second UEFA Champions League Semi-Final

French champions Paris Saint-Germain sent shockwaves through the football world when they purchased Barcelona superstar Neymar for a record fee of €222m in 2017. The Brazilian was widely expected to be groomed by Lionel Messi to inherit the Argentine's Nou Camp throne after breathtaking few seasons in Spain.

However, there were several recurring complications that came as part of this deal. Neymar reportedly wanted to force a move back to Barcelona in the first couple of years of his stay in Paris, with Lionel Messi himself admitting that he would have loved for the Brazilian to return to the Nou Camp. It is in the 2019/20 season that Neymar has sparked PSG's European ambitions to life after putting in a string of majestic performances for the French club, and is now 90 minutes away from guiding them to their first-ever UCL final.

100 - Neymar has been involved in his 100th goal in 75 games in all comps with Paris (65 goals, 35 assists). Centenary. @PSG_English pic.twitter.com/mD959xh6SC

— Optajean (@OptaJean) January 26, 2020

This transfer was used as a measuring stick for many transfers since 2017, with clubs demanding extortionate amount of transfer fees for their players. The Brazilian icon, however, could go on to carve out his own legacy in Paris as PSG are set to play either Bayern Munich or Olympique Lyon in the UCL final on Sunday.

---

RW: Kylian Mbappe | Paris Saint-Germain | €145m

Mbappe is the second-most expensive

Signing one of the three best players in the world for a historic fee is only a dream for some clubs. For Paris Saint-Germain, this was clearly not the case, as they went on to sign arguably the most talented teenager in the 21st century — Kylian Mbappe — to make him one of the three most expensive players in the sport.

Much like the case with Neymar, it would be unfair to judge the two stars' signings purely by domestic accolades, given PSG's pre-existing stronghold on Ligue 1. However, it is on the European front that Mbappe has excelled this year, helping PSG reach their historic maiden UCL final. The French prodigy made the difference for his club having been subbed on against Atalanta in the quarter-finals despite concerns after a horror injury in the French Cup final.

4 - Kylian Mbappé is the first French 🇫🇷 player to be involved in at least 20 goals in four consecutive seasons in Ligue 1 since Opta analyses the competition (2006/07). Higher. #PSGFCGB pic.twitter.com/9iujGS0Rk5

— Optajean (@OptaJean) February 23, 2020

At 21, Mbappe has already won league titles, a FIFA World Cup (in which he was adjudged the best young player) and is now 90 minutes away from winning his first UCL. It's safe to say that this has been one of the most successful signings in recent times, given that Mbappe could only get better and win a few Ballons d'Or before he retires.

---

ST: Cristiano Ronaldo | Juventus | €117m

Ronaldo became Juventus' most expensive player in 2018

Cristiano Ronaldo was once the most expensive player in the world when Real Madrid came calling for the then-Manchester United man. Los Blancos paid €94m for the Portuguese who spearheaded them to four UCL titles, two league titles, and became their highest-scoring players in his nine years in Madrid.

However, Juventus showed faith in the then-33-year-old Ronaldo in 2018 to purchase him for a whopping €117m. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner moved from Madrid to Turin to help them win the elusive UCL trophy, and so far, it's been nothing but a failure. Ronaldo fired Juve to two Serie A titles in two years, albeit they were the Bianconeri's eighth and ninth consecutive league titles — highlighting their domestic dominance. Ronaldo has scored every single goal Juve have netted in the UCL knockouts since he arrived, but suffered notably due to a lack of support from his teammates.

10 - Cristiano #Ronaldo is the 1st #Juventus' player to have found the net in 10 successive games played by the Bianconeri in the history of the Serie A. Star.#VeronaJuve pic.twitter.com/U8UZVSesWK

— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) February 8, 2020

After a disappointing quarter-finals exit to Ajax and a last 16 defeat to Lyon, Ronaldo's big-money move to Juventus has evidently not paid off, at least as of yet. However, the Juve centre-forward individually has been in spectacular form, breaking records aplenty for the champions.

---