1) Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) – €37m
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A hero was born when 16-year-old Everton forward Wayne Rooney scored a last-minute winner against Arsenal to end their 30-match unbeaten run in October 2002. “Remember the name, Wayne Rooney!” crooned the commentator Clive Tyldesley and nobody has forgotten it since.
His worth shot up when he won the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year in 2002 and an England debut at 17 saw him shoot to fame. His performances at Euro 2004 only confirmed that he was the finest youngster in his age group to be developed in England.
With Everton not showing any progress to challenge the Premier League’s elite, Rooney handed in a transfer request in 2004. He almost became a Newcastle player before the Merseyside club rejected their bid before eventually accepting a then-record bid for a teenager from Manchester United.
Sir Alex Ferguson took him under his wing and the rest is history.
Market Values taken from TransferMarkt
