Top 5 Highest paid transfers of all time

Since 2009, when Cristiano Ronaldo shattered the transfer record with his £80 million move from Manchester United to Real Mardid, almost doubling the eight-year-old record set by Zinedine Zidane, the highest paid transfer record for a single player has been broken three more times.

With more and more clubs generating a huge amount of cash, the average transfer price for players has skyrocketed in recent years. No longer can you obtain once-in-a-generation players such as Thierry Henry for only €24 million; nowadays, for a top world class player, anything the less €50 million is an absolute steal.

The increased revenue generated by the sport has seen the average transfer price raise ten-fold in recent years, and it doesn't look like slowing down either.

So now, after Cristiano Ronaldo's new big money move to Juventus, we take a look at the five highest paid transfer fees of all time.

5. Ousmane Dembele

The 21-year-old French international became the second highest paid transfer back in 2017 when he moved from German side Borussia Dortmund to join FC Barcelona for a reported fee of €105 million.

In just one year with Dortmund, the silky winger scored six goals in 32 appearances in the Bundesliga, also adding two goals in the Champions League to his tally. The Frenchman then became the highest ever transfer for a La Liga player at the time, beating out Gareth Bale's move to rivals Real Madrid.

Hoped to be an immediate replacement for Neymar, Dembele got off to a less-than-desirable start for the Spanish giants, as an injury caused him to sit out for months during the beginning of the season. Once fully fit, Dembele managed 17 appearances for Barcelona, earning a starting role in 12 of them. In a total of 931 minutes, Dembele scored three goals with six assists as Barcelona went on to win the La Liga for the third time in four years.

With four years left on his massive deal, the 21-year-old winger still has much to do to live up to the price tag Barcelona paid for him.

4. Cristiano Ronaldo

Uruguay v Portugal: Round of 16 - 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia

Once the holder of the highest paid transfer fee ever, Ronaldo has now seen a move away from Real Madrid, toppling his old record with a move to Serie A champions Juventus for a reported €105 million signing fee.

The Portuguese winger now holds the eighth and fourth places on the list of most expensive transfers ever, and has become the most expensive 30+ year old in football history.

It is no surprise that Ronaldo has demanded this sort of money at this stage of his career. His nine-year stay with Real Madrid saw him score 450 goals in 438 appearances, win 16 titles and bag four of the past five Ballon d'Or's, while also being a heavy favorite for the 2018 award.

Without question one of the greatest of all time and with a four year deal to Juventus, Ronaldo still has plenty of time to increase his legacy.

3. Philippe Coutinho

The Brazilian midfielder broke the La Liga transfer record within a year of Dembele by also signing for FC Barcelona. The €120 million fee paid to Liverpool made the 26-year-old the third highest transfer fee paid in football history.

After scoring seven goals in 14 games for Liverpool in the 2017/18 season, Barcelona finally reached an agreement for Coutinho in the January transfer window of 2018. Coutinho produced a further eight goals in 18 appearances for the Spanish giants as they went on to be crowned champions of Spain.

Coutinho scored his first goal for the club on the 8th of February as a substitute in the Copa Del Rey after being diagnosed with a thigh injury on his arrival at the Camp Nou.

2. Kylian Mbappe

Kylian Mbappe broke the record for the highest amount paid for a teenager when he switched French clubs, going from Monaco FC to Paris Saint Germain. After a one-year loan deal in 2017, PSG finalised the deal for €145 million plus bonuses.

A breakout year for Mbappe in 2016 saw him scoring 15 goals in 29 appearances and another six in the Champions League, leading Monaco to their first Ligue 1 title in 17 years. The 19-year-old attacker then got a loan deal to rivals PSG with an option to buy, which PSG have now accepted.

For PSG in the 2017/18 season, Mbappe scored 21 goals in 44 games as he added another title to his resume. Now into the finals of the 2018 World Cup, Mbappe has perhaps been the brightest shining light for the French national team, scoring three goals in six appearances.

1. Neymar

Brazil v Belgium: Quarter Final - 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia

Neymar became the highest paid transfer fee ever when his €222 million fee, which more than doubled the reigning record at the time, went through from Barcelona to PSG.

The winger no longer wanted to play in the shadow of Lionel Messi, but few could have anticipated such a high price for him.

A €57.1 million move to Barcelona from Santos in 2013 saw Neymar quickly rise to one of the best players on the planet. Scoring a total of 105 goals in 186 appearances for Barcelona, Neymar won two La Liga titles and one Champions League - in the 2014/15 season - which saw Neymar end in third place in the Ballon d'Or voting in 2015.

In his first year with PSG Neymar scored 28 goals in 30 appearances, leading PSG to a dominate title in Ligue 1, before his season ended early through injury.

Edited by Musab Abid