Most Expensive Premier League Transfers Of All Time
It is no secret that Premier League clubs boast endless amounts of money. No other league in the world can come close to their enormous financial capacity.
Even mid-table Premier League clubs go toe-to-toe with other European heavyweights in the transfer market, showing how powerful England’s top flight has become.
But when it comes to big guns, not even Barcelona and Real Madrid can match the abundance of money available to Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea.
It is no wonder that English clubs boss the transfer market, often overshadowing continental rivals to add to the Premier League’s fantasy-like attraction.
There is something truly special surrounding the most-watched league on the planet that draws top players to come and ply their trade at some of the most iconic football venues in the world.
Here are the ten most expensive signings in Premier League history.
- Enzo Fernandez (Benfica to Chelsea, 2023) – €121m
- Jack Grealish (Aston Villa to Manchester City, 2021) – €117.5m
- Declan Rice (West Ham United to Arsenal, 2023) – €116.6m
- Moises Caicedo (Brighton & Hove Albion to Chelsea, 2023) – €116m
- Romelu Lukaku (Inter Milan to Chelsea, 2021) – €113m
- Paul Pogba (Juventus to Manchester United, 2016) – €105m
- Antony (Ajax to Manchester United, 2020) – €95m
- Josko Gvardiol (RB Leipzig to Manchester City, 2023) – €90m
- Harry Maguire (Leicester City to Manchester United, 2019) – €87m
- Darwin Nunez (Benfica to Liverpool, 2022) – €85m
Let’s see how those ten most expensive signings panned out.
#10 Darwin Nunez
When Darwin Nunez rocked up at Liverpool in 2022, many of their fans thought they had secured their own version of Erling Braut Haaland.
The reality has proved to be a little different, with Nunez’s wastefulness in front of goal bearing little comparison to Haaland’s ruthless finishing.
While Liverpool’s €85 million outlay on the Uruguay international looks ill-advised, he still has time to prove why the club splashed the cash to sign him.
#9 Harry Maguire
Manchester United rushed into the transfer market to acquire Harry Maguire’s services from Leicester City in 2019.
The move to Old Trafford has not worked out, with the England international failing miserably to justify the Red Devils’ huge outlay.
Maguire’s fortunes did not improve when Erik ten Hag was appointed as the club’s manager, and he will go down as one of the club’s worst big-money signings.
#8 Josko Gvardioal
While Maguire has failed to impress with United, the same cannot be said for Josko Gvardiol following his move from RB Leipzig to Manchester City.
He has been a class act for City, excelling in various defensive roles under the tutelage of manager Pep Guardiola.
While a €90m fee is not cheap, you would be hard-pushed to argue that Gvardioal does not represent excellent value for money.
#7 Antony
Antony swapped Ajax for Man United in the final days of the summer transfer window in 2022 and made a decent start for the club.
His fancy footwork and blistering speed had made him a menace for Eredivisie defenders across an eye-catching two-year stint in Amsterdam.
The Brazilian has the talent to be a major star for United but has yet to reproduce the form he showed in the Netherlands.
#6 Paul Pogba
Paul Pogba, who left Man United to become a world-class playmaker at Juventus, returned home in 2016 in a blockbuster transfer.
While he forged a formidable midfield partnership with Andrea Pirlo to provide a backbone to Juve’s four successive Serie A titles, he was a disgrace during his second stint at Old Trafford.
A lack of discipline and commitment combined with continual injuries saw Pogba fall out of favour, and he was shipped out of the club again in 2022.
#5 Romelu Lukaku
Someone may have jinxed Lukaku never to shine at Chelsea. After an abysmal first stint at Stamford Bridge, he returned in 2021 to prove his doubters wrong.
A couple of prolific seasons at Inter Milan re-established the Belgian as a marquee striker and convinced the Blues to give him a second bite at the cherry.
Unfortunately, the ex-Anderlecht prodigy returned to his old habits of squandering opportunities and getting into fights with a manager, forcing Chelsea to send him back to Italy in 2022.
#4 Moises Caicedo
After one impressive season with Brighton & Hove Albion, someone at Chelsea decided Moises Caicedo was worth €116m.
Quite how they arrived at that conclusion is anyone’s guess, with the midfielder failing miserably to live up to his lofty price stage since joining the Blues.
Caicedo’s penchant for reckless tackles will likely see him end someone’s career at some point. As liabilities go, he is a big one.
#3 Declan Rice
Declan Rice was described as the ‘new Patrick Vieira’ after joining Arsenal from West Ham United, but he has yet to live up to that loft comparison.
Arsenal fans gush about his ‘progressive passing’ statistics while ignoring the evidence before their eyes. In simple terms, he makes Ray Wilkins look adventurous.
A €116.6m fee for a player who doesn’t weigh in with too many goals or assists looks extravagant. Arsenal will need to win plenty of silverware with Rice in the team to justify the outlay.
#2 Jack Grealish
Tipped for success since coming through the ranks at Aston Villa, Jack Grealish generated genuine interest from Premier League elite clubs before moving to Man City in 2021.
Grealish’s stock went through the roof during his illustrious career at Villa Park, earning him a permanent place in England’s national team and a big-money move to the Etihad Stadium.
However, the skilful forward has largely failed to replicate the form he produced for the Midlands outfit.
#1 Enzo Fernandez
Chelsea pulled out all the stops to sign Fernandez from Benfica, making him the marquee signing in a star-studded squad.
Fernandez initially rose to prominence with River Plate in Argentina before heading to Europe to join the Portuguese outfit.
The talented midfielder proved his quality for club and country before moving to the Premier League and is fully expected to become one of the best players in the world.
Also See:
Arsenal’s most expensive signings
Barcelona’s most expensive signings
Bayern Munich’s most expensive signings
Chelsea’s most expensive signings
Liverpool’s most expensive signings
Man City’s most expensive signings
Man United’s most expensive signings
Paris Saint-Germain’s most expensive signings
Real Madrid’s most expensive signings
Tottenham Hotspur’s most expensive signings
