The most expensive transfers in Premier League history

The most expensive signings in the Premier League
1. Enzo Fernández - Benfica to Chelsea (2023)
2. Jack Grealish - Aston Villa to Manchester City (2021)
3. Declan Rice - West Ham to Arsenal (2023)
4. Moises Caicedo - Brighton to Chelsea (2023)
5. Romelu Lukaku - Inter Milan to Chelsea (2021)
6. Paul Pogba - Juventus to Manchester United (2016)
7. Antony Matheus dos Santos - Ajax to Manchester United (2022)
8. Josko Gvardiol - RB Leipzig to Manchester City
9. Harry Maguire - Leicester to Manchester United (2019)
10. Jadon Sancho - Borussia Dortmund to Manchester United (2021)
11. Romelu Lukaku - Everton to Manchester United (2017)
12. Virgil Van Dijk - Southampton to Liverpool (2018)
13. Wesley Fofana - Leicester to Chelsea (2022)
The most expensive signings in the Premier League

Hosting some of the most valuable clubs in world football, the Premier League has never failed to turn heads with its eye-watering transfers. Here are the biggest moves ever seen in English football.

1. Enzo Fernández - Benfica to Chelsea (2023)

$130.4 million (US) (£107m) – After winning the World Cup, the Benfica midfielder has skyrocketed in value and Chelsea have made him the highest-paid player in the Premier League, according to BBC News. So far, it's not money well spent for the Blues. 

2. Jack Grealish - Aston Villa to Manchester City (2021)

$127.1m – He's lost the most expensive transfer title throne in the Premier League but that does not mean that his whopping transfer from Aston Villa to City, according to AP, is something to be scoffed at.

3. Declan Rice - West Ham to Arsenal (2023)

$126.1m – An Arsenal transfer record, former West Ham club captain Declan Rice was a hot prospect last year after guiding them to a Europa Conference title. Arsenal threw everything they could at Rice to secure him over Man City; and with Rice taking out the Premier League's best player award on February 29, it's safe to say Rice has been solid investment.

4. Moises Caicedo - Brighton to Chelsea (2023)

$125.4m - As Enzo Fernández struggled to earn his record-breaking transfer, it was decided what he really needed to finally fire was a gun midfielder to create better options. Cue Moises Caicedo, fresh from an impressive stint at the Seagulls. Unfortunately, the Ecuadorian has not quite been the missing link Mauricio Pochettino thought he was, and so far also hasn't earnt his keep.

5. Romelu Lukaku - Inter Milan to Chelsea (2021)

$120 million – This won't be the last time the Belgian striker appears on this list. Of course, nobody paid as much for Lukaku as Chelsea did to Inter Milan in the summer of 2021, according to teamtalk.com. Curiously, he would end up returning on loan to the Milan team.

6. Paul Pogba - Juventus to Manchester United (2016)

$111.4m – Nobody quite understands what United did with Pogba. In 2009, the Red Devils signed him for their lower categories, but three years later he went to Juventus. In 2016, United got it back after paying a record transfer at that time, according to Football Transfers. 

7. Antony Matheus dos Santos - Ajax to Manchester United (2022)

$100.8m – The talented winger from Sao Paulo joined Ajax in 2020, in exchange for $16.2m. Two years later, Manchester United took him to the Prem, paying six times more. A spectacular windfall for Ajax, according to Football Transfers. 

8. Josko Gvardiol - RB Leipzig to Manchester City

$97m – Following an incredible couple of years in the Bundesliga, Gvardiol was in demand all over the world, but it seemed inevitable where he was going to go. Man City laid down some serious cash to ensure the versatile Croatian defender – and set the record for the most money spent on a defender in football history, overtaking Harry Maguire.

9. Harry Maguire - Leicester to Manchester United (2019)

$92.4m – Harry Maguire arrived at Leicester in 2017, a year after the Foxes epic Premier League title win. He lasted two years behind Leicester, until United took him for an amount that, to this day, continues to surprise, according to The Mirror.

10. Jadon Sancho - Borussia Dortmund to Manchester United (2021)

$90.2m – Though it feels like we’ve spent many years watching Jadon Sancho play, it is worth remembering that he was born in 2000. Despite his youth, he left City's youth ranks to go to Borussia Dortmund, from where he was transferred in 2021 to Manchester United for a record amount, according to United Focus. 

11. Romelu Lukaku - Everton to Manchester United (2017)

$89.9m – Lukaku's second appearance on the list, this time on his move from Everton to Manchester United. The powerful striker has a curious resume of teams, which includes double stints with Chelsea and Inter Milan, according to Bleacher Report. 

12. Virgil Van Dijk - Southampton to Liverpool (2018)

$89.8m – Undoubtedly the signing that changed the dynamics of Klopp's Liverpool. With what Liverpool received from the sale of Coutinho to Barcelona, they signed Alisson Becker and Virgil Van Dijk, from Southampton, to make him one of the best central defenders in the world, according to Bleacher Report

13. Wesley Fofana - Leicester to Chelsea (2022)

$84.7m – Following a massive knee injury, many doubted whether the French centre-back would return to his previous level at Leicester. Chelsea did not hesitate, they paid what they asked for Fofana and now they have a top central defender, for what looks like, many years to come, according to Sky Sports.

More for you