Transfer fees have continued to rise over the past few years and show little sign of slowing down, with £100m transfer deals now a regular occurrence in football today.
But go back less than 25 years ago and some of the world’s best players were moving for much less money than they are today.
The list of the most expensive transfers in football history is made up largely of players who have moved clubs within the past few transfer windows, showing just how much transfer fees have risen in recent years, to the point where you almost have to spend more than £80m to sign a top-level talent.
Until recently that has not always been the case, however. Here are some of the biggest deals of the past, how much they cost, and who you could get for the same money in deals that have taken place over the past two years…
Past transfers
Zidane to Real Madrid, 2001
Embed from Getty ImagesZinedine Zidane, regarded by many as the best player in the world at the time of his transfer to Real Madrid, moved to the Santiago Bernabeu in 2001 for a then world record fee of €77.5m. The Frenchman would win the league and Champions League with the Spanish giants and would continue to show the form which has him regarded as one of the best midfielders the game has ever seen.
Cost: €77.50m
Price comparison for transfers in last two years: Kai Havertz to Arsenal (€75m, 2023), Aurelien Tchouameni to Real Madrid (€80m, 2022), Wesley Fofana to Chelsea (€80m, 2022), Rasmus Hojlund to Man Utd (€74m, 2023)
Luis Figo to Real Madrid, 2000
Embed from Getty ImagesLuis Figo made the shock move from Barcelona to fierce rivals Real Madrid in 2000. The move made waves in the football world and landed Madrid one of, if not the best, player in the world. He won two league titles and a Champions League in a successful spell in the Spanish capital following a transfer which is looked back upon as one of the most controversial moves in history and marked the start of the Galacticos era at Real Madrid.
Cost: €60m
Price comparison for transfers in last two years: Ben White to Arsenal (€58.5m, 2021), Richarlison to Tottenham (€58m, 2022), Raphinha to Barcelona (€58m, 2022), Jeremy Doku to Man City (€60m, 2023), Malcom to Al-Hilal (€60m, 2023), Otavio to Al-Nassr (€60m, 2023), Manuel Ugarte to PSG (€60m, 2023), Christopher Nkunku to Chelsea (€60m, 2023), Matheus Nunes to Man City (€60m, 2023), Romeo Lavia to Chelsea (€62m)
Ronaldo to Real Madrid, 2002
Embed from Getty ImagesBrazilian star Ronaldo made the big money move to Real Madrid from Inter Milan in 2002. The striker also had spells at Cruzeiro, PSV Eindhoven and Barcelona before joining Los Blancos, where he would win a league title in his debut campaign with the club. Still regarded as one of the best strikers ever, Madrid spent what was then a considerable €45m on the forward but in today’s market you would have to spend a lot more to get a player of his age and calibre.
Cost: €45m
Price comparison for transfers in last two years: Harvey Barnes to Newcastle (€44m, 2023), Bremer to Juventus (€44m, 2022), Matheus Nunes to Wolves (€45m, 2022), Robert Lewandowski to Barcelona (€45m, 2022), Bradley Barcola to PSG (€45m, 2023), Axel Disasi to Chelsea (€45m, 2023), Marco Verratti to Al-Arabi SC (€45m, 2023), Lucas Hernandez to PSG (€45m, 2023), Anthony Gordon to Newcastle (€45m, 2022), James Maddison to Tottenham (€46.3m, 2023), Fabinho to Al-Ittihad (€46.7m, 2023)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Barcelona, 2009
Embed from Getty ImagesZlatan Ibrahimovic headed to Barcelona from Inter Milan in 2009 in a deal which also saw Samuel Eto’o head the other way. Ibrahimovic had finished as the Serie A top scorer the season before with 25 goals and the deal, worth €46m in cash and Eto’o, who was valued at around €20m, saw one of the world’s best forwards head to the Camp Nou, but his spell under Pep Guardiola did not go as hoped and he headed to AC Milan on loan the following year.
Cost: €66m (including Eto’o valuation)
Price comparison for transfers in last two years: Marc Cucurella to Chelsea (€65.3m, 2022), Matthijs de Ligt to Bayern Munich (€67m, 2022), Mason Mount to Manchester United (€64.2m, 2023), Sandro Tonali to Newcastle United (€64m, 2023)
