The transfer window opens next week and Soccer24 looks at the list of most expensive football transfers in history.
The latest transfer comes from Liverpool after they signed Southampton centre-back Virgil Van Dijk for a record fee for a defender on Wednesday.
Here is the top ten list of most expensive football transfers of all time.
#1 Neymar
Neymar set the current world transfer record when he completed his move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain for a staggering fee of €222 million early in August this year.
#2 Ousmane Dembele
Ousmane Dembele became the second most expensive player in history when he joined Barcelona from Borussia Dortmund in August for a €105 million (£96.8m) fee plus €45 million add-ons.
#3 Paul Pogba
The midfielder joins Ousmane Dembele as another Frenchman on the list. He became the world’s most expensive player when was signed by Manchester United from Juventus for a whopping €105 million (£89m) in 2016.
#4 Gareth Bale
Another record-holder, Bale broke the world record in 2013 when he joined Real Madrid from Tottenham for €100.8 million (£85.3m). He remains Britain’s most expensive export in history.
#5 Cristiano Ronaldo
Regarded as one of the best players in history, the Portugues striker became the most expensive player in the world back in 2009 when he joined Real Madrid from Manchester United for €94 million (£80m).
#6 Gonzalo Higuain
The Argentine’s €90 million (£75.3m) transfer from Napoli to Juventus is the highest ever transfer for an Italian club. The deal was completed on 26 July 2016.
#7 Neymar
The only man to feature twice on this list. Neymar’s move from Santos to Barcelona in 2013 was the biggest transfer ever to include a South American club. Club vice-president Josep Maria Bartomeu initially said Neymar’s transfer fee was €57.1 million. Six months later, the details of the transfer were revealed by Barcelona; the transfer had, in fact, cost them €86.2 million.
#8 Romelu Lukaku
Romelu Lukaku joined Manchester United from Everton for €86.2 million (£75m) in August this year.
#9 Virgil van Dijk
The only defender to make it on this list, Van Dijk will join Liverpool on January 1, 2018, after Liverpool agreed an €84 million (£75m) deal with Southampton on Wednesday.
#10 Luis Suarez
The Uruguayan moved to Barcelona from Liverpool in 2014 for €82.3 million (£64.98m) after the FIFA World Cup.
Notes:
– Kylian Mbappe’s €145 million move plus €35 million add-ons from Monaco to PSG to be completed in June, after the current loan spell.
-The default order on this list is based on the transfer amount in euros (€). Due to exchange rate fluctuations, the order is different in pound sterling (£).
