Football Transfer Fee Records
Football transfer fees are always the subject of heated debate – is a club spending too much, are they spending too little, is the player worth 80m, or is he a steal at 5m?
Here’s a look at the players who have, at one time or another, held the title of ‘most expensive footballer ever’.
World Football Transfer Record
All prices are in British pounds.
Year  |
Player |
From |
To |
Fee (Pounds sterling (£)) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1893 |  Willie Groves |
 West Bromwich Albion |
Aston Villa |
100 |
| 1904 | Andy McCombie |
Sunderland |
Newcastle United |
700 |
| 1905 | Alf Common |
Sunderland |
Middlesbrough |
1 000 |
| 1922 | Syd Puddefoot |
West Ham United |
Falkirk |
5 000 |
| 1922 | Warney Cresswell |
South Shields |
Sunderland |
5 500 |
| 1928 | David Jack |
Bolton Wanderers |
Arsenal |
10 890 |
| 1932 |  Bernabé Ferreyra |
Tigre |
River Plate |
23 000 |
| 1952 |  Hans Jeppson |
 Atalanta |
Napoli |
52 000 |
| 1954 |  Juan Schiaffino |
Peñarol |
Milan |
72 000 |
| 1957 | Enrique Omar Sivori |
River Plate |
Juventus |
93 000 |
| 1961 |  Luis Suárez |
Barcelona |
Internazionale |
152 000 |
| 1963 | Angelo Sormani |
Mantova |
Roma |
250 000 |
| 1968 | Pietro Anastasi |
Varese |
Juventus |
500 000 |
| 1973 |  Johan Cruyff |
Ajax |
Barcelona |
922 000 |
| 1975 | Giuseppe Savoldi |
Bologna |
Napoli |
1 200 000 |
| 1976 | Paolo Rossi |
Juventus |
Vicenza |
1 750 000 |
| 1982 | Diego Maradona |
Boca Juniors |
Barcelona |
3 000 000 |
| 1984 | Diego Maradona |
Barcelona |
Napoli |
5 000 000 |
| 1987 | Ruud Gullit |
PSV Eindhoven |
Milan |
6 000 000 |
| 1990 | Roberto Baggio |
Fiorentina |
Juventus |
8 000 000 |
| 1992 |  Jean-Pierre Papin |
Marseille |
Milan |
10 000 000 |
| 1992 | Gianluca Vialli |
Sampdoria |
Juventus |
12 000 000 |
| 1992 | Gianluigi Lentini |
Torino |
Milan |
13 000 000 |
| 1996 | Alan Shearer |
Blackburn Rovers |
Newcastle United |
15 000 000 |
| 1997 |  Ronaldo |
Barcelona |
Internazionale |
19 500 000 |
| 1998 | Denílson de Oliveira Araújo |
São Paulo |
Real Betis |
21 500 000 |
| 1999 | Christian Vieri |
Lazio |
Internazionale |
32 000 000 |
| 2000 | Hernán Crespo |
Parma |
Lazio |
35 500 000 |
| 2000 |  Luís Figo |
Barcelona |
Real Madrid |
37 000 000 |
| 2001 | Zinedine Zidane |
Juventus |
Real Madrid |
46 000 000 |
| 2009 | Kaká |
Milan |
Real Madrid |
56 000 000 |
| 2009 | Cristiano Ronaldo |
Manchester United |
Real Madrid |
80 000 000 |
If you want to see the top 10 most expensive players in football (and the top 10 most expensive players in England), check out this article:
Most Expensive Transfers in Football.
Topics: Football Transfers
Football News 24/7
Great Moves for Chelsea…
Coz, Chelsea have need a scorrer..
Recently Chelsea was going to One man Army(Lampard).
Realy great Moves for Andriy Shevchenko.
Now Need another moves like as Tevez.
Tevez can give Strong Support for Shevchenko.
Tevez is Hard Worker Footballer for All Field.
I think JM Will be Finish This Transfer.
Coz This Session Chelsea needs 4 Trophy..
Specialy 2 Trophy (EPL) && Champions Cup.
Go Ahed JM….
Go Ahed….
Also Chelsea have need One Attacking Full Back Like As
Sorin(Argentina),Lahm(Germany),Roberto Carlos(Brazil).
Thanks
July 1st, 2006 @ 18:19(1) As for Chelsea doing fine for the injury season the have had, we just need three players as everyone know that the defense has be breached so Alex will be falling in which will give Terry the chance to get back to 100%, and also a right back will be brought in as teams have broken in through that position Richards (Man City),Miguel Ricardo Costa (FC Porto) leaving the club in defense would be the worst player to wear a blue shirt K Boulahrouz, and as age has caught up with him Geremi will follow as well. The midfield just to let you all know Lampard will not be going anywhere C Makelele will leave us this season as he also has gotten old but he has served us well, the midfield is ok but if JM (Manager) decides to spice it up a bit Ricardo Quaresma (Fc Porto) Deco (Barca) all Portuguese so he has the talk as he is highly rated in Portugal but if not we are fine Ballack ankle injury have been sorted out that why he was so sloopy the season if its the sane he will be sent home no time for set backs. I am out of space see next posting.
May 24th, 2007 @ 20:50Q)With the current slump in transfer market prices, I doubt that anyone would command a 30 mil fee like before. Ronaldinho and Rooney both would, but it’s very, very difficult to see them leaving their clubs.
Who do you think could command such a big transfer fee, regardless of whether they would be let go or not?
Stevie G & Samuel Eto would easily command the 30mm fee.
June 8th, 2007 @ 13:13Rooney is not worth 30mm & I dont know who would pay that for him outside of Newcastle.
Here are most of the players that would demand £30 mil or more:
Ronaldinho, Kaka, C. Ronaldo, Eto’o, Drogba, Messi… that’s it. None of them will leave their clubs this summer.
For a little less you can get the likes of Rooney, David Villa, Torres, Gerrard, Essien…maybe a few more.
The rest are cheaper, but there are plenty of millions to spend even on half-decent players.
June 8th, 2007 @ 14:25What are you talking about? The likes of Steven Gerrard, Rooney, Essien would all command well over the £30 million mark! Rooney and Stevie G are without a doubt up there with the best and would not be sold without a record-breaking fee!
June 15th, 2007 @ 21:58Forza Juventus!… Still holding the record on selling a player for the biggest price..
June 17th, 2007 @ 14:14And alsot the biggest price for a goalkeeper..!!
Lets focus on the winter transfer window.
Riquelme, Diego are sure to move. Chelsea are working desperately after a striker. Their primary targets are David Villa and Eto’o. Ronaldinho is on the verge of moving with Bojan Kirkic and Dos Santos ready to replace him. Than Chelsea will break their bank.
October 24th, 2007 @ 22:31I do not know why the Barca boss would not leave eto to go to england and exercise his talents rather than still putting in one year for the catalans.This is rather unfortunate for the golden African Boy.
July 6th, 2009 @ 15:39Wel u guys are sayin trash rooney is nt demanding n nt livin his fathers club so man u only nid 2 sel batov n sm ok as 4 nani he stil gt tym 2 shine
February 27th, 2010 @ 23:27New Liverpool manager Hodgson Must Allow gerrard to play in his natural position as a support to striker torres
July 9th, 2010 @ 10:29Steven g is not a playmaker an that’s what Liverpool need a playmaker
July 19th, 2010 @ 20:37