Deadline day: Five of the most expensive players in soccer history

We are just days away from the summer transfer window closing in the lead-up to the 2023-2024 soccer season. A number of the new deals that are expected to happen are certainly sure to steal the top spot for the most expensive players in history, but until then, we will have to wait and see who is currently at the top. Liverpool FC and Manchester United are always at the forefront for being expected to use every second they have of the window being open, so we can expect some last-minute scrambles from them.

All the attention is currently surrounding West Ham’s Declan Rice who was wanted by Manchester United but won over by a $100 million fee by Arsenal FC. Along with this, the new season is expected to see the brilliant Mbappe make a move and many other famous faces venture off to the big payers – i.e., Saudi Pro League. Though we’re sitting, waiting to see some of the largest annual summer transfers in the soccer industry come to fruition, we’re going to take a look at some of the most expensive players of all time and look at what makes them great.

• Neymar – $240 million

Neymar is the most notable transfer in soccer history with his move from Barcelona to PSG in 2017. Owned by Qatar, PSG – (also known as Paris Saint-Germain), is currently the record holder for the top two big payments in soccer history. Paying a hefty fee of $240 million for this Brazilian top-scorer, he has since been poached by the Saudi Arabian side for the 2023-2024 season: but for far less.

At just 31 years old, Neymar was sold for $240 million from his PSG signing, and as of this week, another $98.6 million to go over to Al Hilal. With a goal to be a prominent figure in sporting history, the Brazilian player is excited to get into the Saudi Pro League because of all the money they are spending on such infamous players. Speaking to ESPN, Neymar said “Al Hilal is a giant club with fantastic fans, and it is the best in Asia.”, which cements the case for him wanting to make a move from European soccer.

• Kylian Mbappe – $145 million

Mbappe in his own right is currently undergoing international stardom. His prominent position in the World Cup 2022, saw him practically hold France’s team alone; so, it is no wonder that PSG once again paid the big bucks for him. Holding the record for the second biggest transfer as of yet, Mbappe was sold to PSG from Monaco in 2017 for a cool $145 million. With this signing happening when he was just nineteen, Mbappe is a force to be reckoned with in the world of international soccer. Regarded as one of the best players in the world at just 24 years of age, there is currently a huge conversation about who he is signing with now as he is leaving PSG for the new season. His demands are currently quite high, and rightly so – which means he is certainly one to watch on the final moment of transfer day.

3) Philippe Coutinho – $130 million

Breaking the British record for a sale of any player, Philippe Coutinho was transferred for $130 million, plus an extra $40 million in fees back in 2018. Making a move from Liverpool FC to Barcelona, Coutinho is classed as one of Barca’s biggest flops in history. Currently the third most expensive transfer in history, and the biggest flop of all time, it is a wonder where this soccer star will move to next. Prior to being sold to Aston Villa last year on a permanent deal for a fraction of the cost, he only scored twenty-five goals for the Spanish team, in a total of one hundred matches. This player has had a rise and fall in history, but we are certain that Coutinho will not be sold for his previous purchase price ever again.

4) Moises Caicedo – $127 million  

In the first confirmed signing for the 2023/2024 season, Moises Caicedo has moved from Brighton and Hove Albion to the world-renowned Chelsea Football Club. The largest transfer ever in England’s sports history, the transfer is being made for $127 million, plus $19 million in fees. The Ecuador international became world-class as a teenager and managed to get to the city level by the age of thirteen. With a rare midfield skillset, and a player that has years to come, he is a good move for Chelsea, which will see them through a tremendous feat.

5) Jack Grealish – $127 million

In the fifth spot, it is the soccer player that is plastered all over the glossy magazines and your Instagram feed – Jack Grealish. Known for many things on and off the pitch, Grealish transferred from Aston Villa to Manchester City in 2021 for a huge $127 million. Still renowned for his playing, and a big marker in the World Cup, Grealish was well worth the spend in the European market. The midfielder accepted a six-year deal with the club after the Premier League Championships pushed for a release clause in his Villa contract to come to play. Sitting as the second biggest transfer in English soccer to date, pushing Paul Pogba’s 2016 record away, Grealish is a man to be reckoned with.