Liverpool made a splash on Friday after they signed German midfielder Florian Wirtz in a deal that might develop into the largest ever in English Premier League historical past.
Liverpool might pay as much as $156 million as soon as add-ons are achieved to German aspect Bayer Leverkusen, which might break the Premier League mark set by Chelsea signing Endo Fernandez from Benfica for $130.5 million.
Wirtz performed at Leverkusen for 5 seasons and helped the membership win its first ever Bundesliga League title in 2023.
Now, he’ll be a part of the defending champions of the EPL, in addition to the record of the highest-paid soccer gamers on the planet. What gamers have commanded offers much like the record-breaking one Wirtz simply obtained?
Here is a have a look at the highest 10 most costly transfers in soccer historical past and the way they performed out:
10. Jack Grealish: $126.8 million
Jack Grealish’s $126.8 million switch from Aston Villa to Manchester City appears a lot better now than it did firstly. After struggling mightily in his first season with the Sky Blues, Grealish was a key contributor throughout Metropolis’s treble-winning 2022-23 marketing campaign, tallying 5 targets and 11 assists in all competitions, up from six targets and 4 assists final season. Grealish’s switch payment is probably the most for an English participant ever.
9. Antoine Griezmann: $129 million
Barcelona activated Antoine Griezmann’s $129 million buyout clause from Atletico Madrid in 2019. Nonetheless, Griezmman’s time in Barcelona did not final lengthy, as he returned to Atléti on mortgage in 2021 after two unsuccessful seasons on the Camp Nou. Atléti made the switch everlasting in 2022 by paying $21 million for Griezmann, $108 million lower than what Barcelona paid for him two years prior. Griezmann contributed 35 targets and 17 assists in 102 appearances for Barcelona.
8. Enzo Fernandez: $130.5 million
Coming off of successful the FIFA Younger Participant Award on the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Enzo Fernandez secured a $130.5 million switch from Benfica to Chelsea in January. Whereas the 22-year-old wasn’t in a position to flip Chelsea’s season round, he was one of many few brilliant spots for the Blues throughout a season wherein they completed twelfth within the English Premier League.
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7. Joao Felix: $137 million
Joao Felix’s $137 million transfer from Benfica to Atlético Madrid was historic for each golf equipment, because it was Benfica’s largest sale in membership historical past and Atlético’s biggest-ever switch. Sadly, Felix hasn’t made a lot historical past in Madrid outdoors his price ticket. Whereas the 2019 Golden Boy-winner helped Atléti carry its first La Liga trophy in seven years in 2021, accidents and disagreements with the membership’s legendary supervisor Diego Simeone have prevented him from residing as much as his price ticket. Felix spent the second half of the 2022-23 marketing campaign on mortgage at Chelsea, and spent the 2024-25 season on mortgage with the Italian membership AC Milan.
6. Ousmane Dembele: $145 million
When Ousmane Dembele was wholesome, the $145 million switch payment Barcelona paid to amass him from Borussia Dortmund in 2017 seemed utterly justified, however accidents made the deal tough to judge. As a result of whereas he gained three La Liga titles and three home cups in six years at Barcelona, he was sidelined for the excessive and lows the golf equipment has skilled in that point. His closing season at Barcelona was arguably his most impactful, as he contributed 5 targets and 7 assists en path to a La Liga title. Dembele in the end transferred to Paris Saint Germain in 2023, and has since had a resurgence, serving to the crew to 2 league titles and successful the UEFA Champions League trophy in 2025.
5. Philippe Coutinho: $145 million
The fifth-most costly switch in soccer historical past can also be one of many worst. Pegged as the right substitute for membership legend Andres Iniesta, Philippe Coutinho transferred to Barcelona from Liverpool for a payment of $145 million in 2018. What adopted was the nightmare situation for Barcelona. Coutinho, Barcelona’s most costly participant of all time, performed just one full season for the membership earlier than he was loaned out to FC Bayern earlier than the beginning of his third season.
Coutinho returned to Barcelona for the 2020-21 season, however a season-ending knee harm restricted him to simply 14 appearances in all competitions. In January 2022, Coutinho transferred to Premier League membership Aston Villa for $26 million. Coutinho ended his Barcelona profession with 25 targets and 14 assists in 106 appearances with Barcelona. With Liverpool, he had 54 targets and 45 assists in 201 appearances.
4. Moises Caicedo: $146 million
The Ecuador midfielder’s transfer was beforehand the most costly deal by a British membership, with Chelsea shopping for him from Brighton in August 2023, earlier than Liverpool bought Florian Wirtz. Caicedo appeared in 38 matches for Chelsea this previous season, serving to the crew preserve 11 clear sheets whereas ending fourth within the English Premier League.
3. Florian Wirtz: $156 million (if add-ons achieved)
Wirtz is among the brightest younger stars in world soccer. As a 20-year-old, he had 11 targets and 11 assists in 32 matches as he helped Bayer Leverkusen win its first Bundesliga league title. He adopted that up with a 10-goal, 12-assist season as Leverkusen completed second within the Bundesliga and in addition made it to the Knockout Stage of the UEFA Champions League. Due to the lofty price ticket, Wirtz could have a great deal of strain on him when he arrives at Liverpool and slots in subsequent to Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch in The Reds’ midfield.
2. Kylian Mbappe: $194 million
In hindsight, $194 million appears like a steal for a participant of Kylian Mbappe’s caliber. Although the 24-year-old didn’t win the Champions League with Paris Saint-Germain, he introduced a document 5 consecutive Ligue 1 titles and eight home cups to the membership since becoming a member of them from Monaco in 2017. He was additionally named Ligue 1 Participant of the 12 months 4 occasions as a PSG participant.
In March of 2023, Mbappe handed Edinson Cavani’s to develop into PSG’s all-time main goalscorer, and he did it in 54 fewer video games. After seven seasons with PSG, Mbappe transferred to Actual Madrid.
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1. Neymar: $239 million
It was all the time going to be tough for Neymar to reside as much as the $239 million price ticket that PSG paid Barcelona for his abilities in 2017, however accidents made it even more durable for him to justify it. He wasn’t in a position to carry PSG its Champions League victory. Nonetheless, he had an impressive profession with the membership, recording 118 targets and 77 assists in 173 appearances, and successful 13 trophies in six years.
Kylian Mbappe
Paris SG
Ligue 1
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