Transfer fees have exploded over the last decade, driven by television money and ambitious club owners. Fees below are the widely reported figures at the time of each deal, and many include add-ons that depend on performance.

1. Neymar: Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain, 222 million euros (2017)

PSG triggered Neymar’s release clause in August 2017, more than doubling the previous world record. The deal changed the market overnight and pushed prices up across Europe.

2. Kylian Mbappe: Monaco to Paris Saint-Germain, 180 million euros (2018)

Mbappe first joined PSG on loan in 2017 with an obligation to buy the following summer. He later left for Real Madrid on a free transfer in 2024 when his contract expired.

3. Philippe Coutinho: Liverpool to Barcelona (2018)

Barcelona paid a fee reported at around 135 million euros plus add-ons for Coutinho, using part of the Neymar money. The move is often cited as one of the least successful big-money transfers.

4. Joao Felix: Benfica to Atletico Madrid, 127 million euros (2019)

Atletico paid Felix’s release clause to sign the Portuguese teenager as a replacement for Antoine Griezmann.

5. The British records: Isak, Wirtz, Enzo and Rice

English clubs dominate recent big-money deals. Liverpool broke the British record twice in 2025, signing Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for a fee reported at 100 million pounds rising to 116 million, then Alexander Isak from Newcastle for a reported 125 million pounds. Before that, Chelsea’s 106.8 million pound signing of Enzo Fernandez from Benfica and Arsenal’s 105 million pound purchase of Declan Rice from West Ham, both in 2023, had set records.

6. Jude Bellingham: Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid, 103 million euros (2023)

Bellingham’s move could rise with add-ons, and he immediately justified the fee by winning La Liga and the Champions League in his first season in Spain.

Other famous big-money deals

• Ousmane Dembele: Borussia Dortmund to Barcelona in 2017, with a fee that rose well past 100 million euros with add-ons. He later won the Ballon d’Or in 2025 with PSG.
• Antoine Griezmann: Atletico Madrid to Barcelona for his 120 million euro release clause in 2019.
• Jack Grealish: Aston Villa to Manchester City for 100 million pounds in 2021, then the British record.
• Romelu Lukaku: Inter to Chelsea for about 115 million euros in 2021.

Why fees keep rising

Premier League broadcast deals give even mid-table English clubs huge budgets, and clubs owned by states or wealthy investors compete for the same small group of elite players. Payment in instalments also allows clubs to spread costs over many years. Find out how a deal comes together in our guide to how football transfers work.