Top Five Transfers of Best Football Players

In the modern era, transfers of the best football players have often reached eye-watering prices that would've been unimaginable a couple of decades ago, with the valuations of players skyrocketing. Football had really come a long way since Scottish striker Willie Grove was the first-ever footballer to be transferred from West Bromwich Albion to Aston Villa for £100 back in 1893. In the modern day, the transfer is something that makes the footballing world go wild. Players, coaches, staff and ownership might come and go, but it is the transfer that makes the sport interesting. Every once in a while, a shocking transfer happens, which keeps the players and clubs on their toes and ends up shaking the very dynamics of the sport. Here's a look at the top five transfers of best Football players.

Top Five Transfers of Best Football Players

1. Neymar (Barcelona to PSG, 2017) - €222m

Talking about crazy transfers, Neymar's transfer from Barcelona to PSG, which is often referred to as the transfer that broke Football, is responsible for the modern day's crazy transfer fees and insane wages we see thrown around at even the slightest hint of skill in a football player. Neymar became the most expensive player in history when PSG signed the Brazilian superstar for €222m from Barcelona in 2017. PSG paid a whooping €2.2m per game for Neymar. But despite the massive investment, the French club never won the Champions League with Neymar. The Brazilian superstar scored 118 goals and 77 assists in 173 games for PSG. With Neymar leaving for Saudi Arabia, this now feels like the end of an era at PSG. It was an era in which the club fell short of massive expectations with all the top signings. Neymar and Messi, who is one of the best footballers in World Cup history, were a deadly combination for FC Barcelona back then.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United to Al Nassr, 2022) - €200m

Cristiano Ronaldo received the highest football salary in history, worth €200 million per year, including commercials and sponsorships. The face of the Saudi League was reportedly paid a signing-on bonus in the region of €100 million. Ronaldo has put the Saudi league on the global map. Cristiano Ronaldo most likely will extend his stay at Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr until 2027. Ronaldo has shown no signs of slowing down, scoring 25 goals in 30 games in Saudi Arabia while continuing to represent Portugal at the international level. Despite his age, Cristiano Ronaldo continues to make headlines and dominate the football news day in and day out.

3. Kylian Mbappe (Monaco to PSG, 2017) - €180m

The French superstar Kylian Mbappe is a FIFA World Cup winner and has won almost all major awards. Mbappe is widely considered the best player of the current generation. Back in 2017, Paris Saint-Germain signed him from AS Monaco for €145m (+€35m) after an initial loan deal. He holds the record for the second-most expensive transfer in history. The record transfer fee puts him at fifth in the list of most expensive footballers in cumulative transfer fees. As per solid reports, Mbappe is potentially going to move to another big club (Real Madrid), which will add to the total transfer fees paid for him. After his greatest peak at the World Cup, Kylian Mbappe is right among the top 7 best football players in 2024.

4. Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool to Barcelona, 2018) - €160m (including add-ons)

Struggling to replace Neymar, FC Barcelona invested big time by purchasing Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool. The Brazilian had moved for an outrageous fee of €135m. The move turned out to be a disaster as Coutinho failed to make an impact on the team. Philippe Coutinho recently revealed that although he was disappointed with how things went, he does not regret signing for FC Barcelona. The Brazilian was pipped to be the next big thing after joining Barcelona, but instead, he underperformed due to the added pressure of his humongous transfer fee. Many analysts reckon that he is one of the biggest transfer busts ever.

5. Eden Hazard (Chelsea to Real Madrid) - €160m

In 2019, Eden Hazard completed his long-time dream move to Real Madrid. However, injuries and poor form have prevented Eden Hazard's career from taking off at Real Madrid. The 2014/15 PFA Player of the Year and two-time Premier League winner was not as good as his reputation. For Real Madrid, however, he sustained seven injuries in just two seasons and struggled to play a long run of games. However, the Belgian could never really kick his career because of persistent injury problems. Hazard goes down in the history books as one of the worst signings ever in football history. During his stint at Real Madrid, Hazard only made 76 appearances for Los Blancos, bagging seven goals and 12 assists in four years.