Five of the most expensive Premier League signings ever The Premier League is unquestionably the most popular league competition in the world. Due to sponsorship, endorsement, and broadcasting deals, this global popularity generates a significant amount of revenue. Additionally, wealthy owners own Premier League clubs.
Consequently, English premier league teams are among the wealthiest in the world. This can be seen in the large sums of money they regularly put into the transfer market.
During this winter’s transfer window, La Liga clubs spent a total of €20 million, while Premier League clubs reportedly spent as much as €763 million.
Let’s take a look at five of the Premier League’s most expensive signings without further ado.
#5 Antony (from Ajax to Manchester United):
€95 million Manchester United was in desperate need of a right-wing solution last summer. Erik ten Hag had just taken over as manager, and he was determined to sign some good players.
Antony, one of Ten Hag’s most dependable Ajax players, was swayed by his pull. The unconventional winger, whose performances for Ajax in the Eredivisie and Champions League were beginning to garner attention, has a tremendous amount of potential.
However, the Dutch giants weren’t going to let him go for free. To acquire the Brazilian international, Manchester United had to fork over a staggering €95 million.
#4 Paul Pogba (Juventus to Manchester United):
105 million euros Manchester United let Paul Pogba leave as a free agent in 2012, a move that backfired. The Frenchman became a world-class midfielder after signing with Juventus. Pogba was wanted back at Old Trafford by former manager Jose Mourinho because United lacked quality in the midfield.
Why would the Bianconeri not be prepared to play hardball? Pogba finished as the joint top assist provider (12) with Miralem Pjanic in his final season with Juventus.
Manchester United spent a staggering €105 million to bring their academy players back to the Premier League, breaking their previous transfer record. Pogba left Manchester United once more as a free agent last summer after a turbulent time there.
#3 Romelu Lukaku (Inter Milan to Chelsea):
€113 million After leading Inter Milan to their first Serie A title in 11 years in the 2020-21 season, his stock significantly increased. The massive Belgian was Chelsea’s top target when they were looking for a devastating striker.
In the summer of 2021, Lukaku was purchased for a record-breaking €113 million by the club. The former Manchester United striker’s performance significantly declined over the course of the season after a strong start.
In a controversial interview with Sky Sports at the end of December 2021, Lukaku also criticized the club. He lost favor with supporters of Stamford Bridge as a result of this. Lukaku was eventually sent on loan to Inter Milan last summer because of his lack of form and friendliness.
#2 Jack Grealish (Aston Villa to Manchester City) – €117.5 million
Jack Grealish, who went from Aston Villa to Manchester City for €117.5 million, was acquired by Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008, transforming Manchester City into one of the world’s wealthiest clubs overnight. Soon after, City began bringing in some of the world’s best players and money stopped being a barrier for them.
In the summer of 2021, Manchester City acquired Jack Grealish from Aston Villa for the most money ever spent on a player. Grealish appeared destined to play for one of Europe’s biggest clubs, having already established himself as one of the Premier League’s best-attacking midfielders.
He was acquired by City for €117.5 million at the Etihad. Grealish is finally finding his groove after initially struggling.
#1 Enzo Fernandez (from Benfica to Chelsea):
€121 million Over the course of the 2022-23 season, Enzo Fernandez’s rise to prominence was enormous. Benfica paid just €10 million to acquire him from River Plate in the summer of 2017. He quickly rose to prominence for Benfica and felt right at home in the Primera Liga.
Then, during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Fernandez made his way into the Argentinian starting lineup. He wowed everyone with his extraordinary speed and technical skills. The perseverance of Fernandez’s midfield performances was crucial to Argentina’s World Cup victory.
The tournament’s “Best Young Player” was Fernandez. He was on the radar of top European teams, but a move in January seemed unlikely. However, Chelsea made the decision to exercise his €121 million release clause, making Fernandez the most expensive signing in the Premier League.