Top 10 Most Expensive Premier League Transfers of All Time (Ranked)

Florian Wirtz joined Liverpool recently to become Liverpool’s most expensive Premier League transfer ever. The German international is moving to Anfield after making a grand name for himself at Bayer Leverkusen. With the transfer window now open, similar deals might take place. Let us take a look at the most expensive Premier League transfers of all time.

Transfers are the most exciting part of an offseason or any club. The fans will be anxious about their club’s business, and the executives will be running around with deal sheets in their hands, along with a list of potential targets. After Neymar Jr.'s move to PSG, which is also known as the most expensive transfer in the history of football, broke the transfer market, the fees were inflated. Hundreds of millions are being thrown around like it means nothing. Players have become proportionate to the revenues being generated by the club. As the transfer fees keep getting bigger, let us track down the Premier League most expensive transfers and the most expensive EPL player ever:

List of Premier League Most Expensive Transfers Ever

Below we've compiled a list of the top 10 most expensive Premier League transfers ever. These ten most expensive Premier League transfers have changed the dynamic of the English football scene forever.

Who is the Most Expensive Player in the Premier League History?

The most expensive player in the Premier League tag was broken multiple times in 2023 itself, as seen in the table above. Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United are the usual culprits that splashed the biggest money. Here's a short breakup for you all: Arsenal and Liverpool have one player each, as five of the top six had a hand in all 10 of the most expensive Premier League transfers.

10. Josko Gvardiol | From RB Leipzig To Manchester City

Croatia had another World Cup in 2022 as they finished third in the tournament, following up their runner-up finish from the 2018 edition. This time their defence stood out, and Josko Gvardiol in particular made heads turn. The ex-RB Leipzig centre-back was the epitome of a modern-day defender. He could play centrally or deputise on the left as a full-back. He is a fantastic ball player with an expansive passing range. He is also an aggressive defender who never shies away from challenges.

Pep Guardiola saw these qualities and made him the most expensive defender in the Premier League by signing him in 2023. Gvardiol was slowly incorporated into the team. He saw plenty of minutes at left-back first. He showcased his goal-scoring skill by scoring some world-class goals for them, including some tap-ins and headers with late runs into the box. He helped them to a Premier League title.

9. Hugo Ekitike | From Eintracht Frankfurt To Liverpool

Hugo Ekitike’s transfer to Liverpool from Eintracht Frankfurt in 2025 is a significant move, with a reported fee of £79 million, including £10 million in add-ons. Ekitike’s impressive 22 goals and 12 assists last season made him attract attention from several big clubs like Liverpool, Chelsea and others, but in the end, Ekitike decided to represent the most successful club in the history of Premier League.

The earlier uncertainty around the final deal excluded the ex-Eintracht Frankfurt forward from the list of the top 10 most expensive Premier League transfers. However, with the transfer fees now finalized, which puts the newly signed Liverpool striker is at 9th position in our list of the most expensive Premier League signings.

8. Antony | From Ajax To Manchester United

Manchester United, especially in the post-Sir Alexander Ferguson era, has been terrible in the transfer market. They constantly overpaid for players they didn’t need, be it was transfer fees or be it wages. It wasn’t the fault of the players, but it was a sign of the club being poorly run by the officials at the top. Antony certainly falls into this category. The Brazilian winger is by no means a £80 million signing and remains among the most expensive Premier League transfers.

When his ex-boss Erik ten Hag signed him, the expectation was that he would at least use him wisely. It fell apart very quickly as Antony found the Premier League too fast for his pace. The game was happening at a hundred miles an hour, and he reacted half a second too slow to everything. Through a string of poor performances, he lost his place in the squad.

7. Paul Pogba | From Juventus To Manchester United

Paul Pogba left Manchester United as a teenager. The gifted midfielder then dominated Serie A with Juventus. He was one of the best midfielders in the world who could glide around with the ball at his feet. His ball-winning prowess, along with his eye for a pass and goal, made him stand a tier apart from the rest. He was expected to be the best and hold that position for many years. Manchester United paid £90 million for him in 2016, making him one of the most expensive Premier League transfers.

It was touted as a prodigal son’s homecoming and celebrated with love. He was supposed to help United get back on its perch as they searched for an identity in the post-Sir Alexander Ferguson era. What unfolded was sheer tragedy. Pogba never truly got in with managers at the club. His attitude problems meant he fell out of favour with Jose Mourinho first. He won the World Cup in 2018 and seemed to have turned a page in his career.

However, the problems at the club level persisted.

6. Romelu Lukaku | From Inter Milan To Chelsea

Well, here we are again. Romelu Lukaku has been synonymous with big-money deals and rightfully deserves a place among the most expensive Premier League transfers. The Belgian international, though, is a stranger to seeing success with those big-money moves. The Belgian, after a horror show at Manchester United, rejuvenated himself at Inter Milan. The Belgian striker is ranked 5th on our list of the most expensive strikers in football history.

He admitted that he never should’ve left Inter Milan just two months after landing in London. Through a series of rifts with managers and tactical mismatches, Lukaku was frozen out at Chelsea and forced to go on loan. In the summer of 2024, he made a permanent move to yet another Serie A club, Napoli, where he reunited with his ex-boss, Antonio Conte. Lukaku found his groove once more and led them to a Scudetto title.

5. Jack Grealish | From Aston Villa To Manchester City

Jack Grealish was one of the best players in the Premier League. He single-handedly kept his Aston Villa in the best league in the world Premier League, with his scintillating performances. Jack Grealish was an exciting player who always took on players and made play happen. Manchester City paid the £100 million release clause as they wanted a homegrown superstar to appeal to a newer generation.

Grealish was scorned by Aston Villa’s fanbase for wanting to leave, as the move was poorly received. He found the titles he was looking for as he won the Premier League and the Champions League with them, but he lost his flair and talent, which made him a crowd-puller. He fell out of favour with Guardiola recently, and he is destined for an exit; this window.

4. Declan Rice | From West Ham United To Arsenal

England produced multiple world-class midfielders during their golden generation, and then suddenly there was a gap. Declan Rice was born and took a spot as one of the best midfielders in Premier League. He is one of the finest modern-day defensive midfielders. His tackling is well-complemented by his long reach. The English midfielder Declan Rice is lethal with the ball as well. Rice’s ball striking is as pure as it gets, and he can deliver whipping corners along with sensational curling free kicks.

To take the next step in his career and constantly challenge for big trophies, he opted to join London rivals Arsenal. A record £105 million was shelled out for him. Ever since he arrived at the Emirates Stadium, he has been world-class. He deputised as centre back, played as a box-to-box midfielder, and also as a holding midfielder, according to his boss Mikel Arteta’s demands. He excelled in every single role as the Gunners became a force to be reckoned with again.

3. Enzo Fernandez | From Benfica To Chelsea

Enzo Fernández turned heads at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and went on to justify his place among the most expensive Premier League transfers. He returned to Benfica immediately as the club had no intentions of selling him. He even kissed the badge after scoring a goal in early 2023. Chelsea wanted to make a statement signing in the Todd Boehly era.

The Argentine struggled to replicate his heroics in England as he struggled to adjust to new surroundings. Coupled with the constant management changes, his role wasn’t clear, which didn’t help his case. Enzo Maresca was the saviour as he unlocked Fernandez by not putting pressure on him. As a result, he showed his best self at Chelsea during the second half of the 2024/25 season.

2. Moises Caicedo | From Brighton To Chelsea

Brighton and Hove Albion have a way of discovering gems, polishing them and selling them off for bumper profits. Venezuelan Moises Caicedo made a name for himself as one of the best box-to-box midfielders in the world at the Amex Stadium. Caicedo set his sights on a move to London as he had a gentleman’s deal with them. Putting an end to a long transfer saga, he put pen to paper with the London side in a deal that would easily rise to £115 million, including achievable add-ons.

It wasn’t easy for Caicedo to settle in at Chelsea initially. He was part of a bloated squad, and the constant change in management and tactics didn’t help him. Enzo Maresca’s arrival in 2024 changed his game and career. He was given the freedom to roam the park by winning the ball and driving forward with it. His tackling and goalscoring made him a superb player on the ball as he rediscovered his Brighton form.

1. Florian Wirtz | From Bayer Leverkusen To Liverpool

Liverpool rarely spends in the transfer market. But when they spend in the market, they make sure they spend it big and spend it wisely. That said, the 4th-ranked player in our list of best young players comes into the squad as the most expensive player in the EPL. He is also the club’s record signing. Pressure is a small word that the shoulders of the playmaker would carry. The supremely talented German international will be under tight scrutiny for every action he takes on the pitch.

Especially, the coming 25/26 season will be an emotional one for the club. Having lost Diogo Jota tragically, the club will be grieving. On the pitch, performances become secondary during these times. But the former number 10 of Bayer Leverkusen can bring some joy to the fans with his playing style. The German midfielder Florian Wirtz is the most expensive player in EPL history.