Transfer fees have entered another stratosphere in the 21st century, with inflation pushing sums from high in the tens of millions to nine figures for the first time in the history of the sport.
Football’s commercialisation and TV rights deals mean that leading clubs have huge financial muscle to flex, and it’s projected that fees could reach between £350 million and £650m ($443m-$708m) by the year 2050.
There have been plenty of transfers that have pushed valuations to these new heights, but which have been the most expensive of the 21st century so far? Below, GOAL runs through the top 25 and gauges whether they have been a hit or miss.
DISCLAIMER: If some of these figures look unfamiliar, that is because this list is based on initial fees excluding add-ons, with those sums taken from the best available source from the time.