They Cost a Fortune but Some Failed Spectacularly! Ranking Football’s Most Expensive Transfers

Ranking Every €117m-Plus Transfer from the Biggest Flop to the Best Investment

Bradley Barcola is on the verge of leaving Paris Saint-Germain for Liverpool and becoming one of the most expensive footballers in history. If his move to Anfield is completed, the French international will become only the 16th player to command a fee equivalent to at least €117 million.

However, an extraordinary price tag has not always guaranteed success. Some of the players signed for such enormous sums have justified the investment with trophies, goals and memorable performances, while others have proved deeply disappointing.

Excluding the 2026 transfers involving Elliot Anderson, Yan Diomande and Morgan Rogers, here is our ranking of the major transfers worth more than €117 million before add-ons.

12. Eden Hazard – €117m – Chelsea to Real Madrid

Eden Hazard enjoyed the perfect environment in which to showcase his qualities at Chelsea. The Belgian was given freedom on the pitch, enjoyed the club’s complete support and became a firm favourite with the Stamford Bridge crowd. His unpredictability and ability to decide matches single-handedly made him one of the most exciting players in the Premier League.

His transfer to Real Madrid was supposed to represent the crowning move of his career, but it turned into a resounding failure. Hazard struggled to cope with the enormous demands of the Spanish club and was continually hampered by injuries and fitness problems.

The player who had shone so brightly at Chelsea was rarely seen in a Real Madrid shirt. His influence on the team was minimal, and his performances never came close to justifying the amount invested by the Spanish giants.

11. João Félix – €132m – Benfica to Atlético Madrid

Atlético Madrid do not usually spend at the same level as rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid, but the club made a spectacular exception in the summer of 2019. Following Antoine Griezmann’s departure for Barcelona, Atlético paid the equivalent of approximately €132 million for João Félix, who was regarded as one of Europe’s most promising forwards.

The Portuguese forward was only 19 when he left Benfica, and the size of the transfer fee created enormous expectations. João Félix was expected to become the new attacking star of Diego Simeone’s side, but his playing style did not always fit the Argentine coach’s demanding system.

João Félix scored 34 goals in 131 appearances for Atlético Madrid, a modest return for a player signed for such an extraordinary fee. He later had spells with Chelsea and Barcelona without establishing himself permanently at either club.

At the age of just 26, the former Benfica prodigy is already playing in Saudi Arabia. His career demonstrates how quickly a spectacular transfer can turn into a failed investment.

10. Philippe Coutinho – €123m – Liverpool to Barcelona

Philippe Coutinho was one of the world’s finest attacking midfielders during his time at Liverpool. The Brazilian combined technique, imagination and efficiency with the ability to score spectacular goals and create opportunities for his team-mates.

Barcelona had attempted to sign him during the summer of 2017 but did not complete the deal until January 2018. The Catalan club paid the equivalent of approximately €123 million, although problems emerged before Coutinho had even made his debut. A thigh injury was detected during his medical and kept him out for around three weeks.

Coutinho won the league title in his first season at Barcelona and scored seven goals in 18 La Liga appearances. Those figures were not disastrous, but the Brazilian never reached the level he had displayed at Liverpool.

He managed only five goals in 34 league appearances during the following campaign, prompting Barcelona to send him on loan to Bayern Munich in 2019.

The situation became particularly humiliating for the Catalans when Coutinho scored against them in Bayern’s remarkable 8-2 Champions League victory. The German club went on to win the competition at the end of that season.

After a brief return to Barcelona under Ronald Koeman, Coutinho joined Aston Villa on loan in January 2022. The English club made the move permanent that summer for the equivalent of approximately €20 million, almost €103 million less than Barcelona had paid for him.

9. Antoine Griezmann – €125m – Atlético Madrid to Barcelona

Antoine Griezmann had developed into one of the world’s leading forwards following his spells with Real Sociedad and Atlético Madrid. The Frenchman was the main attacking star of Diego Simeone’s team and appeared ready to take another significant step in his career.

However, his relationship with Barcelona supporters had already been damaged before the transfer took place. In the 2018 documentary “The Decision”, Griezmann kept viewers waiting for almost an hour before announcing that he would remain at Atlético Madrid. He changed his mind a year later and accepted Barcelona’s offer.

The Frenchman faced a major tactical obstacle after arriving at the Catalan club. The areas in which he felt most comfortable were already occupied by Lionel Messi, the undisputed leader of the team. Griezmann was forced to adjust his game and could no longer exert the same influence on attacking moves.

His spell at Barcelona cannot be described as a complete disaster, but it did not justify an investment of approximately €125 million. Griezmann returned to Atlético Madrid in 2021 and gradually rediscovered the role that suited him best.

8. Florian Wirtz – €117m – Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool

Florian Wirtz’s first season at Liverpool unfolded in difficult circumstances, making it difficult to reach a definitive verdict on the transfer. The German arrived at Anfield after establishing himself as one of Europe’s most highly rated attacking midfielders with Bayer Leverkusen.

His talent is beyond doubt, but the size of Liverpool’s investment also brought an obligation to influence matches consistently. A player purchased for approximately €117 million cannot afford to make a decisive contribution only occasionally.

Wirtz’s performances became less convincing as the season progressed. The German enjoyed a slightly better spell in midwinter, but it was not enough to remove the doubts surrounding him.

The midfielder still has time to prove that he can adapt to the intensity of the Premier League. Until then, the jury remains out on his transfer.

7. Alexander Isak – €146m – Newcastle United to Liverpool

Alexander Isak ranks above Florian Wirtz because of his previous Premier League experience and the impressive form he had shown at Newcastle United.

However, his first season at Liverpool was seriously disrupted by fitness problems. The Swedish striker scored only three league goals before an injury suffered ahead of Christmas brought his campaign to a premature end.

Such a limited goal return is deeply disappointing for a forward purchased for approximately €146 million. Isak must become far more efficient because his contribution to other areas of the game cannot compensate for prolonged periods without scoring.

His experience in English football and the qualities he demonstrated at Newcastle provide reasons to believe he can recover. Liverpool will nevertheless expect performances worthy of one of the largest investments in the club’s history.

6. Jack Grealish – €117m – Aston Villa to Manchester City

Jack Grealish joined Manchester City in 2021 after becoming one of the most imaginative and entertaining players in the Premier League. At Aston Villa, he was given the freedom to lead attacks, carry the ball and make decisions without being restricted by too many tactical responsibilities.

The situation changed under Pep Guardiola. The Spanish coach asked him to follow a far more disciplined system in which every movement and position had a specific purpose. Grealish struggled to adapt his natural playing style to those demands.

The Englishman made an important contribution during the season in which Manchester City completed the treble by winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League. Even so, his overall influence has not fully justified an investment of approximately €117 million.

His playing time subsequently became more limited, and the footballer who had dominated matches for Aston Villa was seen less frequently at his brilliant best.

5. Enzo Fernández – €125m – Benfica to Chelsea

Enzo Fernández has not entirely justified the amount paid by Chelsea, but he cannot be considered an outright transfer failure either. The Argentine arrived from Benfica after winning the World Cup and needed time to adjust to a team undergoing constant change.

The midfielder became one of Chelsea’s leading creative forces. His passing quality, vision and ability to contribute to the build-up earned him an important role, while some of his goals proved decisive in difficult matches.

Nevertheless, his performances have not always matched the expectations surrounding a player purchased for approximately €125 million. Enzo Fernández has demonstrated that he can become essential to Chelsea, but he must reach a higher level of consistency to justify his price tag fully.

4. Neymar – €234m – Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain

Neymar’s transfer to Paris Saint-Germain divided modern football into two distinct eras. Until the summer of 2017, a release clause equivalent to approximately €234 million appeared impossible for any club to trigger. PSG permanently changed the rules of the transfer market.

Barcelona had included the figure in the Brazilian’s contract because the club believed no team would ever be capable of paying it. The Parisian hierarchy activated the clause, and Neymar accepted the move to France in an attempt to escape Lionel Messi’s shadow and become the leader of a project built around him.

His statistics in Paris were impressive. Neymar scored 118 goals in 173 appearances and won five Ligue 1 titles. Viewed in isolation, those achievements could make the transfer appear successful.

However, PSG did not sign him simply to continue dominating French football. The principal objective was to win the Champions League, a trophy Neymar was unable to deliver at the Parc des Princes.

His best attempt came in 2020, when PSG reached the final before losing to Bayern Munich. Neymar had already left the French club by the time the Parisians eventually succeeded in winning European football’s biggest prize.

3. Moisés Caicedo – €117m – Brighton to Chelsea

Moisés Caicedo’s Chelsea career began disastrously. The Ecuadorian conceded a penalty in the final minute of his debut, immediately increasing the pressure created by his enormous transfer fee.

Caicedo had appeared close to joining Liverpool, but Chelsea won the battle for his signature and paid the equivalent of approximately €117 million. Following that difficult start, the midfielder gradually adapted and became one of the London club’s most important players.

The Ecuador international featured in every league match played by Chelsea during the previous season. His ball-winning ability, energy and tactical discipline made him indispensable.

Versatility is another important part of his game. Enzo Maresca has even deployed him at right-back without significantly reducing his effectiveness. At only 23, Caicedo has every opportunity to improve further and turn Chelsea’s enormous expenditure into a justified investment.

2. Kylian Mbappé – €194m – AS Monaco to Paris Saint-Germain

Paris Saint-Germain could not accept the prospect of the greatest French talent of his generation joining a major club outside the country. Kylian Mbappé had burst onto the scene at AS Monaco and become one of the most sought-after young stars in European football.

The Parisians paid the equivalent of approximately €194 million to bring him to the Parc des Princes. During his years with PSG, Mbappé developed from an exciting prospect into a global superstar.

The forward scored 256 goals in 308 appearances, won seven league titles and was named Ligue 1 Player of the Year on five occasions. His individual performances justified the transfer fee, even though the Champions League remained beyond his reach.

Mbappé continued to cost PSG an enormous amount even after his transfer had been completed. In 2022, amid interest from Real Madrid and the risk of losing him on a free transfer, PSG offered him a new contract worth the equivalent of approximately €1.17 million per week.

The agreement merely postponed his departure. The French striker eventually moved to Real Madrid, but his first season away from Paris produced an unexpected irony. It was PSG, not the team from the Santiago Bernabéu, who lifted European football’s greatest trophy.

1. Declan Rice – €123m – West Ham United to Arsenal

Describing a player purchased for approximately €123 million as a bargain might sound excessive. However, Declan Rice has turned an enormous investment into an inspired piece of business for Arsenal.

The English midfielder quickly became one of the leaders of the team at the Emirates Stadium. His influence has been evident through his defensive contribution, his ability to build attacks and his knack for making the difference in decisive moments.

Rice has been Arsenal’s best player since his arrival and helped the club win the Premier League title in 2026. His two spectacular free-kicks against Real Madrid remain among the defining images of his time with the London club.

West Ham United, meanwhile, failed to use the money received for him effectively and dropped into the Championship. The contrasting fortunes of the two clubs strengthen the argument that Arsenal made the most inspired investment of all the transfers included in this ranking.