Sport

The Most Expensive Footballers of All Time

Chelsea's signing of Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku from Inter Milan this week for €115m has made the 28-year-old the most expensive footballer of all time. Not to be mistaken with the highest single transfer fee, Lukaku's five career transfers now total €327.6m, according to figures from Transfermarkt.com. That takes him ahead of Brazilian superstar Neymar, who has generated tranfer fees to the value of €310.2m in his career so far, albeit with only two moves.

That's not the only record broken with this transfer, either. Transfermarkt adds: "The forward set two further records. In addition to the most expensive sale of a Serie A club...Lukaku is also the new record signing at Chelsea. This position was previously held by Kai Havertz and goalkeeper Kepa with €80 million each. Furthermore, Lukaku joins a group of now twelve players who have cost at least €100 million."

Description

This chart shows the football players with the highest cumulative transfer fees.

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Premium statistics
Belgian soccer players with the highest transfer fees as of September 2021 (in million euros)
Most expensive soccer transfers worldwide as of May 2026 (in million euros)
Highest all-time transfer fees of Dutch soccer players as of April 2021 (in million euros)
Premium statistics
Ranking of football players from the five major European leagues with the highest market value as of June 12, 2019* (in millions of euros)
Money spent on transfer fees by clubs in the Big Five soccer leagues in Europe from 2013 to 2022, by club (in million euros)
Highest transfer fees received by a Premier League club as of 2025 (in million euros)

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