The situation
Reaching three figures in a transfer is an ‘achievement’ that few players achieve throughout their career. The moment of the market, the capacity of the clubs to pay, the emergencies… There are many factors that determine entering this select ranking of the most expensive in history. This list is led by Neymar (222 million euros from PSG to Barcelona) followed by Mbappé (180 million euros, PSG), Dembélé (140 million euros, Barça), Coutinho (135 million euros, Barça), João Félix (127 million euros, Atlético ), Griezmann (€120m, Barça), Grealish (€117.5m, City), Cristiano Ronaldo (€117m, Juve), Hazard (€115m, Real Madrid), Lukaku (€113m, Chelsea) , Pogba (€105 million, Man. United) and Bale (€101 million, Real Madrid). This ranking of historical transfers, all made in just six summers (from 2016 with Pogba to 2022 with Grealish and Lukaku) , does not correspond to the current value of the players. Currently, according to Transfermarkt, the ‘one hundred million club’ is much more exclusive. Currently, Kylian Mbappé leads the ranking with €160 million followed by Haaland (€150 million), Vinicius, Salah and Harry Kane, who all settle in the hundred million euros. Except for Vinicius, with a contract until 2024, during the season all the names pointed to an exit.
Two turns against Madrid
The only one to move, in the end, was Erling Haaland. The Norwegian was clear that his stage in Dortmund was over and he had been looking for a new destination for months. Although he had several years of contract, the Leeds-born negotiated his departure with both Real Madrid and Manchester City. In the end, it was the Mancunians who prevailed in the battle for the striker for whom they paid a clause of 60 million plus two payments of 15 million euros in commissions to the father and to his representative agency. For a long time, the meeting of both at the Santiago Bernabéu was valued, but this finally will not happen. Real Madrid put all its efforts into hiring Kylian Mbappé, the golden member of this club, but the Frenchman decided to stay in Paris, renewing until 2025 with Paris Saint-Germain. He acknowledged at a press conference that he wanted to leave last summer, but a season later he changed his mind. “Everyone knows that I wanted to leave last year and I was convinced that it was the best decision at that time. The year has passed and now everything is different, the context is different.