With the rise of European Football as a global commodity, the value of every aspect of the game has risen by leaps and bounds.
Football, especially in Europe, has seen a radical change in the last decade or so. Coupled with the new groundbreaking TV deals, the game as a whole has found a new direction which has created enormous revenues courtesy of the pan-world appeal.
Premier League, being the most popular brand of football, has gained a substantial financial grip and the clubs across the league have also benefitted from that. And with the escalating numbers in football, the transfer fees have also taken a giant leap.
In the past few years, Premier League alone has witnessed some gigantic transfer fees. The top clubs have splashed the cash to get their players, and sometimes have overpriced a layer in order to get him.
January 31, 2023 was another historic day for the Premier League, as Enzo Fernandez joined Chelsea from Benfica for a record transfer fee. The Argentine midfielder starred for his country in a World Cup winning campaign in Qatar a couple of months ago, and has been rewarded with a massive deal at Chelsea.
A NEW British transfer record! 📈💰
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 1, 2023
Chelsea have signed Enzo Fernandez for a British record £106.8m from Benfica. pic.twitter.com/c7wXssnpXD
Enzo cost the Blues €121 million, which is a Premier League record in terms of transfer fees.
Manchester United have dominated the list with 5 acquisitions of their own. Chelsea have their name twice, while Manchester City and Liverpool have their names twice and once respectively.
Player Name | Country | Club | Arrived From | Transfer Fee (All in €) |
1. Enzo Fernandez | Argentina | Chelsea | Benfica | 121.0m |
2. Jack Grealish | England | Manchester City | Aston Villa | 117.5m |
3. Romelu Lukaku | Belgium | Chelsea | Inter Milan | 113.0m |
4. Paul Pogba | France | Manchester United | Juventus | 105.0m |
5. Antony | Brazil | Manchester United | Ajax | 95.0m |
6. Harry Maguire | England | Manchester United | Leicester City | 87.0m |
7. Jadon Sancho | England | Manchester United | Borussia Dortmund | 85.0m |
8. Romelu Lukaku | Belgium | Manchester United | Everton | 84.7m |
9. Virgil van Dijk | Netherlands | Liverpool | Southampton | 84.65m |
10. Wesley Fofana | France | Chelsea | Leicester City | 80.4m |
Although clubs have gone on to pay huge money to get their players, it hasn't always worked out smoothly. Among the top ten acquisitions, only a few have made the desired impact.
In terms of the Premier League list, perhaps Virgil van Dijk is the player who has made the biggest impact after such an expensive move. The Dutchman has won the Premier League, Champions League during his stay with the Reds and undoubtedly is regarded one of the greatest players to play in the Premier League.
The jury's still out for the likes of Antony, Wesley Fofana and Enzo Fernandez, who just completed a deal.
But it is safe to say Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea, or Jadon Sancho to Manchester United have been disasters. Lukaku don't even play for the London club anymore, as he is loaned back to Inter, while Sancho has found things extremely difficult at Old Trafford.