Most expensive transfers in Premier League - Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez tops the charts

Premier League clubs have never shied away from spending big bucks in transfer windows.

Although this phenomenon was restricted to a few top clubs earlier, a drastic increase in broadcast revenues and involvement of cash-rich owners has seen mid-table clubs like Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Fulham and Nottingham Forest invest heavily in players. 

Chelsea hold the record for the most expensive transfer in Premier League history. They signed Enzo Fernandez for £106.8 million from SL Benfica in January 2023.

While a Chelsea player does top the table for most expensive signings in the Premier League, it's worth pointing out that the club that features the most times in this top 10 list is Manchester United with as many as five appearances. The fact that all these signings took place in 2016 or later is another good indicator of the Premier League's burgeoning broadcast revenues and popularity around the globe.

Here is a list of the most expensive transfers in the Premier League. 

Most expensive transfers in Premier League 

Enzo Fernandez - Chelsea (£106.8 million)

Chelsea signed Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernandez from SL Benfica for a British-record £106.8 million transfer fee. Fernandez, who won the FIFA World Cup 2022 with Argentina, had signed for Benfica only in the summer of 2022 for a £10 million fee.

Fernandez has signed an eight-and-a-half-year deal at Stamford Bridge, that keeps him at the club until the 2031 summer transfer window.  

Jack Grealish - Manchester City (£100 million)

Jack Grealish came up through the Aston Villa academy and spent nearly two decades at the club. After two brilliant seasons in the top flight for the Villans, Manchester City swooped in for the English footballer’s services, paying a staggering £100 million.

Romelu Lukaku - Chelsea (£97.5 million)

Romelu Lukaku has been involved in two of the biggest transfers in Premier League history. Manchester United paid £75 million to sign him from Everton back in 2017. The Belgian forward later had a terrific spell at Inter Milan, forcing Chelsea to pay a club record £96 million in the summer of 2021. 

Paul Pogba - Manchester United (£93.25 million)

Manchester United broke the world record transfer fee to sign French midfielder Paul Pogba. Pogba was instrumental in taking Juventus to the Champions League final in 2015 and emerged at Old Trafford with huge expectations. Unfortunately, his stint at the club ended on an unsatisfactory note with Pogba leaving the club as a free agent in June 2022. 

Mykhailo Mudryk - Chelsea (£88.5 million)

A skillful and pacey player, Mykhailo Mudryk displayed plenty of potential with Ukraine and Shakhtar Donetsk. After a January 2023 window where he seemed to have agreed on personal terms with Arsenal, London rivals Chelsea swooped in for the signature of the then-22-year-old. The £88.6 million transfer fee makes him the second-most expensive Chelsea player of all time. Mudryk put pen to paper on an eight-and-a-half-year contract with the Blues.

Antony - Manchester United (£82.2 million)

Brazilian winger Antony had worked under Erik Ten Hag at Ajax, making 82 appearances for the Dutch club. After the manager made his move to Manchester United, Antony followed Ten Hag to Manchester.

The Brazilian commanded a staggering fee of £82.2 million, making him the second most expensive signing for the Red Devils. 

Harry Maguire - Manchester United (£80 million)

Manchester United broke the world record fee for a defender to sign Harry Maguire from Leicester City. The English centre-back made 76 appearances in two seasons for the Foxes before making the big-money move under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. However, the player has fallen down the pecking order after Erik Ten Hag took over. 

Photo Credit: Alamy