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List of most expensive English football transfers

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The following is a list of the most expensive English football transfers, which details the highest transfer fees ever paid for English footballers, as well as the largest transfer fees paid and received by English football clubs. The current transfer record for an English footballer was set by the transfer of Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa to Chelsea for £117 million in July 2026,[1] while the record for an English woman was set by the transfer of Keira Walsh from Barcelona to Chelsea for £714,000 in January 2025.[2]

Morgan Rogers, whose move to Chelsea marked the highest transfer fee ever paid for an English footballer.

The records for the largest transfer fees both paid and received by an English football club were set by the transfer of Alexander Isak from Newcastle United to Liverpool for £125 million in September 2025. The record for the largest transfer fee paid by an English women's football club was set by the signing of Grace Geyoro from Paris Saint-Germain to the London City Lionesses for £1.43 million in September 2025, while the record fee received by an English women's club was set by the transfer of Olivia Smith from Liverpool to Arsenal for £1 million in July 2025.

Men

Highest transfer payments for English footballers

All clubs involved in transfers on this list belong to a Big Five league, with the exception of one transfer involving a club under the Saudi Arabian Football Federation. The remaining transfers involved clubs from England, Spain, or Germany, with English clubs involved in all but one transaction. Overall, Manchester City has the most appearances on the list, with six, and also leads all clubs with five incoming transfers. Aston Villa leads all clubs with four outgoing transfers.

Six transfers on the list broke the record for an English footballer, with all of which being deals between English clubs. Manchester City leads with four record-breaking incoming transfers, while Chelsea and Manchester United have one each. In contrast, Aston Villa leads with two record-breaking outgoing transfers, while Nottingham Forest, Leicester City, Tottenham Hotspur, and Liverpool have recorded one each. Among the Big Six, Liverpool is the only club without an incoming transfer on the list, whereas Manchester United and Arsenal are the only two without an outgoing transfers. No club based in England outside of the Big Six has made a purchase that features on this list. Raheem Sterling is the only footballer to appear twice on the list, following his record-breaking move to Manchester City in 2015 and his subsequent transfer to Chelsea in 2022.

The majority of transfer fees listed are not officially disclosed by the trading clubs and are reported by reliable mainstream media. Different media outlets may report varying transfer fees. The transfer fees are ranked in Pounds (£) without accounting for add-ons, with fees that include add-ons signified by a note.

As of 31 August 2026
  Fee broke the record for an English footballer at the time of the transfer
More information Rank, Player ...
Top 20 most expensive transfers for English footballers
Rank Player From To Position Fee
(£ million)		 Year Ref.
1 Morgan Rogers England Aston Villa England Chelsea Midfielder 117 2026 [1]
2 Elliot Anderson England Nottingham Forest England Manchester City Midfielder 116 2026 [3]
3 Jack Grealish England Aston Villa England Manchester City Midfielder 100 2021 [4]
Declan Rice England West Ham United England Arsenal Midfielder 100[a] 2023 [5]
5 Jude Bellingham Germany Borussia Dortmund Spain Real Madrid Midfielder 88.5[b] 2023 [6]
6 Harry Kane England Tottenham Hotspur Germany Bayern Munich Forward 86[c] 2023 [7]
7 Harry Maguire England Leicester City England Manchester United Defender 80 2019 [8]
8 Jadon Sancho Germany Borussia Dortmund England Manchester United Midfielder 73[d] 2021 [9]
9 Anthony Gordon England Newcastle United Spain Barcelona Forward 60.6[e] 2026 [10]
10 Eberechi Eze England Crystal Palace England Arsenal Forward 60[f] 2025 [11]
11 Mason Mount England Chelsea England Manchester United Midfielder 55[g] 2023 [12]
Dominic Solanke England Bournemouth England Tottenham Hotspur Forward 55[h] 2024 [13]
13 Ezri Konsa England Aston Villa England Arsenal Defender 51 2026 [14]
14 Ollie Watkins England Aston Villa Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal Forward 50 2026 [15]
Ben White England Brighton & Hove Albion England Arsenal Defender 50 2021 [16]
Kyle Walker England Tottenham Hotspur England Manchester City Defender 50[i] 2017 [17]
17 Raheem Sterling (1) England Liverpool England Manchester City Forward 49 2015 [18]
18 Jamie Gittens Germany Borussia Dortmund England Chelsea Forward 48.5[j] 2025 [19]
Noni Madueke England Chelsea England Arsenal Forward 48.5[k] 2025 [20]
20 Raheem Sterling (2) England Manchester City England Chelsea Forward 47.5 2022 [21]
John Stones England Everton England Manchester City Defender 47.5 2016 [22]
Close
Notes
  1. [a]
    Initial £100 million plus £5 million in possible add-ons
  2. [b]
    Initial £88.5 million plus £26 million in possible add-ons
  3. [c]
    Initial £86 million plus £17 million in possible add-ons
  4. [d]
    Initial £73 million plus £5 million in possible add-ons
  5. [e]
    Initial £60.6 million plus £8.7 million in possible add-ons
  6. [f]
    Initial £60 million plus £7.5 million in possible add-ons
  7. [g]
    Initial £55 million plus £5 million in possible add-ons
  8. [h]
    Initial £55 million plus £10 million in possible add-ons
  9. [i]
    Initial £50 million plus £3 million in possible add-ons
  10. [j]
    Initial £48.5 million plus £3 million in possible add-ons
  11. [k]
    Initial £48.5 million plus £4 million in possible add-ons

Transfer fees involving English football clubs

Highest transfer payments paid by English football clubs

The majority of transfer fees listed are not officially disclosed by the trading clubs and are reported by reliable mainstream media. Different media outlets may report varying transfer fees. The transfer fees are ranked in Pounds (£) without accounting for add-ons, with fees that include add-ons signified by a note.

  Fee broke the world record at the time of the transfer
  Fee broke the Premier League record at the time of the transfer
More information Rank, Player ...
Top 20 most expensive incoming transfers by English clubs
Rank Player From To Position Fee
(£ million)		 Year Ref.
1 Sweden Alexander Isak England Newcastle United Liverpool Forward 125[a] 2025 [23]
Argentina Enzo Fernández (2) England Chelsea Manchester City Midfielder 125 2026 [24]
3 England Morgan Rogers England Aston Villa Chelsea Forward 117 2026 [1]
4 England Elliot Anderson England Nottingham Forest Manchester City Midfielder 116 2026 [3]
5 Argentina Enzo Fernández (1) Portugal Benfica Chelsea Midfielder 106.8 2023 [25]
6 France Bradley Barcola France Paris Saint-Germain Liverpool Forward 106[b] 2026 [26]
7 England Jack Grealish England Aston Villa Manchester City Midfielder 100 2021 [4]
Germany Florian Wirtz Germany Bayer Leverkusen Liverpool Midfielder 100[c] 2025 [27]
England Declan Rice England West Ham United Arsenal Midfielder 100[d] 2023 [5]
Ecuador Moisés Caicedo England Brighton & Hove Albion Chelsea Midfielder 100[e] 2023 [28]
11 Belgium Romelu Lukaku (2) Italy Inter Milan Chelsea Forward 97.5 2021 [29]
12 Italy Sandro Tonali England Newcastle United Tottenham Hotspur Midfielder 92.5[f] 2026 [30]
13 France Paul Pogba Italy Juventus Manchester United Midfielder 89.3[g] 2016 [31]
14 Portugal Mateus Fernandes England West Ham United Tottenham Hotspur Midfielder 85 2026 [32]
15 Morocco Ayyoub Bouaddi France Lille Manchester City Midfielder 81.4[h] 2026 [33]
16 Brazil Antony Netherlands Ajax Manchester United Forward 81.3[i] 2022 [34]
17 England Harry Maguire England Leicester City Manchester United Defender 80 2019 [8]
18 Croatia Joško Gvardiol Germany RB Leipzig Manchester City Defender 77 2023 [35]
19 Belgium Romelu Lukaku (1) England Everton Manchester United Forward 75[j] 2017 [36]
Netherlands Virgil van Dijk England Southampton Liverpool Defender 75 2018 [37]
Brazil Bruno Guimarães England Newcastle United Arsenal Midfielder 75 2026 [38]
Brazil Sávio England Manchester City Tottenham Hotspur Forward 75[k] 2026 [39]
Close
Notes
  1. [a]
    Initial £125 million plus £5 million in possible add-ons
  2. [b]
    Initial £106 million plus £17 million in possible add-ons
  3. [c]
    Initial £100 million plus £16 million in possible add-ons
  4. [d]
    Initial £100 million plus £5 million in possible add-ons
  5. [e]
    Initial £100 million plus £15 million in possible add-ons
  6. [f]
    Initial £92.5 million plus £7.5 million in possible add-ons
  7. [g]
    Initial £89.3 million plus £3.0 million in possible add-ons
  8. [h]
    Initial £81.4 million plus £4.3 million in possible add-ons
  9. [i]
    Initial £81.3 million plus £4.27 million in possible add-ons
  10. [j]
    Initial £75 million plus £15 million in possible add-ons
  11. [k]
    Initial £75 million plus £10 million in possible add-ons

Highest transfer payments received by English football clubs

The majority of transfer fees listed are not officially disclosed by the trading clubs and are reported by reliable mainstream media. Different media outlets may report varying transfer fees. The transfer fees are ranked in Pounds (£) without accounting for add-ons, with fees that include add-ons signified by a note.

  Fee broke the world record at the time of the transfer
  Fee broke the transfer record for the buying club's country at the time of the transfer
More information Rank, Player ...
Top 20 most expensive outgoing transfers by English clubs
Rank Player From To Position Fee
(£ million)		 Year Ref.
1 Sweden Alexander Isak Newcastle United England Liverpool Forward 125[a] 2025 [23]
Argentina Enzo Fernández Chelsea England Manchester City Midfielder 125 2026 [24]
3 England Morgan Rogers Aston Villa England Chelsea Forward 117 2026 [1]
4 England Elliot Anderson Nottingham Forest England Manchester City Midfielder 116 2026 [3]
5 Brazil Philippe Coutinho Liverpool Spain Barcelona Midfielder 105[b] 2018 [40]
6 England Jack Grealish Aston Villa England Manchester City Midfielder 100 2021 [4]
England Declan Rice West Ham United England Arsenal Midfielder 100[c] 2023 [5]
Ecuador Moisés Caicedo Brighton & Hove Albion England Chelsea Midfielder 100[d] 2023 [28]
9 Italy Sandro Tonali Newcastle United England Tottenham Hotspur Midfielder 92.5[e] 2026 [30]
10 Belgium Eden Hazard Chelsea Spain Real Madrid Forward 89[f] 2019 [41]
11 England Harry Kane Tottenham Hotspur Germany Bayern Munich Forward 86[g] 2023 [7]
12 Wales Gareth Bale Tottenham Hotspur Spain Real Madrid Forward 85.3 2013 [42]
13 Portugal Mateus Fernandes West Ham United England Tottenham Hotspur Midfielder 85 2026 [32]
14 Portugal Cristiano Ronaldo Manchester United Spain Real Madrid Forward 80 2009 [43]
England Harry Maguire Leicester City England Manchester United Defender 80 2019 [8]
16 Belgium Romelu Lukaku (1) Everton England Manchester United Forward 75[h] 2017 [36]
Netherlands Virgil van Dijk Southampton England Liverpool Defender 75 2018 [37]
Brazil Bruno Guimarães Newcastle England Arsenal Midfielder 75 2026 [38]
Brazil Sávio Manchester City England Tottenham Forward 75[i] 2026 [39]
20 Belgium Romelu Lukaku (2) Manchester United Italy Inter Milan Forward 74 2019 [44]
Close
Notes
  1. [a]
    Initial £125 million plus £5 million in possible add-ons
  2. [b]
    Initial £105 million plus £37 million in possible add-ons
  3. [c]
    Initial £100 million plus £5 million in possible add-ons
  4. [d]
    Initial £100 million plus £15 million in possible add-ons
  5. [e]
    Initial £92.5 million plus £7.5 million in possible add-ons
  6. [f]
    Initial £89 million plus £60 million in possible add-ons
  7. [g]
    Initial £86 million plus £17 million in possible add-ons
  8. [h]
    Initial £75 million plus £15 million in possible add-ons
  9. [i]
    Initial £75 million plus £10 million in possible add-ons

Women

Highest transfer payments for English footballers

  Fee broke the women's world football transfer record at the time of the transfer
  Fee broke the women's transfer record for the buying club's country at the time of the transfer
More information Rank, Player ...
Top 10 most expensive outgoing transfers by English clubs (Women)
Rank Player From To Position Fee
(£ thousand)		 Year Ref.
1 Canada Olivia Smith Liverpool England Arsenal Forward 1,000 2025 [45]
2 England Niamh Charles Chelsea England Manchester City Defender 500 2026 [46]
3 France Oriane Jean-François Chelsea England Aston Villa Midfielder 450 2026 [47]
4 England Keira Walsh Manchester City Spain Barcelona Midfielder 400[a] 2022 [49]
5 England Bethany England Chelsea England Tottenham Hotspur Forward 250 2023 [50]
Canada Jessie Fleming Chelsea United States Portland Thorns Midfielder 250 2024 [51]
7 United States Catarina Macario Chelsea United States San Diego Wave Forward 225 2026 [52]
8 England Laura Blindkilde Brown Aston Villa England Manchester City Midfielder 200 2024 [53]
England Lauren James Manchester United England Chelsea Forward 200 2021 [54]
England Anouk Denton West Ham United United States Bay FC Defender 200 2026 [55]
Close
Notes
  1. [a]
    The approximately £400,000 figure is most consistently reported and accepted.[48][2]

Transfer fees involving English football clubs

Highest transfer payments paid by English football clubs

  Fee broke the women's world football transfer record at the time of the transfer
  Fee broke the Women's Super League record at the time of the transfer
More information Rank, Player ...
Top 10 most expensive incoming transfers by English clubs (Women)
Rank Player From To Position Fee
(£ thousand)		 Year Ref.
1 France Grace Geyoro France Paris Saint-Germain London City Lionesses Midfielder 1,430[I 1] 2025 [56][58]
2 United States Alyssa Thompson United States Angel City Chelsea Forward <1,430[I 2] 2025 [59][58]
3 Canada Olivia Smith England Liverpool Arsenal Forward 1,000 2025 [45]
4 United States Naomi Girma United States San Diego Wave Chelsea Defender 883 2025 [61]
5 England Keira Walsh Spain Barcelona Chelsea Midfielder 714[I 3] 2025 [2]
6 United States Sam Coffey United States Portland Thorns Manchester City Midfielder 650 2026 [64][65]
7 Sweden Ellen Wangerheim Sweden Hammarby Manchester United Forward 560[I 4] 2026 [66]
8 England Niamh Charles England Chelsea Manchester City Defender 500 2026 [46]
9 France Oriane Jean-François England Chelsea Aston Villa Midfielder 450 2026 [47]
10 Spain Lucía Corrales Spain Barcelona London City Lionesses Forward 433 2025 [67]
Close
Notes
  1. [1]
    Originally reported in French sources as a world record fee[56] of £1.43 million, London City stated the next day that it was not a record but "around the £1m mark". London City also spent around £430,000 on Lucía Corrales in the same window.[57] When FIFA's 2025 report on international transfers was released at the end of the year, Geyoro was listed as the most expensive transfer, necessitating it as a world record fee.[58]
  2. [2]
    Thompson's transfer, which was confirmed shortly before Geyoro's, was a Chelsea record fee; "at least on-par" with Smith's previous record fee (which as a domestic fee would not be listed by FIFA); and described as just short of Ovalle's then-world record but able to become a new world record with bonuses[59] that would take Thompson's fee up to around $2 million.[60] At the end of 2025, FIFA confirmed Thompson's transfer as the second most expensive international transfer behind Geyoro's and above Ovalle's.[58]
  3. [3]
    Base fee of €550,000 (£460,000), as widely reported.[62] According to BBC Sport, Barcelona said that the fee including bonuses was worth up to £800,000 (€956,000).[63] At the end of the season, Spanish media reported the fee had risen to €850,000.[2]
  4. [4]
    Reported as 7 million Swedish krona

Highest transfer payments received by English football clubs

The majority of transfer fees listed are not officially disclosed by the trading clubs and are reported by reliable mainstream media. Different media outlets may report varying transfer fees. The transfer fees are ranked in Pounds (£).

  Fee broke the women's world football transfer record at the time of the transfer
  Fee broke the record for an English woman at the time of the transfer
More information Rank, Player ...
Top 10 most expensive transfers for English women
Rank Player From To Position Fee
(£ thousand)		 Year Ref.
1 Keira Walsh (2) Spain Barcelona England Chelsea Midfielder 714 2025 [2]
2 Niamh Charles England Chelsea England Manchester City Defender 500 2026 [46]
3 Keira Walsh (1) England Manchester City Spain Barcelona Midfielder 400[a] 2022 [49][69]
4 Bethany England England Chelsea England Tottenham Hotspur Forward 250 2023 [50]
5 Laura Blindkilde Brown England Aston Villa England Manchester City Midfielder 200 2024 [53]
Lauren James England Manchester United England Chelsea Forward 200 2021 [54]
Anouk Denton England West Ham United United States Bay FC Defender 200 2026 [55]
8 Ebony Salmon United States Racing Louisville United States Houston Dash Forward 150[b] 2022 [70]
9 Rachel Daly United States Houston Dash England Aston Villa Forward 125 2022 [71]
10 Esme Morgan England Manchester City United States Washington Spirit Defender 100[c] 2024 [72]
Close
Notes
  1. [a]
    The approximately £400,000 figure is most consistently reported and accepted.[68][2]
  2. [b]
    Traded for $190,000 in NWSL allocation money, which equated to approximately £150,000 at the time of the transfer.
  3. [c]
    Reported as an undisclosed "six-figure sum" at the time of transfer.

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