Monday 10 July 2017 20:09, UK
See which players make the top 10 most expensive Premier League transfers, following Romelu Lukaku's move to Manchester United.
1. Paul Pogba - £93.25m, Juventus to Manchester United
Pogba's return to Manchester United after four years at Juventus caused a social media frenzy. #POGBACK trended worldwide as the midfielder completed a world-record move, and while the Frenchman came under-fire last season, the 24-year-old has remained a regular under Jose Mourinho. Pogba will look to improve on his tally of nine goals this season, but United fans would argue he brings more to the game than just goals and assists.
2. Romelu Lukaku - £75m, Everton to Manchester United
Lukaku moved to Chelsea for £10m in August 2011 but it's away from Stamford Bridge where the Belgium international has shown off his goal-scoring prowess.
He hit the net 17 times during a loan spell with West Bromwich Albion before improving his strike rate at Everton, where he scored 15 goals in 31 games to take Roberto Martinez's side to a fifth-place finish. Lukaku was seen as one of the hottest young talents in Europe but then Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho wasn't seemingly convinced, selling him to Everton for £28m.
However, the goals continued to come at Goodison Park which has now persuaded Mourinho to fork out £75m for the 24-year-old.
3. Angel Di Maria – £59.7m, Real Madrid to Manchester United
Manchester United looked to have pulled off a stunning signing when they broke the British transfer record to bring Real Madrid's Di Maria to Old Trafford.
However, despite the 2014 Champions League final man of the match shining in his early games for United – scoring three times in a four-game spell at the start of the 2014/15 season – Di Maria's form quickly deserted him and, unsettled in Manchester, he was sold to Paris Saint-Germain for £44.3m in 2015.
4. Kevin De Bruyne – £54.5m, Wolfsburg to Manchester City
Few would have predicted De Bruyne would return to the Premier League as one of the most expensive transfers in British history when he left Chelsea for Wolfsburg in January 2014. However, a stellar 2014/15 campaign, which saw the Belgium international register more assists than any other player in the top five leagues in Europe, sparked interest from Manchester City, and the 25-year-old has been a standout performer for the club since.
5. Alexandre Lacazette - £52m, Lyon to Arsenal
Arsenal finally got their man this summer when they were forced to part with a club-record fee for Lacazette, who boasted the highest chance conversion rate in Europe's top five leagues last season (38.9 per cent).
The France international scored 37 goals in 45 games as Lyon secured a fourth-placed finish in Ligue 1 and reached the Europa League semi-finals. His record of 28 league goals last term was more than the combined tally of Arsenal quartet Olivier Giroud, Theo Walcott, Danny Welbeck and Lucas Perez and Arsene Wenger will be hoping he can continue that scoring form in the Premier League.
6. Fernando Torres – £50m, Liverpool to Chelsea
Chelsea's capture of Liverpool's star striker in January 2011 looked like a guaranteed success, but Fernando Torres' drop-off in performance following his move to Stamford Bridge was remarkable. After netting 65 league goals in three-and-a-half seasons with Liverpool, the Spain international managed just 20 in his next three and a half with Chelsea. A semi-final strike against Barcelona in the Champions League final was a rare highlight.
7. Raheem Sterling – £49m, Liverpool to Manchester City
Sterling was rarely out of the headlines during the summer of his move to Manchester City from Liverpool. While the England international's drawn-out departure from Anfield sparked criticism, Sterling hit the ground running with City, and though he tailed off towards the end of the season, he now appears to be back to his best under Pep Guardiola.
8. John Stones - £47.5m, Everton to Manchester City
Stones became the second-most expensive defender in history - after David Luiz (£50m Chelsea to PSG) - when he joined City in the summer of 2016. The centre-back has regularly featured for England since 2014, but is struggling to shake off criticism regarding his defensive ability, though his composure with the ball at his feet cannot be questioned.
9. Bernardo Silva - £43m, Monaco to Manchester City
Bernardo Silva was believed to be a target of Manchester United, but City landed the midfielder who has been likened to David Silva and already has 12 caps for Portugal's senior side at the age of 22. Bernardo Silva helped steer Monaco to the Ligue 1 title this season, scoring eight goals in his 36 French top-flight appearances.
10. Mesut Ozil – £42.5m, Real Madrid to Arsenal
Arsene Wenger splashed the cash to bring Ozil to Arsenal in September 2013, making the former Real Madrid playmaker the most expensive German footballer of all time. Ozil is established as a key player for the Gunners – but is often criticised for failing to consistently hit the top levels in big games.
