Arsenal officially announced the signing of Declan Rice on Saturday. As a result, the Englishman is now one of the most expensive signings of all time in transfer windows.
The Gunners and Mikel Arteta aren’t joking around next season. The North London club wants to shut down all competitions in the 2023-2024 campaign.
Declan Rice joined Arsenal for a fee of £105 million. Therefore, he’s now the most expensive English player in the history of the game.
The England international penned a 5-year contract with the Gunners, until 2028. Meanwhile, there’s an option for a further year, and he will wear the No.41 shirt.
Chelsea recently signed Enzo Fernández from Benfica, breaking the club’s record fee. As a result, Rice is now the second-most expensive signing by an English club.
Manchester City and Pep Guardiola were close to securing Declan Rice from West Ham United. However, the Gunners made him one of the most expensive signings of all time.
Amazingly, the likes of Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, and others have broken transfer records. Meanwhile, not all those players perform well at the club.
Mikel Arteta and Edu have changed many things at Arsenal. The two are literally planning to take the North London club to the next level in Europe’s top-5 leagues.
Initially, Arsenal don’t sign expensive players. However, they have already spent more than £200 million on three players this summer transfer window.
Of course, there are some players who are worth any amount. Declan Rice has now joined the list of the most expensive signings of all time. Frankly, his potential speaks for itself.
Who are the most expensive signings of all time?
10. Declan Rice – £105 million (West Ham United to Arsenal)Â
The Gunners obviously broke the club’s transfer record for the Englishman. Of course, Rice is worth the amount, because he will add many things to the squad.
Mikel Arteta believes Declan is an ideal replacement for Thomas Partey. The Ghanaian is now heavily linked with Juventus, and wants to leave the Emirates Stadium.
Declan Rice has been in the Premier League since the beginning of his professional career. As a result, he’s most unlikely to flop at Arsenal, having been proven in the EPL.
The likes of Chelsea, Manchester United, and Manchester City wanted the Englishman. However, he desired to join Mikel Arteta and the Gunners.
Regardless of Declan Rice’s move to Arsenal. He actually worth £105 million, considering his level of potential and experience in the Premier League.
9. Enzo Fernández – £106.8 million (Benfica to Chelsea)
The Argentine youngster joined the West London club in the January transfer window. Of course, he was flawless at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Enzo Fernández met Chelsea’s team in shambles. However, the 23-year-old Argentine literally changed the team’s performance as a midfielder.
Despite joining the Blues family in January. Enzo outplayed many midfielders in the Premier League last season, making headlines in all competitions for the club.
Chelsea went through a lot before bringing Fernández to Stamford Bridge. They reportedly signed him on the night of the deadline in January 2023.
As a result, both the Blues and the Gunners broke their transfer records. They both want to equip their midfield, so as to be able to go far in all competitions in Europe’s top-5 leagues.
8. Antonie Griezmann – £107 million (Atletico Madrid to Barcelona)
Unfortunately, the Frenchman struggled throughout his career at Barcelona. Meanwhile, the Blaugranas spent massively before getting his signature.
Antonie Griezmann is one of the most expensive signings of all time. Meanwhile, he failed to live up to the expectations of the fans, considering his transfer fee to the club.
Barcelona literally signed the French international to balance their frontline. However, the Frenchman added nothing to the team’s performance, he struggled throughout.
Nevertheless, Antonie Griezmann has now returned to Atletico Madrid. He left Spotify Camp Nou for a very small fee, as the Blaugranas were hell-bent on offloading him.
Amazingly, the Frenchman was the best-performing Atletico Madrid player last season. He has been dazzling impressively since he left Barcelona.
7. Joao Felix – £112.9 million (Benfica to Atletico Madrid)
Diego Simeone’s side weren’t joking when they signed the Portuguese youngster. They wanted him at all costs because the player has full potential as an attacker.
On the contrary, Joao Felix’s move to Atletico Madrid hasn’t actually been fruitful, considering his transfer fee. Of course, he’s a player with a high ceiling, who makes waves.
The Portuguese youngster keeps struggling at Atletico Madrid. Because he didn’t really fit into Diego Simeone’s style of play, having seen his displays at the club so far.
Joao Felix was recently loaned to Chelsea in the January transfer window. The West London club wanted to sign him, but Mauricio Pochettino blocked the transfer.
In all fairness, it hurts that Felix hasn’t lived up to the fans expectations since his transfer to Spain. Regardless, he’s among the most expensive signings of all time.
6. Jude Bellingham – £115 million (Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid)
The midfielder is literally the most expensive English player of all time. His transfer fee is more than Declan Rice’s to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
Real Madrid didn’t hold back in signing Jude Bellingham in this summer’s transfer. They went all out to secure the Englishman, so as to boost their midfield.
Of course, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester City were all interested in Jude. However, he finally ended up at Real Madrid, and has already started training there.
Jude Bellingham joined Real Madrid (La Liga) from Borussia Dortmund (Bundesliga). As a result, he’s expected to perform amazingly in all competitions for Los Blancos.
The English midfielder won’t be the first expensive signing to flop. However, Bellingham is more like a street footballer, so he’s most unlikely to struggle at Real Madrid.
5. Ousmane Dembélé – £135.5 million (Borussia Dortmund to Barcelona)
The Bundesliga’s side don’t joke around when it comes to selling expensive players. They do sign players for a small fee, and sell them for a higher fee.
It happened with Jude Bellingham, Jadon Sancho, and Ousmane Dembélé. Aside from Benfica, they are among the clubs that know the buying and selling of players in Europe’s top-5 leagues.
Nevertheless, the Frenchman has been performing impressively since Xavi Hernández’s arrival at the club. The French attacker is among the best left-footers in the world of football.
Of course, Ousmane Dembélé joined Barcelona for a massive transfer fee. However, he always plays to the fans expectations, whenever he’s fit and available for the club.
Injury issues are the only hindrance the Frenchman is facing at Barcelona. He still remains irreplaceable at Spotify Camp Nou, despite Raphinha’s presence.
4. Eden Hazard – £142 million (Chelsea to Real Madrid)
Just like Antonie Griezmann’s £107 million move to Barcelona. Eden Hazard struggled throughout his career at Real Madrid, despite winning some trophies.
The Belgian mastero loved Los Blancos so much. As a result, the club broke their transfer record to bring him to Santiago Bernabéu under Zinedine Zidane.
Even though he joined Real Madrid for a massive £142 million fee. He spent most of his time at the club on the sidelines as a result of injury woes, failing to be fruitful at the club.
Eden Hazard was on par with Lionel Messi and Neymar during his time at Chelsea. Meanwhile, everything changed when he moved to Real Madrid.
Unfortunately, he has now left Los Blancos on a mutual agreement, terminating his contract. Hazard is currently without a club in this summer’s transfer window.
3. Philippe Coutinho – £142 million (Liverpool to Barcelona)
The Brazilian attacker’s story is very similar to Eden Hazard’s. He was on fire at Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp, turning into a flop at Barcelona.
The Bluagranas signed Coutinho from the Premier League side to replace Neymar. However, the Brazilian failed woefully throughout his time at the club.
Just like Antonie Griezmann. Barcelona were forced to release Philippe Coutinho for a small fee, as he joined Aston Villa in the Premier League under Steven Gerrard.
Since the Brazilian move to La Liga. His football career has been unstable, even though he spent most of his time at Barcelona on the sidelines, mainly because of injuries.
The Culers have lost many millions in transfer windows. As a result, they are now being cautious, and they don’t want to sign expensive players.
2. Kylian Mbappe – £163 million (Monaco to Paris Saint-Germain)
Of course, the Parisians don’t joke during the January or summer transfer window. They are always hell-bent on equipping their squad in all positions.
Paris Saint-Germain are in the same category as Real Madrid and Manchester City. They can spend any amount on their favorite players, particularly attackers.
Kylian Mbappe joined PSG for a fee of £163 million from Monaco. And since then, the Frenchman has been making waves and headlines for the Parisians in all competitions.
Even though some of the most expensive signings of all time were flops at their respective clubs. The France international played to the fans expectations.
Kylian Mbappe to Paris Saint-Germain is literally the most fruitful expensive signing so far. However, it’s up to Enzo Fernández, Declan Rice, and Jude Bellingham to justify themselves.
1. Neymar – £198 million (Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain)
Like I said earlier, the Parisians can spend any amount on their favorite players. They signed Neymar for a whopping £198 million from Barcelona.
Just like Kylian Mbappe, the Brazilian has never flopped at Paris Saint-Germain. He’s always there for the French side, helping the team’s performance.
Neymar reportedly left Barcelona to avoid Lionel Messi’s shadow. However, the Argentine magnifico later joined him at Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.
At the moment, the Brazilian attacker is still the most expensive signing of all time in football history. PSG went all out to sign him from Barcelona.
Even though Kylian Mbappe is making waves at Paris Saint-Germain. Neymar is also making headlines, despite going from one injury to another.