Top 10 world’s most expensive footballers
This article explores the ten most expensive footballers in the world.
In recent years, footballers’ commercial value has skyrocketed to an astronomical figure with young and budding talents valued at high figures.
Many clubs tend to scout young players who have the prospect of becoming the next big football superstars very early, forcing their parent club to place high value on the players.
Therefore, the most valuable footballers are unsurprisingly in their early 20s, and depending on their performance and consistency, their market value could rise and eventually earn them mega deals at big European football clubs.
This article, per rankings from Transfermarkt, explores the ten most expensive footballers in the world.
World’s most expensive footballers
10. Lamine Yamal – £101m (Barcelona)
According to Transfermarkt’s latest valuations which see 12 players valued at more than £100million, 17-year-old Yamal is valued at £101m (€120m) and is one of the best wingers in world football.
He is one of Barcelona’s key players, scoring 7 goals and 10 assists in 50 games. Yamal was also given a key role to feature in Spain’s Euro 2024 squad and he started in all but one of the Spanish side’s games on the route to La Roja winning the championship.
Yamal became the youngest European Championship player ever when he started their opening game against Croatia in June, aged 16 years and 362 days.
His current contract at Barcelona ends on 30th June 2026.
9. Rodri – £110m (Manchester City)
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The fantastic midfielder is one of the best players in the world and he is valued at £110m (€130m) making him the ninth most expensive footballer in the world.
He played a key role in Manchester City’s 2022-23 Treble win, with 14 assists and 9 goals including scoring the winning goal in the Champions League final against Inter Milan.
His impressive performance contributed immensely to City’s fourth successive Premier League title and Spain’s European Championship triumph in 2024.
8. Jamal Musiala- £110m (Bayern Munich)
Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images
Musiala had his early football development in England but eventually chose to represent Germany at national level.
The 21-year-old has developed into one of football’s most admired youngsters and is currently valued at £110m (€130m).
Musiala signed for Bayern Munich in 2019 and is now an integral part of the Bavarians side as well as for the German national team.
In the 2023/24 season, he scored 12 goals and made 8 assists in 38 appearances for Bayern Munich, attracting interest from Premier League sides such as Liverpool. It is left to be seen if he would eventually make a move away from Germany as his current contract at Bayern ends on 30th June 2026.
7. Florian Wirtz- £110m (Bayer Leverkusen)
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The 21-year-old German footballer was a key figure for Bayer Leverkusen last season as he led them to a historic Bundesliga title-winning triumph where Xabi Alonso’s side won the league with an unbeaten record.
He scored 18 goals and made 20 assists last season. Wirtz’s current contract at Bayer Leverkusen expires on 30th June 2027 and he is currently valued at £110m (€130m).
6. Bukayo Saka- £118m (Arsenal)
The 22-year-old Arsenal star boy is one of the world’s most expensive footballers after recently signing a new four-year deal that will keep him at the club until 2027 and this has made his transfer value rise to £118m (€140m).
Saka is one of the best wingers in the Premier League. His impressive performance for Arsenal last campaign where he scored 20 goals and made 14 assists contributed immensely to the Gunners’ title charge.
5. Phil Foden- £126m (Manchester City)
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Foden has played more than 200 games for Manchester City, winning 17 trophies so far in his career, including a historic treble in the 2022/23 season.
His best campaign was last season where he scored 27 goals and contributed to 12 assists, leading City to a fourth successive Premier League title.
The 24-year-old attacker is valued at £126m (€150m) and his current contract at City expires on 30th June 2027.
4. Kylian Mbappe- £152m (Real Madrid)
Arguably one of the best footballers in the world and widely regarded as the best player since the ‘Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi era of domination’, Kylian Mbappe has had a trophy-laden career so far, winning the 2018 World Cup, reaching another final in 2022 and winning six league titles.
The 25-year-old has scored 331 and assisted 158 goals in 446 career appearances for club and country, winning 17 trophies. Last campaign, he scored 44 times and made 10 assists for Paris Saint Germain where he spent 6 years.
He recently completed a mega transfer to Real Madrid on a free transfer as he was out of contract at PSG. However, he is valued at £152m (€180m) and will finally hope to win the UEFA Champions League title at Real Madrid before his current contract expires in 2029.
3. Vinicius Junior- £152m (Real Madrid)
The 24-year-old Brazilian is one of the most instrumental players for Real Madrid and a top contender for the Ballon d’Or award after leading the Galacticos to a 15th UEFA Champions League triumph and La Liga titles, scoring 24 goals and made 11 assists last season.
Vinicius is valued at £152m (€180m) and has been one of Real Madrid’s main stars in recent years.
His current contract at Real Madrid expires on 30th June 2027.
2. Erling Haaland- £152m (Manchester City)
Haaland is one of the most prolific strikers in the world. After scoring 52 goals for Manchester City in his debut season, he once again delivered and retained the Premier League Golden Boot title, leading City to another league title triumph.
Last season, the 24-year-old scored 38 goals and 6 assists in 45 games, in all competitions.
Valued at £152m (€180m), Haaland’s contract at City expires on 30th June 2027.
1. Jude Bellingham- £152m (Real Madrid)
The 21-year-old is currently one of the best players in the world and despite starting in midfield, he is one of Real Madrid’s instrumental players.
The Englishman scored 23 goals and 13 assists in 42 appearances for Real Madrid last season and his impressive performance contributed to the Spanish side’s UEFA Champions League and La Liga titles.
Bellingham, who wears the iconic number five jersey at Madrid, previously worn by club legend, Zinedine Zidane, has lived up to expectations since his £88.5m transfer from Borussia Dortmund in 2023 and has the prospects of becoming a legend himself.
Bellingham is valued at £152m (€180m) and his current contract ends on 30th June 2029.
Source: All figures and statistics via Transfermarkt
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