The 10 most expensive wingers of all time

Cameron Smith

• 12 Feb 2024 13:53 GMT
• 4 min read

Neymar's transfer from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 means that he is not only the most expensive winger of all time, but the most expensive transfer ever too.

The Brazilian left Camp Nou in order to escape the shadow of Lionel Messi, but has so far been unsuccessful in winning the Champions League or the Ballon d'Or during his time in the French capital.

The former Santos star cost PSG a total of €222 million in 2017, with the Ligue 1 giants signing him after he played a key role in knocking them out the Champions League the season prior.

The players who sit in second and third place in the list of the most expensive wingers of all time were both signed by Barcelona in an attempt to replace Neymar, with both arriving within six months of each other.

Ousmane Dembele is the second most expensive winger of all time following his €135m transfer from Borussia Dortmund to the Blaugrana. Unfortunately for him, the Frenchman suffered a serious injury within weeks of joining the club, which forced their hand to sign Philippe Coutinho for the same price.

The Camp Nou side finally purchased Coutinho from Premier League giants Liverpool for €135m in January 2018 after being linked with him for several months. He was sold to Aston Villa for €20m in 2022, representing a major loss for Barcelona.

Jack Grealish is the fourth most expensive winger in history; the England international cost Manchester City €117.5m when they bought him from Aston Villa in 2021.

Next up is Eden Hazard's transfer from Chelsea to Real Madrid in 2019. He arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu for a fee of €115m after firing the Stamford Bridge side to Europa League glory and a top four finish in the Premier League in the 2018/19 campaign.

However, injury troubles and competition for places ensured Hazard's Real Madrid move was a total disaster.

Another player who left London to join Real Madrid is the winger in sixth place in this list - Gareth Bale. Los Blancos paid €101m to sign the Welshman from Tottenham Hotspur in 2013, and he won five Champions League titles during his time at the Spanish giants.

Antony's move from Ajax to Manchester United in 2022 sees him included in seventh place in the standings.

The Brazilian followed Erik ten Hag to Old Trafford for a whopping €95m.

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Cristiano Ronaldo is eighth due to his transfer from Man Utd to Real Madrid. Although he is now classified as a centre-forward, he was very much a winger when he left Old Trafford for a then world record fee.

Neymar rounds out the top 10 with two more appearances. The world's most expensive winger is also included in ninth and 10th place. He joined Al-Hilal for €90m in 2023, while his move from Santos to Barcelona cost the Blaugrana €88m.

The 10 most expensive wingers of all time