Top 20 Unveiled
Since its inception in the 1992/93 season, Premier League clubs have consistently demonstrated a willingness to invest heavily in their ambitions. In recent years, however, this spending has escalated dramatically, surpassing any other league globally. This trend has brought some of football’s most prolific strikers to England, each arriving with hefty price tags and high expectations.
The list of the most expensive strikers in Premier League history showcases not only record-breaking signings but also high-stakes bets that didn’t always succeed. As clubs strive to secure a reliable source of goals, Transfermarkt takes an in-depth look at the centre-forwards who have commanded the largest transfer fees in the league and assesses their varying degrees of success.
At the top of the list is Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku, who made a return to Chelsea from Inter Milan for €113 million in 2021. Unfortunately, his second stint at Stamford Bridge didn’t go as planned, with Lukaku netting only 15 goals in 44 appearances. Following him is Darwin Núñez, the Uruguayan forward who switched from Benfica to Liverpool for €85 million in 2022 and is rumored to be leaving the club this summer. Third is Lukaku again, his earlier €85 million transfer from Everton to Manchester United in 2017. Coming in fourth is Kai Havertz, who moved from Bayer Leverkusen to Chelsea for €80 million in 2020. Lastly, Rasmus Højlund rounds out the top five, having joined Manchester United from Atalanta for €78 million.
In sixth place is Omar Marmoush, who was signed by Manchester City for €75 million from Eintracht Frankfurt last January. Havertz makes another appearance in seventh place with his €75 million move from Chelsea to Arsenal in 2023. The eighth position is likely the best value signing on the list, with Alexander Isak’s transfer from Real Sociedad to Newcastle for €70 million. Álvaro Morata follows in ninth with his €66 million switch from Real Madrid to Chelsea, while Dominic Solanke completes the top ten with his €64 million transfer from Bournemouth to Tottenham last summer.
