Top 10 Most Expensive Forwards in World Football Including Neymar and Mbappe

Kylian Mbappe looks set to leave Paris Saint-Germain this summer as the Ligue 1 club is desperate not to lose the Frenchman for free due to his high value in the transfer market.

Real Madrid are the biggest suitor for the 24-year-old forward, who is one of the most expensive forwards in the history of football following his €180m to PSG from Monaco.

Neymar remains the most expensive footballer on the planet after his world-breaking transfer from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in a deal worth €222million.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Romelu Lukaku and Antoine Griezmann are also listed as some of the most expensive forwards in football owing to the large transfer fees they have accumulated.

Cristiano Ronaldo's transfer: Is CR7 leaving Manchester United and which clubs are likely to acquire him?

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Here, Sports Brief, alongside Sportskeeda, takes a look at the top 10 most expensive forwards in football history.

10. Romelu Lukaku - €113M

Romelu Lukaku is a well-known forward in world football, having played for Chelsea, Everton, West Bromwich Albion, Anderlecht, and Inter Milan during his career.

Lukaku returned to Chelsea in 2021, ten years after his initial stint with the Premier League club.

The Belgian forward's outstanding achievements for Inter Milan in the 2020-21 Serie A season, when he finished as the second-highest goal scorer, persuaded Chelsea to sign him for a cost of €113 million.

9. Eden Hazard - €115M

Real Madrid paid €115 million for their most expensive acquisition Eden Hazard, in the summer of 2019.

The former Chelsea forward's arrival at Santiago Bernabeu was received with great expectations since he was regarded as one of the top players in the Premier League.

Hazard, however, failed to live up to the hype and is considered one of the worst signings in the history of Real Madrid after battling with lots of injuries and loss of form.

8. Cristiano Ronaldo - €117M

Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the finest players ever to play the beautiful game and, recognised for his remarkable goal-scoring ability, has made an impression on the transfer market.

After multiple achievements with Real Madrid, Ronaldo made an unexpected transfer to Juventus in 2018 for a whopping fee of €117 million.

Thanks to this trade, Ronaldo became the highest-paid player in Serie A, and he is also one of the most expensive strikers in football history.

7. Jack Grealish - €117.5M

Jack Grealish became the most expensive Englishman when he moved from Aston Villa to Manchester City for a colossal price of €117.5 million.

The transfer also made Grealish the highest-paid English player at Manchester City ahead of the likes of Kyle Walker and John Stones.

Grealish played a crucial role in Manchester City's treble-winning campaign as the Englishman scored 11 goals and gave 15 assists in 89 games across all competitions for the Citizens.

6. Antoine Griezmann - €120M

The sale of Antoine Griezmann from Atletico Madrid to Barcelona in 2019 drew headlines owing to the large sum of €120 million paid by the Catalan giants.

Barcelona pounced when Griezmann's release clause decreased from €200 million to €120 million as they needed to fill their vacant centre forward position owing to the departure of Luis Suarez.

Griezmann's stint at Barcelona was not as fruitful as projected, with 35 goals and 17 assists in 102 appearances across all competitions.

5. Joao Felix - €127.2M

Joao Felix moved from Benfica to Atletico Madrid for a record €127.2 million when he was only 19 years old.

The major reason Atletico Madrid bought Felix was to replace him with outgoing Antoine Griezmann, who was on his way to Barcelona at that moment.

With 34 goals in 131 appearances across competitions, the Portuguese's tenure in the Spanish city has been underwhelming.

4. Ousmane Dembele - €135M

Ousmane Dembele became Barcelona's second-highest signing of 2017, with a price of €96.8 million that later rose to €135 million.

Although his time at Barcelona has been marred by constant injuries, his transfer fee reflects the club's belief in his abilities.

Dembele has made 185 appearances across competitions for the Blaugrana, scoring 40 goals and giving 43 assists. He has won a total of seven trophies including three La Liga titles.

3. Phillipe Coutinho - €135M

Barcelona purchased Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool for a cost of €135 million in 2018 as the Brazilian playmaker became the most expensive move in the Catalan club’s history at the time.

However, Coutinho's time at Barcelona did not live up to expectations, as he could not reproduce his brilliance at Liverpool. In 106 games for the club, he scored 25 goals and provided 14 assists.

2. Kylian Mbappe - €180M

Kylian Mbappe created history by joining Paris Saint-Germain from Monaco for a cost of €180 million as he became the most expensive teenager in the world.

The deal also made the Frenchman the second-most expensive signing in world football and he has gone on to deliver on his potential with the Ligue 1 giants.

Mbappe is currently PSG's all-time top scorer with 212 goals in 260 games. And even though he has yet to win the UCL with the French giants, there is no doubt that the Frenchman has been an integral part of PSG's successes in the last couple of years.

1. Neymar - €222M

This historic transfer of Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain from Barcelona in 2017 made the Brazilian forward the most expensive player in the world, capturing the attention of football fans worldwide.

PSG's pursuit of a superstar led them to Neymar, as the Ligue 1 giants shelled out a whopping world record fee of €222 million to land the Brazilian as the club's major marquee signing.

Neymar's effect on PSG has been apparent, with his skill and flair enhancing the team's performances. The Brazilian has 118 goals and 77 assists in 173 outings with the Parisians across all competitions.

Mbappe to sit out next season

Earlier, Sports Brief reported Kylian Mbappe stunned the footballing world in June when he sent a letter to the PSG hierarchy stating clear his stance on extending his current contract.

Mbappe's current deal with PSG expires in 2024 and PSG have insisted the forward must extend or be sold this summer.

Mbappe's immediate reaction to this decision is that he is ready to sit on the bench and not play at PSG until his contract runs out next summer.