History of most expensive transfers in football

With 84.5 million euros, Virgil van Dijk has become the most expensive defenders of all time, but which defenders are in the top 20 with him

1. Danilo - € 31.5 million
   The basketmaker made the transition from FC Porto to Real Madrid in 2015 for 31.5 million euros. With this, the people of Madrid counted a lot of money for the right back, who never managed to convince in the Spanish capital. Danilo could not meet the high expectations and was allowed to leave the club after two seasons. Danilo does not make it just twice in the list. Manchester City took him for thirty million euros from Real Madrid last summer.

2. David Luiz - € 35 million
   Someone who is twice in the list is David Luiz. In 2016, the Brazilian returned for 35 million euros to Chelsea. The defender was taken over from Paris Saint-Germain, which previously brought him to France for a higher amount. This makes Luiz twice in the top 20. At which place he is even more, we keep a secret. It may be that Luiz will soon receive a place in the list for the third time. Real Madrid is considering taking over from Chelsea.

3. Mats Hummels - € 35 million
   Mats Hummels returned to his old club Bayern Munich in 2016. The defender previously played with the great power from Germany, but never knew to break through in the first team. As a result, in 2009 he opted for a definitive transfer to Borussia Dortmund, where he already played on a rental basis a season earlier. At Dortmund, Hummels grew to be one of the best German defenders of his generation, so Bayern took him back in 2016 for 35 million euros to Munich.

4. Victor Lindelöf - € 35 million
   With Victor Lindelöf, José Mourinho had his desired defensive reinforcement a year ago. In retrospect, Mourinho might have been better off thinking about the transfer, because the trainer is not very impressed with him. Lindelöf received only five base places in the Premier League this season. He probably did not expect that when he was bought for 35 million euros from Benfica.

5. Antonio Rudiger - € 35 million
   It is known that Chelsea is a purchasing power club. Since the acquisition of Roman Abramovich, Chelsea has had no problem throwing large amounts of money over the bar. The club is therefore a few times in the list. Last summer, Chelsea paid 35 million euros for the services of Antonio Rudiger. As a result, AS Roma made a big profit on the German. Roma took the defender in 2016 for 9.5 million euros from Stuttgart.

6. Eric Bailly - € 38 million
   Another player that has quickly increased in value is Eric Bailly. In 2015, Villarreal took him for 5.7 million euros from Espanyol. Bailly immediately became a basic player with his new employer and also during his second season he was a regular player at his club. As a result, in 2016 Manchester United knocked on Villarreal. Both clubs agreed to a transfer fee of 38 million euros, after which Bailly made the switch to England.

7. Luke Shaw - € 39.5 million
   Luke Shaw was seen as a great talent when he had a great season at Southampton in 2013/2014. The left back made an excellent impression and came to the top of Manchester United's list. In the summer of 2014 The Red Devils struck for an absurd amount of 39.5 million euros. He never succeeded at Manchester United to get his level from Southampton. Shaw got badly injured and has not been with José Mourinho since his return.

8. Davinson Sánchez - € 40 million
   After a great year Ajax had to say goodbye to Davinson Sánchez. In the summer of 2016, the Amsterdammers took him for about five million euros from Atlético Nacional. Sánchez became a strongholder and had an important share in the Europa League success. It earned him a nice transfer to Tottenham Hotspur, which wanted to pay forty million euros for him. The Spurs do not regret the purchase, because Sánchez does an excellent job in London.

9. Skhodan Mustafi - € 41 million
   Arsenal was looking for a reinforcement for the defense for a long time and in the summer of 2016 it came to Mustafi. The international of Germany was planning to start its third season at Villarreal, but was taken over by Arsenal just before the closing of the transfer market. 41 million euros counted The Gunners for the basket.

10. Lillian Thuram - € 41.3 million
    The transfer from Thuram took place a while ago. The defender has been retiring for a number of years and his transfer from Parma to Juventus dates from 1996. Despite the fact that the transfer amounts have increased considerably in the past, Thuram has already paid a high amount. The Frenchman and winner of the 1998 World Cup switched 41.3 million euros to Juventus.

11. Dani Alves - € 41.5 million
    Dani Alves is one of the best right backs of the past years and Barcelona had it on time. The Catalans struck in 2008 and took Alves for 41.5 million euros from Seville. After six years he left the club behind and eventually he would play eight seasons in the shirt of Barcelona. Meanwhile, after a season with Juventus, he is active at Paris Saint-Germain.

12. Thiago Silva - € 42 million
    A compatriot of Dani Alves, Thiago Silva, can also be found in the top twenty of the most expensive defenders. The Brazilian was taken over in 2012 by the powerful Paris Saint-Germain. The team managed to convince AC Milan with an amount of 42 million euros. Silva is now working on his sixth season with Paris Saint-Germain and the club has little regret of the expensive transfer.

13. Leonardo Bonucci - € 42 million
    The Leonardo Bonucci transfer is a sensitive one. Last summer, Bonucci made the switch from Juventus to AC Milan. After seven seasons for the team from Turin to play, he made a sensitive move to rival AC Milan. The club from Milan wants to go back to the top and saw Bonucci last summer as Milan's ideal leader. The Italian took over 42 million euros from Juventus and was directly bombarded as the captain of the team.

14. Rio Ferdinand - € 46 million
    Ferdinand also has the shoes hanging in the willow for a while, but the transfer of the Englishman still belongs to the most expensive in history. Ferdinand made two expensive transfers. First he made the switch from Leeds United to West Ham United for 26 million euros. Not much later he made another transfer. This time his transfer yielded 46 million euros. Manchester United was willing to go deep into the pouch.

15. Nicolas Otamendi - € 48 million
    Manchester City has invested heavily in defenders in recent years. The club is no less than four times in the top six of the most expensive defenders. The 'cheapest' of the four is Nicolas Otamendi. The defender was at the top of the wish list of The Citizens, but Valencia did not want to let him go. Ultimately, an offer of 48 million euros was enough to get the cooperation and complete the transfer.

16. David Luiz - € 50 million
    David Luiz we see for the second time back in the top twenty of the most expensive defenders. Chelsea brought back Luiz in 2016 for 35 million euros, after the Brazilian was active for two seasons for Paris Saint-Germain. Luiz took the superpower from France in 2014 for fifty million euros. Two years later, the wallet returned to London for 15 million euros less.

17. Kyle Walker - € 51 million
    How important Pep Guardiola finds his wing defenders turned out last summer. Manchester City knocked at Tottenham Hotspur with a big bag of money. Kyle Walker had the next acquisition from Guardiola and it had 51 million euros left. The Spurs agreed and Walker became one of the most expensive defenders in the world. Not much later, however, he was already overrun by Benjamin Mendy, who later returned to the list.

18. John Stones - € 55.6 million
    But first we have the transfer from John Stones. He also made the switch to Manchester City. For a year Stones was the most expensive defender of all time. Manchester City took him for 55.6 million euros from Everton. During his debut season, he was not able to fully meet the high expectations, but now he plays an important role in the success of Manchester City. Thanks to him, the team got only twelve goals this season.

19. Benjamin Mendy - € 57 million
    A year later Stones was struck off the throne by Benjamin Mendy. Again, Manchester City was prepared to put a bizarre amount on the table for a defender. Guardiola wanted to attract another wing defender after Walker, this time for the left wing. The team came to Mendy and Manchester City transferred 57 million euros to AS Monaco for its services.

20. Virgil van Dijk - € 84.5 million
    And then the most expensive defender of all time: Virgil van Dijk. No less than 84.5 million euros paid Liverpool to Southampton. This made him the most expensive defender of all time, the most expensive Dutchman of all time and he is in the top ten of the most expensive players of all time. It remains to be seen whether he can meet the expectations at Liverpool with this high price tag. There were many questions about the transfer, but Jürgen Klopp expects that he has the right acquisition.