Florian Wirtz to Liverpool next? Van Dijk tops ranking of all 17 £70m-plus Premier League signings
Is there a curse on Premier League transfers above £70million? Arsenal’s record signing Declan Rice has helped to buck the trend and the improvement of Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez has improved this list – but it’s still pretty grim.
Including an alarming number of flops, we have ranked the 17 Premier League signings who cost £70million or more.
17) Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea
Chelsea bought Romelu Lukaku for the second time in 2021, splashing out £97.5m on the Belgian, who was handed another chance to make his mark at Stamford Bridge. He had spent time on loan at West Brom and Everton during his first spell, playing the best football of his Premier League career for the latter.
After a successful permanent move to the Toffees, Lukaku joined Manchester United for big money (more on that soon), before moving to Inter and then returning to Chelsea. Many – F365 included – expected him to be the signing of the season, but he flopped disastrously, digging his own grave by publicly begging Inter to re-sign him.
An ill-advised interview with Sky Italia effectively ended his Chelsea career. He at least earned a loan back to Inter in 2022/23, spent 2023/24 at Roma, and finally departed for good last summer when he signed for Napoli for around £20m.
16) Jadon Sancho to Manchester United
Manchester United have made some absolute howlers in the transfer market, and Sancho is among the worst. The Red Devils chased the England winger for over a year while he was at Borussia Dortmund before eventually landing him for £73m in 2021.
Fast forward four years and Sancho is finished at Old Trafford. After a productive loan spell back at Dortmund, he joined Conference League winners Chelsea on loan for 2024/25. United stand to make around £25m from a sale.
Arguably the most costly example of ‘Bundesliga tax’, Sancho never found his rhythm for United and any hope of revival disappeared after a public fallout with Erik ten Hag.
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15) Antony to Manchester United
Antony cost a ridiculous £80m during Ten Hag’s first summer at United, with Ajax pocketing a huge fee after the Red Devilsleft it late in the 2022 window.
Known for his flair and his wand of a left foot, Antony scored on his debut against Arsenal, but it was downhill from there. He has more yellow cards (14) than goals (12) or assists (5) in 96 appearances for the Red Devils. Even without the numbers, he’s looked nowhere near a £70m+ player.
His value has crashed to £16.6m on Transfermarkt, and United would’ve been lucky to get even that before his successful loan at Real Betis. Nine goals and five assists in 26 games have raised his stock, but United will still make a massive loss when he inevitably moves on this summer.
14) Darwin Nunez to Liverpool
Darwin Nunez is definitely at the right club in terms of fanbase. Liverpool supporters embraced him from day one, making him one of their own. On the pitch, though, he has often looked lost.
Roberto Firmino wasn’t a prolific scorer but made Jurgen Klopp’s side tick – something Darwin has not done. At 26, time is still on his side, but he remains frustratingly raw. Arne Slot appears to have run out of patience, and a summer exit beckons.
13) Kepa Arrizabalaga to Chelsea
Still the most expensive goalkeeper of all time, Kepa joined Chelsea for a staggering £72m in 2018.
Since then, he’s lost his Spain place, been replaced by Edouard Mendy – who was signed for around £56m less – and briefly regained his spot, only to lose it again. At one point, it looked like his Chelsea career was over.
Somehow, he found himself as Real Madrid’s No.1 for part of 2023/24 and then shone at Bournemouth this term. He’ll likely join the south coast club permanently. He never justified his fee, but he has at least salvaged his reputation.
12) Nicolas Pepe to Arsenal
Pepe cost Arsenal £72m in 2019. There was talk that Unai Emery preferred Wilfried Zaha, but was handed Pepe instead. This Arsenal fan was thrilled at the time. Poor, yet devilishly handsome, sod.
Pepe is widely seen as a flop, but he did have moments. He was crucial in the 2020 FA Cup win, contributing in the semi-final and final. Eighteen goal contributions in his debut season wasn’t awful, just not what you’d want from a big-money signing.
In 2020/21, he hit 21 goal involvements – including 10 league goals – and came second in Arsenal’s Player of the Year vote. But the Gunners finished eighth, so, yeah. He returned to France with Nice, and his contract was terminated in 2023 after no Saudi takers emerged.
11) Harry Maguire to Manchester United
Signed for £80m from Leicester in 2019, Maguire did well enough under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to be handed the captaincy – which only added to the pressure already weighing him down.
That pressure might explain his struggles. His resurgence in 2023/24, after being stripped of the armband, suggests as much. £80m was clearly too much, but he hasn’t been that bad.
10) Paul Pogba to Manchester United
What a player on his day. Pogba returned to United in 2016 for a world-record £89m after being released by the club four years earlier.
His first season was actually very good – nine goals, six assists, and two trophies under Jose Mourinho. He scored in the Europa League final win over Ajax. But that was as good as it got.
He posted decent numbers in 17/18 and 18/19 but injuries and inconsistency plagued his second stint. He left again for free in 2022 and is currently a free agent due to a doping ban. A strange, often frustrating career.
9) Wesley Fofana to Chelsea
Chelsea chased Fofana for a while before finally coughing up around £70m. There was even talk of him breaking Maguire’s record fee for a defender.
He made just 17 Premier League appearances in 2022/23 and missed all of last season with yet another serious injury. After a promising start to 2024/25, he got injured and dropped down the pecking order behind Trevoh Chalobah and Levi Colwill.
He hasn’t played since March and has only featured twice in 2025. Injuries are absolutely ruining his career.
8) Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United
Between Chelsea stints, Lukaku found himself at Old Trafford after United paid £75m following his prolific Everton spell (87 goals in 166 games).
He never looked a good fit, but 55 goal contributions in 96 games isn’t terrible. And being sold for just £8m less than he cost keeps this spell off the disaster list.
7) Kai Havertz to Chelsea
Chelsea paid £72m for Havertz and got a Champions League-winning goal out of it. That’s enough to secure his legacy, but the rest of his time in blue was underwhelming.
They somehow sold him to Arsenal for £65m – a miracle, given his numbers. He’s found form again as a striker under Mikel Arteta, but in terms of Chelsea value for money, he just about breaks even.
6) Enzo Fernandez to Chelsea
British record signing Enzo Fernandez joined in January 2023 for a reported £107m. He didn’t do much wrong – but didn’t do much, full stop – until Enzo Maresca arrived.
After starring at the 2022 World Cup, Fernandez struggled under multiple managers, but 2024/25 saw him thrive. He’s still not quite justified the fee, but he’s well on the way.
READ: Top 10 Premier League transfer overpays of all time includes two Man Utd players
5) Josko Gvardiol to Manchester City
City usually nail transfers, especially big ones. Josko Gvardiol arrived as one of the best young defenders in the world, though early struggles led some to believe Nathan Ake was still first choice.
But the Croatian adapted quickly and was arguably the Premier League’s best defender in the second half of 2023/24. He dipped slightly after that, but so did all of City. No cause for concern.
4) Jack Grealish to Manchester City
City paid £100m for Grealish, which is still eye-watering. He took time to adapt to Pep Guardiola’s system, and goal numbers remained modest – but he was vital in their Treble-winning season.
Sixteen goal contributions in 2022/23 doesn’t tell the full story; he was key. However, after a disappointing 2024/25, a summer exit feels likely.
3) Moises Caicedo to Chelsea
Caicedo’s debut performance against West Ham could be described as catastrophic and it set the tone for an uncertain first few months.
But slowly, Caicedo grew into the role. By the end of the 2023/24 season, he was a dependable, all-action midfield presence – and under Enzo Maresca, he’s been a revelation. His energy, tactical awareness and ball-winning ability make Chelsea tick, and while £115m still looks wild on paper, he’s been brilliant this season. Easily one of the best midfielders in the league.
2) Declan Rice to Arsenal
Declan Rice has been sensational since joining Arsenal for £105m in the summer of 2023. Signed as a statement of intent, the England international has done more than justify the fee – he’s become the heartbeat of Arteta’s side.
Whether deployed as a deep-lying six or a box-to-box eight, Rice has delivered elite performances. He reads the game superbly, breaks up play, leads by example and chips in with big goals – including a few belting free-kicks. His consistency and mentality have lifted Arsenal a level.
This is the kind of transfer clubs dream of. No drama, no adaptation period, no regrets. Just class.
1) Virgil van Dijk to Liverpool
This was never in doubt. Liverpool spent £76m on Virgil van Dijk in January 2018 and got one of the greatest defenders the Premier League has ever seen.
His impact was instant. Liverpool went from leaky and flaky to serious contenders overnight. Within 18 months, they’d won the Champions League. Then came the Premier League title. Van Dijk became PFA Player of the Year, UEFA Men’s Player of the Year and finished second in the Ballon d’Or.
More than the trophies or individual accolades, it’s the sheer authority he brought to Liverpool’s backline that stands out. Calm, dominant, and impossibly consistent – he remains the gold standard for defensive signings.
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