Declan Rice has become the most expensive English player in history after being signed by Arsenal for £105 million. For a long time, the transfer fees of English players have been inflated, and it remains to be seen whether the top 10 highest-priced players have been successful or unsuccessful up to this point.
#1 DECLAN RICE (FROM WEST HAM TO ARSENAL, £105 MILLION) After a long wait, Arsenal finally successfully acquired Rice from West Ham for a record-breaking fee of £105 million. It is too early to judge the 24-year-old midfielder's success or failure as he is just starting his journey with the club. At West Ham, Rice has already proven his abilities and even became a leader for the team despite being very young. In the coming time, he will face immense pressure as the transfer fee and expectations from Arsenal fans will be vastly different from what he experienced at West Ham.
#2 JACK GREALISH (FROM ASTON VILLA TO MAN CITY, £100 MILLION) In the summer of 2021, Man City spent £100 million to bring in Grealish from Aston Villa. The nickname "Jack 100 mill" emerged from that, but over time it has become a mocking term as the winger had a lackluster performance in his first season at the club. However, Grealish completely transformed last season. He was one of the best players for Man City, contributing significantly to the club's historic "treble." Now, everyone praises the 27-year-old star and sees him as a smart signing for the Sky Blues.
#3 JUDE BELLINGHAM (FROM DORTMUND TO REAL MADRID, £88 MILLION) In the summer of 2023, Real Madrid activated the blockbuster signing of Bellingham from Dortmund. In his three seasons dedicated to the Bundesliga representative, the 20-year-old midfielder proved to be one of the most promising young talents in Europe. However, playing at a prestigious club like Real Madrid has never been an easy task, and it will undoubtedly be a great challenge for Bellingham. If he fails to cope with the pressure, his star could fade.
#4 HARRY MAGUIRE (FROM LEICESTER TO MAN UNITED, £80 MILLION) In the summer of 2019, Man United made Maguire the most expensive defender in the world by spending £80 million to bring him in from Leicester. Until now, the English international has been a major disappointment and considered one of the disastrous signings for the Red Devils. Last season, Maguire only made 31 appearances for Man United in all competitions due to his inability to compete for a starting position. Currently, the club is open to selling him, but there is very little interest in him.
#5 JADON SANCHO (FROM DORTMUND TO MAN UNITED, £75 MILLION) Another disappointing signing for Man United. The club pursued Sancho for a long time before finally acquiring him in the summer of 2021 for £75 million. At that time, everyone was delighted and considered Sancho a perfect addition to the club's attacking front. However, it turned out to be an illusion. After two seasons, Sancho has struggled and has not fully demonstrated his abilities as he did at Dortmund. Manager Erik ten Hag has also grown tired of Sancho and is ready to sell him in the summer of 2023 if a reasonable offer comes in.
#6 MASON MOUNT (FROM CHELSEA TO MAN UNITED, £55 MILLION) Recently, Man United acquired Mount from Chelsea for £55 million. The English midfielder is expected to share the creative burden with Bruno Fernandes and become a source of goals from the midfield for Man United. However, Mount's abilities have been questioned, especially after his disappointing performance in a Chelsea shirt last season. Only time will tell if Mount can shine at Man United.
#7 BEN WHITE (FROM BRIGHTON TO ARSENAL, £50 MILLION) White arrived at Arsenal as a central defender but has been deployed as a right-back by coach Mikel Arteta. His performances have been decent but not outstanding. Last season, he made 46 appearances for Arsenal across all competitions, scoring two goals and providing five assists. Overall, the £50 million fee is acceptable considering what White has shown at Emirates Stadium.
#8 RAHEEM STERLING (FROM MAN CITY TO CHELSEA, £49 MILLION) Last summer, Chelsea spent £49 million to acquire Sterling from Man City. However, it seems that the best of this forward has already been extracted by the Sky Blues. At Stamford Bridge, Sterling has been ineffective despite scoring 9 goals and providing 4 assists in 38 appearances across all competitions. Sterling's form has declined to the point where he has not been called up to the England national team for the past six months. Overall, this has been a failed signing for Chelsea.
#9 AARON WAN-BISSAKA (FROM CRYSTAL PALACE TO MAN UNITED, £58.5 MILLION) The third name on this list from Man United. The Red Devils spent nearly £60 million to bring in Wan-Bissaka from Palace in 2019. However, until now, it has been proven that Man United made a poor purchase as the right-back has not progressed, especially in supporting the attack. Wan-Bissaka is reportedly on the transfer list for Man United in the summer of 2023.
#10 JOHN STONES (FROM EVERTON TO MAN CITY, £47.5 MILLION) In contrast to their "neighbor" Man United, Man City made smart investments, and Stones is one of their quality signings. The Sky Blues spent £47.5 million to acquire him from Everton, and last season, Stones played a crucial role, especially in the final stages, to help the club complete their historic "treble."
