5 Transfers that will shatter the €222 million world record fee

It's time people. The games have been played and the stars have shown brightly all summer in Russia. It's now time to get down to - what has, unfortunately, become the core of modern-day football - business.

Last summer the world was taken by shock when the then-Barcelona man forced a move out of the Camp Nou to the Parc de Paris with PSG for a deal that cost the Qatari backed side a scarcely believable €222 million.

With Les Blues lifting the World Cup we could expect big money being thrown around for the French superstars, along with a number of superstars from different nations who've staked their claim for global dominance - at least in terms of transfer headlines in newspapers.

In this instance though, we have selected 5 such plausible moves before the start of the campaign that could well and truly shatter the record set by Neymar's transfer from Barcelona to PSG last summer:

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#5 Paul Pogba (Manchester United)

French President Emmanuel Macron Receives The France Football Team at Elysee Palace

Paul Pogba has been touted, for some time now, as the best midfielder in his generation. Since his antics back in Juventus, Pogba has been the subject of a lot of transfer interest and it was Manchester United who finally broke the then-world record transfer fee to get their man back to where it all started for him - Old Trafford, for €105 million.

Ever since returning to Manchester, he has failed to hit the heights he did in Turin with media outlets continuously reporting instances of tiffs between the superstar and his manager - Jose Mourinho.

The fact that he has now gone on to lift the World Cup with France, something he might allude to as an example of how Mourinho's system is to blame instead of his abilities in the middle of the park, will only further interest the biggest clubs in Europe to come after the long-legged box-to-box midfielder.

Real Madrid were close to bringing Pogba to the Bernabeu back in 2016 and have reportedly kept tabs on the midfielder. Meanwhile, a report in The Express claims that super agent Mino Raiola has offered the midfielder to Barcelona for a fee in the region of €225 million. Will Manchester United be able to hold onto Pogba past this summer?

#4 Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)

Kevin de Bruyne was instrumental for Roberto Martinez's side in Russia.

One of the most successful stories of the last Premier League season was Manchester City's Kevin de Bruyne. He has been excellent for Pep Guardiola and has been a shining light in the English side's return to the top of the League table.

The playmaker has registered the most number of assists in the top 5 leagues in Europe since his €76 million transfer from Wolfsburg and is the subject of keen interest from Real Madrid, according to reports.

Don Balon claims that the reigning Champions League holders are preparing a bid for the City maestro in the region of the world record transfer barrier and considering that the Belgian has only just signed a 6-year extension, he will most likely cost the Spanish giants more than what Neymar cost PSG.

#3 Kylian Mbappe (Paris Sanit-Germain)

Kylian Mbappe became the only teenager since Pele to score in a World Cup final.

The man who probably had the best time in Russia was the magnificent French forward - Kylian Mbappe. He was the man of the tournament without a doubt for the French team that went on to lift the World Cup.

He has steadily been acquiring a reputation of being the best striker in world football currently and the fact that he not only was a part of the side that became World Champions but was also awarded the Best Young Player of the Tournament will only help his stock rise meteorically.

He will cost PSG around €187 million to get him permanently on their books after they signed him on loan from Monaco last season. With his heroics at the World Cup, murmurings of world-record bids being lined-up have begun surfacing.

Real Madrid have denied making a €240 million move for the talisman goal-scorer, whereas a report in the Manchester Evening News has claimed that United are eyeing a move for Mbappe that, should it go through, will most definitely annihilate the record for the most expensive transfer in football history.

Interesting times, monetarily included, to look forward to for the man who stole the limelight at the 2018 World Cup.

#2 Eden Hazard (Chelsea)

Hazard captained the Belgian side that finished third in Russia.

The Golden Generation of Belgium was lead by their Golden Boy, Eden Hazard, in Russia and finished with a very commendable bronze medal in 2018. The majestic attacker has been touted as one of the best footballers in the Premier League and has been a major force behind Chelsea's surge to the summit in England.

However, a forgettable season with Chelsea which spelled doom for the manager Antonio Conte might see hazard finally move on from Stamford Bridge. Real Madrid have been long-time admirers of the player and are in the transfer market for a marquee signing to replace Cristiano Ronaldo at the Bernabeu.

Hazard hinted at a Chelsea exit after the third-place playoff against England and will, according to reports, attract a fee that will break the record €225 million barrier, at the very least. It will be interesting to see if Maurizio Sarri is successful in convincing Eden Hazard to stay at Chelsea past the summer.

#1 Neymar Jr.

Still top dog?

Brazil were humbled by Belgium in Russia and were knocked out at the quarter-final stage. Neymar Jr. made the headlines for the wrong reasons like simulation and the like instead of his undeniable talents on the ball.

He won the double with PSG last season but failed to win the elusive Champions League for the French side. Reports have been coming in all season about the Brazilian not quite enjoying life in Paris and is seeking a return to Spain, most likely with Real Madrid.

PSG lured Neymar away from Barcelona for a record transfer deal worth €222 million last summer. He had been brilliant for PSG before leaving the game against Real Madrid in the Champions League injured. He hasn't played for the side since and only returned to action for Brazil in Russia.

Florentino Peres is reportedly obsessed with signing the most expensive player in football history and he remains a top priority for Los Blancos in the transfer window. Any move would involve having to top the fee that PSG paid to Barcelona and given the kind of money involved in football these days, who knows how much that could end up being?