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The English Premier League is widely considered to be the best football league in the world. Naturally, it draws in the most revenue as well and Premier League clubs often spend the big bucks on players.
Now, the Premier League also happens to have a home-grown rule which demands that each club have a certain number of English players in their respective squads. As a result, good English players are often in high demand and can command significant transfer fees.
Neymar's world-record transfer from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain for an eye-watering fee of €222 million caused a significant domino effect which saw transfer markets around Europe inflate dramatically. Unsurprisingly, players have cost more thereafter than they originally might have, and that's all the more so for English players.
On that note, here is a look at
5 of the most expensive English players in football history
#5 Raheem Sterling - £49 million
Raheem Sterling became the most expensive English player ever back in 2015 when Manchester City paid a reported fee of £49 million to Liverpool for him. In his six seasons at Manchester City since then, Sterling has scored 114 goals in 292 appearances and helped the club win 9 major titles, including 3 Premier League trophies.
With returns and impact like those, the fee of £49 million seems like quite a steal in hindsight. Still just 26 years of age, Sterling still has plenty to offer and is expected to hit his peak in the next few years. However, several recent reports have claimed he has fallen out of favor with City manager Pep Guardiola. That said, it remains to be seen if Sterling's potential best years will come with the defending Premier League champions.
His current market value is estimated to be £81 million, so should City decide to sell him, Sterling will be certain to climb places on this list at the very least.
#4 Ben White - £50 million
An unexpected feature on this list, Ben White is not one of your more prominent names. Well, not yet at least. However, ask Leeds United about his importance and they'll tell you a thing or two. In July 2019, he was loaned out to Championship side Leeds by his parent club, Brighton, for whom he hadn't played a single game yet.
The English centre-back went on to play in every single league game that season as Leeds went on to finish as league champions, thereby being promoted to the Premier League for the 2020/21 season. Ben White returned to Brighton for the 2020/21 season, before Arsenal completed a £50m move for him at the end of July 2021.
Despite his lofty price tag, the 23-year-old has shown tremendous potential and he could be one to watch out for in the years to come.
#3 Jadon Sancho - £72.9 million
Arguably one of the best young players in the world at the moment, English star Jadon Sancho attracted a lot of attention due to his performances for Borussia Dortmund, where he scored a total of 50 goals in 137 appearances across competitions in his 4 seasons at the Bundesliga side.
As a result, he secured a move to Manchester United for a reported fee of £72.9 million in the 2021 summer transfer window, following a seemingly endless transfer saga. Notably, the move made him the second-most expensive English player of all time, at the time.
Currently just 21-years-old, Sancho is expected to be one of the most exciting English players to watch in the upcoming 2021-22 Premier League season.
#2 Harry Maguire - £78 million
28-year-old Harry Maguire currently holds the record for being the most expensive defender ever, after Manchester United decided to pay Leicester City a reported fee of £78 million for him in August 2019. The English centre-back was also the most expensive English player of all time until recently.
Since his move to the Red Devils, Maguire has arguably been one of the most important players in Manchester United's resurgence. As club captain, he led them to a third-placed finish in the 2019-20 Premier League season, and an improved second-placed finish in the Premier League last season.
In his two seasons at the club, Maguire has made a staggering total of 107 appearances across all competitions, showcasing his importance at the back. Maguire will continue to be an integral part of Manchester United's upcoming campaign and all eyes will be on his partnership with Raphael Varane at the heart of Manchester United's defense.
#1 Jack Grealish - £100 million
Potentially the signing of the season in the Premier League, Jack Grealish's move from Aston Villa to Manchester City for a reported fee of £100 million made him the club's most expensive signing ever, by far. By moving to the defending Premier League champions, Grealish has also become the most expensive English footballer of all time.
Grealish's exploits for Aston Villa have catapulted him into the spotlight for being one of the most creative footballers in the world. Now part of an absolutely deadly Manchester City squad, the English forward is expected to be a lot more lethal this season and in the seasons to follow.
