'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABgf/2gAIAQEAAAAAFTz/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAE/9oACAECEAAAAD//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAE/9oACAEDEAAAAEf/xAAhEAABAwMEAwAAAAAAAAAAAAACAQMEAAUGBxEUITFBcv/aAAgBAQABPwDDsTsly03zSe7bBcnW3hk067ILpTJR6QEH0i1NZtoTHwANgFwkROKHjf6r/8QAGBEAAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECESH/2gAIAQIBAT8AeSo//8QAFhEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQAh/9oACAEDAQE/ADS//9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
'
In a world where success is primarily achieved by the teams able to spend the most to sign the best footballers, there are not many categories of players who are as highly valued as young ones.
Young players are the cream of any football club as while their more established and senior colleagues might be the backbone of the team at the moment, the youngsters are usually seen as the future with their various teams revolving their long-term plans around them.
The heightened media coverage and expectation in the modern game see's most of these players thrust into the limelight early, with terms like wonder kid, prodigy and whizkid bandied about, while the Golden Boy and recently introduced Kopa award were created especially for young players.
Given their young age, these players are supposed to be shielded from the harsh realities of the professional footballing world, but an ever-increasing financial remuneration to clubs has led to an increased demand for success and has seen these young players thrust into the limelight somewhat prematurely.
As recently as a decade ago, only the best players were sold for eight figures, while average to below average players were sold for less than that. Young players were very rarely sold for more than €5m at most, but more cash and marketability means that football clubs now have access to more money to spend on signing players.
These days, it is not uncommon to see exuberant amounts spent on young players with little to no experience of top-level football. In this piece, we shall be having a rundown of the five most expensive teenagers in footballing history in lieu of Matthijs de Ligt's anticipated transfer to Juventus.
#5 Lucas Moura: €45m (Sao Paulo - PSG) 2012
Having distinguished himself with his displays for Sao Paulo in his native Brazil, Lucas Moura emerged as a transfer target for a number of top European clubs including Manchester United, Juventus and PSG.
Ultimately, it was the Parisians who signed a then 19-year-old Lucas Moura for the sum of €45m which at the time made him the club's most expensive signing in history.
The Brazilian international spent a total of six seasons at the club, making 230 appearances in all competitions, scoring 46 goals to help PSG consolidate their utter dominance of the French game.
The 26-year-old joined Tottenham in January 2018, with his best moment so far coming when he scored a memorable second-half hattrick to help Tottenham overcome a 3-0 deficit against Ajax and progress to the final of the Champions League for the first time in their history.
#4 Vinicius Jr: €46m (Flamengo - Real Madrid) 2017
Vinicius Jr had only been a professional footballer for 10 days when he signed a mega-deal with Real Madrid worth €46m.
Since he was only 17 at the time, his departure to Spain was deferred until his 18th birthday on 12 July 2018, as 18 is the minimum age required for international transfers.
Upon arrival at the Santiago Bernabeu, Vinicius initially struggled to break into the first team as then manager Julen Lopetegui did not trust him enough and demoted him to play for the reserve sides.
However, the sacking of Lopetegui improved his standing as Santiago Solari and subsequently Zinedine Zidane gave him ample playing time and the 18-year-old dazzled on occasion and was one of the better performers amidst a bunch of underperforming teammates.
He ended his debut campaign with Real Madrid with four goals from 31 appearances in all competitions and it is expected that he would only get better as Real Madrid attempts to build on from the disappointment of last season.
#3 Anthony Martial: €49m (Monaco - Manchester United) 2015
Anthony Martial was one of the highest rated young players in Europe upon signing for AS Monaco in 2013 and his performances saw him named the winner of the prestigious Golden Boy award in 2015.
He signed for Manchester United in the summer of 2015 and went on to make a spectacular debut for the club, scoring a well-taken goal against none other than heavy rivals Liverpool to help his new side to a 3-1 win in the Premier League.
Since then, the French international has shone on occasion, while other times have seen him disappoint as a combination of factors including distrust by his manager and injury problems have hampered his growth at Old Trafford.
In total, he has made 178 appearances in all competitions for the Red Devils scoring 48 goals.
#2 Joao Felix: €126m (Benfica - Atletico Madrid) 2019
Just a year ago, Joao Felix was still cutting his teeth in the famed academy of Benfica, only making his debut for the senior team on 18 August 2018.
He had been the star of the show as Benfica made it all the way to the final of the UEFA Youth League in 2017 where he scored six goals and he continued his fine form upon making his bow for the senior side.
In total, Joao Felix scored a total of 20 goals from 43 appearances in his sole season at the Estadio de Luz, helping The Eagles to the 2018/2019 Portuguese Primeira Liga title.
His form understandably attracted interest from a host of top clubs, with Juventus and Atletico Madrid said to be interested. It was, however, the Spaniards who ultimately won the race for his signature, signing him for a whopping €126m.
That figure makes him the third most expensive player of all time and this is rather incredulous giving that he has played less than 50 professional matches.
#1 Kylian Mbappe
Superstar, world-class, FIFPro XI, World Cup winner, Raymond Kopa award, Ballon d'Or nomination, second most expensive player, Golden Boy; Kylian Mbappe's CV reads like that of a highly accomplished and experienced legend of the game and while he can arguably be considered a legend already, the Frenchman is still only just 20.
He had burst onto the scene with his displays in Monaco's fairytale 2016/2017 season and was the toast of Europe with PSG rushing to capture his signature in a deal worth €135m with add ons and incentives seeing that figure rise to over €180m.
This makes him the second most expensive player of all time and while the other players on this list might have had trouble living up to expectation following their mega move, Kylian Mbappe has had no such troubles as he has handled his time in the spotlight with grace and composure and is well on his way to becoming an all time great.
