Inflation is rife in the Premier League at the moment, with prices skyrocketing to ludicrous levels in recent years. The financial might of England’s top flight has never been this powerful, and this only looks set to continue over the coming years as the division pulls away from the rest of Europe as the de facto Super League.

Mid-table clubs are paying astronomical prices for players outside of the elite bracket, while at the top, deals over £100 million are no longer a rarity.

Declan Rice was bought by Arsenal for £100 million in the summer of 2023, a fee that at the time was only eclipsed by Enzo Fernandez as the most expensive Premier League signing ever. Today, the England international doesn’t even make the most expensive Premier League eleven.

With that said, here is the eleven of players (3-5-2) bought for the highest fee by English top-flight clubs in each position.

Goalkeeper and Defence

Chelsea decided to spend an absurd fee on Kepa Arrizabalaga back in 2018, paying Athletic Club a whopping £71.6 million for the Spaniard’s services. It’s safe to say this investment hasn’t been justified based on the outcome, with the shot-stopper holding the number one position for just three of his five seasons at Stamford Bridge. He’s now David Raya’s deputy at Arsenal, joining the Gunners for £5 million last summer.

This £71.6 million fee was paid at a time when spending big on goalkeepers was trendy. Both Ederson and Alisson Becker broke the world-record transfer sum for this position in the 13 months before Kepa’s move. Eight years later, the Basque man still holds this record, suggesting clubs have learned not to be as reckless in their recruitment in between the sticks.

Making up a third of the back three, Harry Maguire’s £80 million move to Manchester United remains the most expensive defensive signing ever made. The Englishman had enjoyed an impressive season at Leicester in 2018/19 before the Red Devils bought him, but nobody expected the north-west club to fork out a record transfer fee for the player.

Manchester City’s £77 million investment in Josko Gvardiol in 2023 was much more sensible. Not only had prices risen significantly by that point, but the Croatian was widely regarded as the best young defender in the world when City forked out the money. It’s gone rather well for Gvardiol in Manchester, and he could end up being sold for an even greater fee.

Virgil van Dijk’s stunning £75 million switch to Merseyside in 2018 made waves as it established the Dutchman as the most expensive defender on the planet at the time, and by some margin. He leapfrogged David Luiz, whom Paris Saint-Germain paid £50 million for in 2014, and it’s fair to say Liverpool can now stoutly defend their decision to splash this cash.

Midfield

REUTERS/Ian Walton

Manchester City and Chelsea dominate the midfield of the most expensive Premier League eleven. The two clubs have led the craze of frivolity in the middle of the park, arguably trailblazing the drive to spend big on elite ball progression and opposition transition prevention machines.

First, Chelsea shocked the world by signing Enzo Fernandez for £106.8 million off the back of a promising World Cup. This deal trounced every previous fee for a central midfielder, with Paul Pogba’s £89 million move seven years earlier the closest sum for a player in this position at the time.

This proved to be the first domino to fall, as selling clubs started citing the Fernandez deal in future negotiations. Chelsea swiftly spent another £115 million on a midfielder, signing Moises Caicedo six months after their acquisition of the Argentine.

Three years later and Elliot Anderson has been acquired by City for £116 million — a fee people are questioning at the moment, but may pale in comparison to deals for similar players in four or five years’ time.

Out wide, Manchester City broke the English transfer record and the £100 million barrier when they landed Jack Grealish for £100 million in 2021. While he delivered a treble in his second season at the Etihad, his output arguably hasn’t validated the fee that was paid for him.

Morgan Rogers followed in Grealish’s footsteps by leaving the West Midlands for an exorbitant amount five years later. The Englishman recently signed for Chelsea in an astounding £117 million switch.

Attack

REUTERS/Phil Noble

Liverpool went bonkers last summer and decided to spend more money on an attacking midfielder and a striker than any club has in the history of the Premier League. Eager to retain their crown, the Reds bit the bullet and uncharacteristically got the cheque book out.

Florian Wirtz arrived from Bayer Leverkusen as the most coveted young number ten on the planet. Liverpool paid the £116.5 million fee required to snatch him from the German club. So far, the jury is out on the 23-year-old, although he has plenty of time to change the sentiment towards him.

Alexander Isak is miraculously the third most expensive footballer of all time. Only Kylian Mbappe and Neymar have gone for more money than the Swede.

Desperate to land one of the hottest strikers on the market last summer, Liverpool gave Newcastle £125 million for their prized possession, ending a ridiculously drawn-out and convoluted saga. Four goals in an injury-ridden debut campaign at Anfield don’t reflect well on the Merseysiders, although like Wirtz, the 26-year-old still has ample opportunity to prove himself.

Tottenham Hotspur captain Cristian Romero would be ‘very open’ to joining Arsenal this summer, according to one reliable insider.

Spurs have had a busy summer transfer window, including the arrivals of Jan Paul van Hecke and Marcos Senesi in central defence, with the club and the Argentina international open to a move that would see the 28-year-old depart the club following four seasons in north London.

GIVEMESPORT sources understand that the player has already agreed personal terms with Atletico Madrid, with the Spanish club preparing to make an opening bid, with Spurs valuing him at around £35m. But Arsenal have also made contact over a shock move to keep him in north London, and the player’s stance has now emerged too.

Romero ‘Very Open’ to Joining Arsenal

Romero, who has been hailed as ‘world-class’ by teammate Micky Van de Ven, missed the back end of last season due to a knee injury, but recovered in time for the World Cup as he helped Argentina reach a second consecutive final, before he limped off during the 1-0 extra-time defeat to Spain.

A move has been expected all summer, with Tottenham already bringing in his replacements during the window, but no deal has been agreed.

Arsenal are understood to be in the market to strengthen their defensive options, having lost star man William Saliba for an extended period due to a back injury, which was exacerbated during the World Cup. Aston Villa star Ezri Konsa has been heavily linked, but Romero is also understood to be someone they are looking at.

It was reported that the Gunners made enquiries about a deal for the defender, but Spurs immediately ruled out the possibility of selling their captain and star defender to their fierce rivals.

However, according to reliable insider Hand of Arsenal, Romero would be ‘very open’ to making the same switch that Sol Campbell famously made, regardless of whether the deal ever materialises or not.

Romero Would Join Short List

It doesn’t look likely that a deal is on the cards, regardless of whether Romero would be open to it or not. However, should the deal somehow progress and the Argentine at the Emirates Stadium, he would be only the 16th player in history to play for both clubs, and just the fifth in the Premier League era.

• Sol Campbell – famously joined Arsenal on a free transfer after leaving Tottenham as captain.
• Rohan Ricketts – made one League Cup app for Arsenal before joining Arsenal, where he spent three seasons and made 30 apps in the Premier League.
• David Bentley – made nine first-team apps for the Gunners before finding himself at Spurs in 2008. Scored one of the greatest North London Derby goals in Premier League history, too.
• William Gallas – from Arsenal captain to Spurs defender, Gallas made 142 appearances in red before joining Spurs on a free transfer and going on to make 78 appearances over three seasons.
• Emmanuel Adebayor – Once an Arsenal hero who scored 62 goals in 142 games, he fell out with fans when he joined Man City. Ended up at Spurs for one season, scoring 18 goals in 37 games.

Newcastle United have entered the race to sign Man City star Omar Marmoush ahead of Tottenham and Barcelona this summer, according to reports.

The Magpies have seen their squad ripped apart this summer after missing out on European football, with Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes and manager Eddie Howe all departing, with new manager Matthias Jaissle now facing a major rebuild just weeks before the campaign begins.

Newcastle have completed several deals this summer, including for forward Bazoumana Toure from Hoffenheim in attack, but the club are still on the lookout for more firepower in attack to help fire them up the table, and one top star has now emerged as a prime target.

Newcastle Eyeing Marmoush Deal

Marmoush, who earns a reported £250,000-a-week at the Etihad Stadium, joined the club in January 2024 in a deal worth €75m (£59m), but has struggled to establish himself as a first-team regular ahead of Erling Haaland.

The Egyptian is understood to be keen to play more regular football, but wants to stay in the Premier League, and Newcastle have now emerged as a potential destination for him this summer, according to Caught Offside.

Man City have put a €65m (£55.7m) asking price on his head, and Newcastle would be able to match that asking price after bringing in around £245m from their sales in this window. Those sales mean they are understood to be best-placed to pay the money needed to get a deal done, despite competition from big-spending Spurs and Spanish giants Barcelona.

Some doubts have emerged over the future of Nick Woltemade, with reports stating he has been told he can leave on loan in this window, while Yoane Wissa managed just three goals in all competitions following his £60m move from Brentford last summer.

Marmoush has scored 16 goals in 61 appearances for Man City, but has found most of his minutes coming off the substitutes’ bench under Pep Guardiola.

Marmoush a ‘Special’ Player

Marmoush enjoyed a stunning campaign at Frankfurt prior to joining City, with Guardiola convinced by watching him score 20 goals in 26 games up to January before he left.

But while he never established himself as an undisputed starter under the iconic Catalan coach, Guardiola did praise him earlier this year and labelled him as a ‘special’ player.

“Last season when he arrived for three months he was unbelievable; without him it would not be possible to qualify for the Champions League and reach the FA Cup final,” said Guardiola.

“His dynamic energy and runs are really good. I see him more as a striker not a proper winger. He’s a guy for transition actions.

“I am so happy for him. He arrived clean after AFCON, and I am so pleased for him.”

Statistics courtesy of WhoScored – correct as of 08/08/2026.