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The following is a list of most expensive association football transfers, which details the highest transfer fees ever paid for players as of the end of the summer transfer window of 2016.
The list contains eight transfers which broke the world transfer record: those of Paul Pogba, Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaká, Zinedine Zidane, Luís Figo, Hernán Crespo and Christian Vieri, with Pogba signing for an English club, the next five signing for Spanish clubs and the latter two signing for Italian clubs. Anthony Martial became the most expensive teenager when he signed for English club Manchester United. Two players appear on the list twice, James Rodríguez and Ángel Di María.
Almost all of the players on the list are of either European (UEFA) or South American (CONMEBOL) origin; there is also one African (CAF) player, Sadio Mané. There are no players from the remaining regions, namely Asia (AFC), North America (CONCACAF) and Oceania (OFC).
English team Manchester United hold the record for purchasing the most expensive player after signing Paul Pogba from Juventus in August 2016, paying £89.3 million for his services.
Highest fees
Most of the highest-value transfers on this list are to clubs under UEFA's jurisdiction, and most involve clubs in the Eurozone and/or the United Kingdom. The default order in this table is based on the transfer amount in euros. Due to exchange rate fluctuations the order is different in pound sterling, which are also shown in the table. Transfers that took place before the adoption of the euro are given in their approximate euro equivalent. The list includes only the top 50 disclosed transfer fees that were in excess of €40 million (or equivalent value in other currencies) at the time of the transfer.
As of 1 February 2017; after the regular 2016–17 winter transfer window.