Transfer spending has decreased dramatically recently as clubs signal they are entering a more sustainable period of spending. During the Premier League\'s last transfer window, net spend went down by 40 percent and reached its lowest inflation-adjusted level of any non-COVID summer since 2014.
According to Transfermarkt, there have been 16 transfers of over €100 million in history. More than half of them were either outright busts or at least not something the buying clubs would do again.
Victor Osimhen is an example of a player who would have likely commanded a €100 fee in the previous environment. Napoli initially sought more than €100 million last summer, but found no takers and still were unable to find a deal after dropping their ask to €80 million and then €60 million. Napoli ultimately moved Osimhen to Galatasaray on loan.
Declan Rice, Moises Caicedo and Jude Bellingham were the three transfers in 2023 above €100 million, while Enzo Fernandez went to Chelsea for above that figure in 2022. The other top-9 most expensive transfers were between 2017 and 2019.