Transfer amounts grow year after year, but Brazilian footballers have always been among the most expensive players on the transfer market.
Almost regularly, there is a heavy price to pay for good Brazilian players, although every great team must have at least one player from the Seleção because, by their style of play, they remind us why we love this sport.
Over the years, gigantic amounts have been paid for the services of different Brazilian players, most notably when they are transferred from their first European team to an elite one after having arrived in the old continent for a smaller amount.
These are the ten most expensive Brazilian soccer players of all time.
Richarlison enjoyed his time at Everton where, year after year, he was the top attacker but left in 2022 when Tottenham called with a €58m offer.
The Spurs ended the Brazilian’s debut season in a catastrophic way in which they had a minimal contribution from the striker who emerged from Fluminense. Everything is expected to improve in the 2023/24 campaign.
At the time it was seen as a rather strange and disappointing move. Oscar was an outstanding player with an important contribution to Chelsea and the national team, but he chose the money that Chinese clubs could offer in those times.
He moved to Shanghai Port, known as Shanghai SIPG back then around 2017, for a staggering fee. To this day, he is still in China, which suggests that he established himself in the Asian country in a good way.
An unbelievably expensive transfer for a goalkeeper, who over the years seems to be good value for money. He had a spectacular performance for Roma in Serie A and then gave the leap he needed for his career.
At Anfield Road, he established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the world, if not the best.
Before Sandro Tonali’s transfer to Newcastle was confirmed, this was the highest sale for an AC Milan player. Kaká was the big star in Serie A back then, but it was time for him to take an even bigger leap when he went to Real Madrid in 2009.
He spent four years in Spain before returning to Milan for a year before leaving again in 2014 for MLS.
One of the latest to join this list as Manchester United’s deal for Casemiro in 2022 saw him leave Real Madrid after a very successful 9 years in the Spanish capital.
He found immediate success in the Premier League as he showed why he is one of the best midfielders in the world, despite suspensions being a problem in his debut season. He was a big deal for a player who was 30 years old at the time, but he’s still at the elite level.
His transfer to Juventus can be classified as strange that it occurred in the year 2020. La Vecchia Signora paid a millionaire figure for him, but within this the agreement also included the transfer of Miralem Pjanic to Barcelona.
Arthur did not have the expected impact in Italy. He was on loan at Liverpool, where he made just one appearance all season and injuries are beginning to mark his career.
Neymar has been traded for two huge amounts and appears twice in the top ten. The first was the move of 88 million euros from Santos to Barcelona in 2014.
The eccentric attacker was part of the treble-winning team and formed a deadly forward line with Luis Suárez and Lionel Messi before making a somewhat dramatic exit from the Camp Nou.
The highest amount ever paid for a Brazilian, Antony joined Manchester United in 2022 as Casemiro but much later on the transfer market. His transfer put immense pressure on him but also on new manager Ten Hag.
Although criticized by many, the growth in the winger’s game during the 2022/23 season was clear despite the injuries and he finished the season with 8 goals and 3 assists.
This is a transfer that didn’t work out but the Brazilian can take pride in his career regardless. The move from Liverpool to Barcelona in 2018 was impressive and the pressure was too much.
He never fit into the Barcelona system and was unable to show his best form. He was loaned out to Bayern Munich and Aston Villa but later permanently transferred to the latter.
His time at Barcelona was a resounding success and led PSG to put that monstrous figure on the table in 2017. To this day, it remains the most expensive transfer in history.
He has scored many goals and won titles with PSG, but has failed to win the UEFA Champions League and now his relationship with the Parisian fans seems to be at an impasse.
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