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Raheem Sterling has finally completed his £50m move from Manchester City to Chelsea, signing a five-year deal at Stamford Bridge.
It is the second time the England international has moved for big money between two Premier League rivals, having previously left Liverpool for City for a similar fee back in 2015.
Here, we take a look at the top 15 most expensive transfers between Premier League clubs and whether they turned out to be value for money.
=14. Gabriel Jesus (£45m – Manchester City to Arsenal, 2022) – TOO EARLY TO TELL
Another departure from the Etihad this summer, Brazil international Gabriel Jesus has swapped City for Arsenal in search of more game time. Having been forced to play second fiddle to Sergio Aguero for several years, Jesus failed to cement a regular starting place at City after the Argentine had left the club. He still managed to score 95 goals in 236 appearances for City and leaves the club having won numerous pieces of silverware including four Premier League titles. Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta will be hoping he thrives as the first-choice striker at the Emirates after a promising start to pre-season.
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=14. Ben Chilwell (£45m – Leicester City to Chelsea, 2020) – HIT
Chilwell swapped the King Power Stadium for Stamford Bridge in 2020 and has impressed since moving to west London. He made 42 appearances in his debut season at the club, helping Chelsea win the Champions League. However, he missed the majority of last season after suffering a ruptured cruciate ligament injury. Both Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel and England manager Gareth Southgate will be hoping he avoids serious injury in the upcoming campaign.
=14. Gylfi Sigurdsson (£45m – Swansea to Everton, 2017) – FLOP
It is difficult to understand how Everton have managed to spend so much money in recent years and still end up fighting for their Premier League survival last season. The Toffees have splashed out half a billion on transfers since 2016 in haphazard fashion, summed up by the £45m club-record signing of Gylfi Sigurdsson from Swansea in 2017. The Iceland international failed to live up to his hefty price tag, managing a disappointing return of 25 goals from 136 Premier League games for the club. He was recently released by Everton at the end of his contract having missed the entirety of last season.
13. John Stones (£47.5m – Everton to Manchester City, 2016) – HIT
Possibly the hardest transfer to rate on the list, Stones has not quite fulfilled his potential since his £47.5m move from Everton but still manages to sneak into the 'hit' category. After joining City in 2016, there were hopes Stones would kick on under the guidance of Guardiola. However, persistent injuries and inconsistent form have prevented the England international from becoming undroppable at the Etihad. He experienced something of a renaissance in the 2020-21 season but found first-team opportunities harder to come by last term. Nevertheless, he has still managed 195 appearances for City and is currently preparing for his seventh season with the club.
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12. Raheem Sterling (£49m – Liverpool to Manchester City, 2015) – HIT
Sterling became public enemy No 1 on Merseyside when he defected from Liverpool to City in 2015 after refusing to sign a new deal at Anfield. After a mixed debut season at the Etihad, in which he was dropped by Manuel Pellegrini, Sterling would eventually prove his worth and cement his place in the starting line-up. He would go on to score 131 goals and provide 94 assists in 337 games for City, the best goal involvement numbers of any player in the Guardiola era at City. He now leaves for Chelsea having won numerous trophies in Manchester, including four Premier League titles.
=6. Raheem Sterling (£50m – Manchester City to Chelsea, 2022) – TOO EARLY TO TELL
Sterling's latest move from Manchester City to Chelsea sees him appear in the top 15 transfers for a second time. At 27, he joins the Blues in his prime and there is no reason to suspect the England international won't continue his excellent record under the guidance of Blues boss Tuchel.
=6. Aaron Wan-Bissaka (£50m – Crystal Palace to Manchester United, 2019) – FLOP
Yet another questionable piece of business by Manchester United, Wan-Bissaka became the most expensive uncapped English player when he joined the Red Devils in a £50m move from Crystal Palace in 2019. It seemed a hefty price to pay for the young right-back, who at the time had made less than 50 appearances in first-team football. He won plaudits for his defensive work in his debut season at Old Trafford, making more tackles than any other player in the Premier League, but came under scrutiny for a perceived lack of quality going forward. Like many of his teammates, Wan-Bissaka struggled last season as United conceded 57 goals in their 38 league games. He now finds himself under pressure amid reports United are prepared to sell him this summer to fund further signings.
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=6. Richarlison (£50m – Everton to Tottenham, 2022) – TOO EARLY TO TELL
Richarlison impressed throughout his time at Everton, leading the line well in a team bereft of confidence. The Brazil international managed 53 goals in 152 games for the Toffees, a respectable return considering the club's fortunes in recent seasons. Having previously been linked with a move to Barcelona, Richarlison has now moved on to Tottenham where head coach Antonio Conte is likely to appreciate his impressive work rate.
=6. Kyle Walker (£50m – Tottenham to Manchester City, 2017) – HIT
Walker became the most expensive defender in world when joined City from Premier League rivals Tottenham in 2017. He immediately settled at the club, making 48 appearances in all competitions in his debut season at the Etihad. The versatile defender has gone on to play 214 times for City, winning four Premier League titles, four EFL Cups and the FA Cup once during his time in Manchester. Now aged 32, Walker is into the final year of his contract at the Etihad but remains a key player for City.
=6. Ben White (£50m – Brighton to Arsenal, 2021) – TOO EARLY TO TELL
Arsenal had two bids for White rejected by Brighton before the Gunners finally succeeded with a £50m offer for the England international. He quickly settled in at the Emirates, forming a solid partnership with Gabriel as Arsenal pushed for a Champions League place under Mikel Arteta. But his form would dip in the final months of the season, with his costly own goal against Newcastle sealing a 2-0 defeat for Arsenal which handed rivals Tottenham the edge in the race for the top four. He could find himself as third choice centre-back this season, with William Saliba returning to the club after a loan spell at Marseille.
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=6. Fernando Torres (£50m – Liverpool to Chelsea, 2011) - FLOP
Torres broke Liverpool hearts when he forced through a move to Chelsea in the January transfer window of 2011. His £50m transfer fee seemed astronomical at the time and the Spaniard always struggled to live up to his huge price tag while at Stamford Bridge. He would go on to win the Champions League with the Blues in 2012 but would leave the club two years later, having failed to live up to expectations.
5. Riyad Mahrez (£60m – Leicester City to Manchester City, 2018) - HIT
After missing out on a move to Arsenal and another deal with City falling through in the January window of 2018, Mahrez eventually got his transfer to a 'Big Six' club that summer when the Manchester club paid £60m for the Algerian, a record fee for an African player. The silky winger has gone on to score 63 goals and provided 45 assists in his four seasons under Guardiola, winning seven major honours with City including three Premier League trophies. With Sterling and Jesus moving on from the club this summer, Mahrez is likely to be given even more responsibility this season as City go for their fifth title in six years.
=3. Virgil van Dijk (£75m – Southampton to Liverpool, 2017) - HIT
Eyebrows were raised when Liverpool made Van Dijk the most expensive defender in history when signing him from Southampton in 2017. But it would prove to be an inspired decision; the Dutchman almost immediately transforming Liverpool's defence into one capable of challenging for honours. He has gone on to win the Premier League, Champions League, Club World Cup, FA Cup and the EFL Cup while at Anfield. Worth every penny.
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=3. Romelu Lukaku (£75m – Everton to Manchester United – 2017) – FLOP
Another United signing that failed to live up to expectations, Lukaku joined the Red Devils the day after club legend Wayne Rooney returned to Everton. Lukaku made a strong start, scoring 10 goals in his first nine appearances for the club – eventually finishing the campaign with an impressive return of 27 goals in 51 appearances. But he would find his second season at Old Trafford a much sterner test. Lukaku came under intense scrutiny after a 12-game run without a goal and the Belgium international was later dropped by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after the Norwegian replaced Jose Mourinho as manager. Lukaku finished the season with 15 goals in all competitions but would move on to Inter Milan that summer, with United managing to recoup the majority of the £75m fee they paid to Everton in 2017.
2. Harry Maguire (£80m – Leicester City to Manchester United - 2019) – FLOP
Maguire's impressive performances for England at the 2018 World Cup and his solid form for Leicester convinced United to fork out £80m to prise him away from the King Power Stadium, making him the most expensive defender in history in the process. He initially impressed at Old Trafford and was handed the captain's armband in 2020 after Ashley Young left the club. But he appears to have struggled with the weight of that added responsibility and was briefly dropped last season after a string of costly errors, as United finished sixth under Ralf Rangnick with their lowest points tally of the Premier League era. New manager Erik ten Hag has confirmed Maguire will retain the captaincy, at least for now, but he could find his place in the side under threat if he doesn't start the season strongly, with United reportedly in the market for Ajax centre-back Lisandro Martinez.
1. Jack Grealish (£100m - Aston Villa to Manchester City - 2021) – TOO EARLY TO TELL
Grealish became the most expensive British player in history when he joined City from Aston Villa last summer. So far he has failed to live up to expectations at the Etihad, despite helping City successfully defend their Premier League title last season. He managed only six goals in 39 games in all competitions but he isn't the first player to struggle to adapt to Pep Guardiola's high standards and demanding style of play. It is far too early to describe him as a flop but he could find himself under huge pressure this season if the goals don't arrive early on.
Topics: Premier League, Football, Transfers, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Everton, Spotlight
Rory O'Callaghan