Romelu Lukaku is one of the biggest football stars in the world and he has been involved in some huge transfers during his career.
The Belgian has made big-money moves to Manchester United, Inter Milan and Chelsea, while he made his name during his time at Everton.
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He is his nation’s all-time record goalscorer and is widely regarded as one of the best strikers of his generation.
READ MORE: How much does Lionel Messi earn and what is the football legend’s net worth?
As one of the game’s biggest stars in an increasingly lucrative business, Lukaku has amassed a huge amount of earnings over his career, and that will continue to grow during his the final years of his career.
Below, FootballTransfers runs through Lukaku’s net worth and how much he earns per year.
READ MORE: How much does Cristiano Ronaldo earn and what is the football legend’s net worth?
What is Romelu Lukaku’s net worth?
Lukaku has an estimated net worth of around $20 million as of May 2024. That equates to around £16m and €19m in other major currencies.
How much does Romelu Lukaku earn?
Lukaku was forced to take a pay cut before leaving Chelsea to join Roma on loan in 2023 and he is now believed to earn an annual salary of around $7.5m.
– Lukaku made a huge move back to Chelsea in the summer of 2021
Upon returning to Chelsea, Lukaku became the Blues’ highest earner, but he has since reduced his wages after falling out with the club.
Who sponsors Romelu Lukaku?
Lukaku is currently sponsored by Nike. The Belgian wears Nike football boots, specifically the Mercurial cleats, on the pitch when playing for both club and country.
The star striker had previously worn Puma boots between 2018 and 2020 and was also once wearing Adidas cleats before signing a deal with Nike.
In the early months of 2022, Lukaku signed a sponsorship deal with Beyond Meat Europe, a food company that makes plant-based meat products, and he also struck up a deal with Maserati while sporting a brand-new ride on his Instagram page.
Lukaku is also an ambassador for companies like Crocs, Therabody and coffee brand Melitta, while he has also appeared in advertisements for Amazon Prime Video to promote their Premier League coverage.
The Belgian was formerly represented by Roc Nation Sports, Jay Z’s agency which launched in 2013, but he was dropped in 2013. Lukaku had previously become the first Premier League player to sign for Roc Nation.
What businesses does Romelu Lukaku have?
As well as becoming an ambassador for Therabody, Lukaku has also become an investor in the company. Therabody is a brand that specialises in technology for strength and recovery, the most popular of which is the Theragun handheld massage gun.
What cars and assets does Romelu Lukaku own?
As is customary with most major sporting and footballing stars, Lukaku has earned himself an extensive collection of flashy vehicles over the years.
As mentioned earlier, his partnership with Maserati has seen him enjoy many of their cars already, including the Levante Trofeo and Ghibli.
In February 2022, Lukaku posed on Instagram with the brand-new Maserati MC20, the first of its kind in the Maserati collection being a super sports car, which goes from zero to 100km/h in under 2.9 seconds.
Other machines in Lukaku’s collection include a number of Rolls Royce models, such as the Wraith, which he has altered paint jobs on multiple times since he purchased it.
The Belgian has also proven himself to enjoy getting behind the wheel of a number of Mercedes models, including the Mercedes-Benz S Class Coupe, the AMG GTR Coupe and the AMG GLS 63 SUV.
In regards to property, Lukaku owns an apartment in his native Antwerp, while he is also said to have purchased neighbouring apartments in Milan to ensure that his mother and his baby son could live next door to him while he lived alone to stay concentrated on football.
It’s unclear whether Lukaku owns property in London, due to his connections with Chelsea, or Rome.
In addition, he owns several fancy watches.
How many social media followers does Romelu Lukaku have?
X / Twitter
Lukaku does not currently have an X (Twitter) account, as of May 2024.
Facebook
By contrast, his follower count on Facebook is large, with Lukaku boasting 11.2m followers on the social media app, as of May 2024.
Instagram
On Instagram, Lukaku has a slightly smaller follower count. The Belgian footballer is followed by 8.5m people, as of May 2024.
Juventus are the best-supported team in Italy and have been the most successful team in Serie A history.
The Bianconeri have enjoyed unprecedented recent success in Italian football, and fell just at the last hurdle in their pursuit of 10 titles in a row in 2020/21 when they surrendered the Scudetto to Inter.
In the nine years previous they were unstoppable and that is largely due to their smart investments in players.
Over the last 25 yearsor so they have signed players who would turn into legendary figures at the club, some of whom are still there to this day.
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So, since 2000, who have been Juventus’ best transfers?
David Trezeguet- €25m (from Monaco, 2000)
David Trezeguet had scored 60 goals in 113 appearances for Monaco before making the big-money switch to Juventus at the turn of the century.
In his first season he scored 14 league goals despite featuring as a backup to Filippo Inzaghi and Alessandro Del Piero.
However, the next season he took his chance after being granted more minutes under Marcelo Lippi and finished the campaign as the league’s top scorer with 22 strikes.
Trezeguet remains a beloved figure among the Juventus fans as not only was the Frenchman there for a decade, but he crucially stuck by the Bianconeri during their relegation to Serie B following the Calciopoli scandal.
Gianluigi Buffon – €52m (from Parma, 2001)
Gianluigi Buffon became the world’s most expensive goalkeeper when he moved from Parma to Juventus – a record that would stand for close to 20 years.
While some players can be burdened by such huge transfer fees, Buffon lived up to his price tag in stunning fashion, becoming arguably the most iconic goalkeeper of his generation.
– Gianluigi Buffon
A 20-year stint at Juve was interrupted only by one spell at Paris Saint-Germain, but while he won a string of domestic titles as well as the World Cup, the Champions League, remarkably, eluded him.
In 2021, he moved back to Parma and he eventually retired at the grand old age of 45.
Pavel Nedved – €38.7m (from Lazio, 2001)
Pavel Nedved was signed by Juventus to replace the great Zinedine Zidane, and the Czech did well to come close to having the same influence on the team as the great Frenchman.
He led the club to the 2003 Champions League final and would win both World and European Footballer of the Year later that year.
In all, he would remain with the club eight years until his retirement, even sticking by them when they were relegated to Serie B following the Calciopoli scandal. In total, he played 327 times for the club at which he later became a director, and scored 65 times.
Lilian Thuram – €36m (from Parma, 2001)
The sale of Zidane to Real Madrid in the summer of 2001 allowed Juventus to go on a meaningful spending spree, as in addition to Buffon and Nedved they would sign another future legend in Lilian Thuram.
In his period with Juve, Thuram was recognised as of of the best full-backs in the world, equally as effective on the left as on the right.
He won two Serie A titles in his time in Turin when the Italian top flight was incredibly competitive, and also helped the club reach the Champions League final in 2003.
Thuram would leave in 2006 to join Barcelona. His son Khephren would join Juventus in 2024.
Fabio Cannavaro – SWAP with Fabian Carini, 2004)
Remember Fabian Carini? Probably not. The goalkeeper was a makeweight in the 2004 deal that saw Fabio Cannavaro move from Inter to Juventus.
If Carini featured in only four times in a three-year career at Inter, Cannavaro would write a legacy that will see him remembered as one of the greatest defenders of all time.
– Fabio Cannavaro and Italy won the World Cup in 2006
Two years after the loan deal was concluded, he was the star of the Italy team that won the 2006 World Cup, paving the way for a move to Real Madrid, albeit in inglorious circumstances due to the Calciopoli scandal.
Though his time at Juve was short, it will be fondly remembered as he was named the 2005 Serie A Defender of the Year, the 2006 Defender of the Year, the 2006 Serie A Italian Footballer of the Year and the 2006 Serie A Footballer of the Year.
Giorgio Chiellini – €4.3m (from Roma, 2005)
If nobody thought it before, Giorgio Chiellini’s performance at Euro 2020 further cemented his status as one of the best centre-backs of the last 20 years.
Whether it be his jokes with Jordi Alba or THAT foul on Bukayo Saka, he was probably the most talked-about player of the tournament.
Such brilliance was seen by Juventus fans for 18 years though as it was in 2005 that they bought out Roma’s ownership to own Chiellini outright – for just €4.3m.
He would become a Juventus legend, making over 500 appearances and winning 10 Scudetti.
Jose Mourinho once said he and Leonardo Bonucci should open up their own training school for defenders.
Leonardo Bonucci – €15.5m (from Bari, 2010)
Apart from an ill-fated period at Milan in the 2017/18 season, Bonucci was at the centre of Juventus’ outstanding defence for a decade.
While Chiellini was the no-nonsense hard-hitting partner, Bonucci was the more graceful of the pair, helping to instigate attacks from the back.
Don’t let that fool you, though, as the Italy international could scrap with the best of them.
The Chiellini-Bonucci partnership will go down as one of the greatest of all time in Italian football.
Andrea Pirlo – FREE (from Milan, 2011)
Famously described by Buffon as the “signing of the century”, Andrea Pirlo’s move from Milan to Juventus in 2011 undoubtedly represented a shifting of the tide in Italian football and confirmed that the Turin club meant business.
In his first season at the club Pirlo helped Juventus win the Serie A title by creating more assists than any other player in Italian football and creating 500 more passes than any other player in the league that season. A remarkable feat that saw the player be named in the Serie A and UEFA teams of the year awards.
With Pirlo in the team, Juventus won four consecutive league titles in a period that saw Pirlo earn nominations for the Ballon d’Or award on no less than two occasions and while his final game for Juve was a 3-1 defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League final, it did little to dim the remarkable amount of success the cultured midfielder enjoyed during his four-year spell in northern Italy.
He later returned as coach in 2020-21 where he won a Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana in his one season.
Andrea Barzagli – €600k (from Wolfsburg, 2011)
After taking Wolfsburg to new heights in the Bundesliga, Andrea Barzagli returned to Italy in January 2011 when he signed a contract to move to Juventus.
Under the defensive rigidness of Antonio Conte’s new tactics at the club, Barzagli became an integral part of Juventus’ system and quickly developed into one of the club’s most consistent performers.
Alongside Bonucci and Chiellini, Conte’s 3-5-2 formation got the very best out of Barzagli and took Juventus back to the very top of Italian and European football and established the former Palermo prospect as one of the World’s best defenders.
Over the course of nine seasons in Turin, Barzagli won eight Serie A league titles, four Italian Cups and helped Juventus reach two Champions League finals. A period of unprecedented success that was in no small part down to his defending.
Paul Pogba – FREE (from Man Utd, 2012)
After famously burning bridges with Sir Alex Ferguson through the manner in which he left Manchester United, Paul Pogba likely knew that his career would be made or ruined based on what he made of his move to Juventus in 2012.
After scoring five goals in his first season, the towering midfielder clicked into gear in his second season at the club with nine goals and 16 assists in all competitions and picking up more appearances than any other player at the Turin club.
As Pogba’s experience at Juventus grew, so too did his influence over the way the team played and by the time he was concluding a third, consecutive title-winning season with the club he was wearing the famous No.10 shirt and calling the shots in the middle of the pitch.
By the time Pogba was once again flirting with a return to Old Trafford, he had established himself as one of Europe’s best midfielders and was shortlisted for the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award, alongside making the 2015 UEFA Team of the Year.
He moved to Man Utd for a world record fee over over €100m in 2016 before returning to Juventus in 2022 on another free transfer. His return to Juve was a disaster, though, as he missed almost the entirety of his first season through injury and then was banned for 18 months after failing a doping test.
Since the turn of the century, Chelsea have been a force to be reckoned with in both the Premier League and European competition, racking up a multitude of honours to firmly place them as one of England’s top teams.
Although times have been tougher since the arrival of Todd Boehly, in this millennium they have won a total of 23 trophies, including two Champions Leagues titles and five Premier League titles.
A key part of this success has been the additions of top talent. Even with the departure of previous owner Roman Abramovich, Chelsea have continued to splash the cash.
In fact, during the 2022 summer transfer window, Chelsea spent more money than any club had previously splashed in a single period.
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Although some signings haven’t worked out – Andriy Shevchenko, Fernando Torres and Juan Sebastian Veron spring to mind – many have made themselves into heroes.
Here are FootballTransfers’ best 10 Chelsea signings ever.
Cesar Azpilicueta – £7m (Marseille, 2012)
Nicknamed “Dave” by Chelsea supporters who struggled to pronounce his surname, Azpilicueta became a fan favourite after moving to Stamford Bridge.
He was a rotation option in his first year, but under Jose Mourinho he became the first choice left-back. Despite being right footed, he excelled in this position and was named Chelsea’s Player’s Player of the Year.
He was vital in Chelsea’s 2014/15 title win, and under Antonio Conte he finally moved away from left-back. He played as the right centre-back in a 3-4-3, and his positional awareness helped the side win another title.
He was named club captain ahead of the 2019/20 season, leading the side to 2020/21 Champions League triumph.
Sixth on the club’s all-time appearance list, he overtook Petr Cech to become the foreign player to have been fielded by the Stamford Bridge side the most.
He departed in the summer of 2023 as a Chelsea legend.
Frank Lampard – £11m (West Ham, 2001)
Arguably Chelsea’s greatest ever transfer, Frank Lampard won everything there is to win at Stamford Bridge and is a true club legend. He took charge of the team for 18 months from 2019, and recently returned as caretaker, but his real success came as a player.
Having been backed by Harry Redknapp, who said Lampard “will go right to the very top” in a now famous interview, ‘Super Frank’ as he’s known to Chelsea fans, proved that statement right during his time at the Blues.
He’s the club’s record goalscorer, despite being a midfielder, with 211 goals, and is fourth on the all-time list for appearances with 648. He is third on the all-time list for Premier League appearances with 609 and is fourth for both goals (177) and assists (102).
He won 13 pieces of silverware for the club and came second in the 2005 Ballon d’Or awards.
Frank Lampard is a Chelsea icon, and for just £11m, he was an absolute steal.
Petr Cech – £7m (Stade Rennais, 2004)
Carlo Cudicini was the number one when Petr Cech arrived at Chelsea, but after the Italian suffered a pre-season injury, Cech was promoted and he never looked back.
He won the Premier League title in his first year and won the Golden Glove award having kept 21 clean sheets in the campaign, and conceded a mere 15 goals. It was Jose Mourinho’s first season in charge, and Chelsea had changed English football.
He went on to win a total of 14 trophies at the club, before being sold to Arsenal for a £3m profit.
He is Chelsea’s best-ever goalkeeper, and his helmet is iconic within English football.
Ricardo Carvalho – £20m (Porto, 2004)
Somewhat underrated by many, Ricardo Carvalho was Mourinho’s primary target once he joined Chelsea, and he was able to bring Carvalho with him from Porto, and it’s clear to see why he wanted to.
Alongside the aforementioned Cech, and Chelsea captain John Terry, Carvalho formed one of the most formidable defences of the 2000s, helping the club win back-to-back Premier League titles whilst conceding just 37 goals across those two campaigns; less than a goal conceded every other game.
He was a regular until Mourinho left for Inter, and under Guus Hiddink, Carvalho lost his place to Alex. He returned under Carlo Ancelotti, however, and helped the club win the league and cup double in 2009/10.
He left the club in 2010 to join Mourinho at Real Madrid after winning an impressive three Premier Leagues in six years.
Didier Drogba – £24m (Marseille, 2004)
The ultimate big-game player. Didier Drogba knew how to turn up when it mattered most. Mourinho had been determined to sign the Ivorian since playing against him during his time at Porto, and his wish was granted in his first summer as Chelsea boss.
It was questioned by many at the time, but 104 Premier League goals and 16 trophies later, nobody is questioning it now.
Whilst his goalscoring record has been often criticised by rival fans, Drogba was more than a pure No.9, and in fact, he accumulated over 12 Premier League assists in a single campaign on three separate occasions. By reference, Lampard only managed this feat twice.
With 10 goals in 10 finals, Drogba is undoubtedly a Chelsea legend. His style of play is perhaps best epitomised by Nemanja Vidic who described him as “physically the hardest” striker he’s ever faced.
His heroics in the 2012 Champions League final cemented his status as one of Chelsea’s greatest ever players.
Michael Essien – £24.4m (Lyon, 2005)
Chelsea’s most expensive signing ever at the time, Michael Essien joined the Blues as the reigning Ligue 1 Player of the Year and carried on his form in England.
A powerhouse next to Lampard, Essien became a key part of Chelsea’s second Premier League winning side, making 31 league starts during the season. He won Chelsea’s Player of the Season award for the 2006/07 campaign, and was nominated for the Ballon d’Or for the third consecutive year.
He became a rotation option at Chelsea after several injuries, and left permanently in 2014 after winning nine trophies at the club.
Ashley Cole – £5m plus William Gallas (Arsenal, 2006)
This transfer saga was filled with drama, but Ashley Cole was eventually signed by Chelsea in the summer of 2006, and they will be glad they wrapped his signature up.
Dubbed ‘Cashley’ by angry Arsenal fans, Cole went on to become a Chelsea legend, winning a total of nine trophies at the club, including four FA Cup’s that made him the most decorated player in the competition’s history.
Arguably the best left-back in the world between 2005 and 2010, Cole was a stalwart at the back. He was vital in the 2009/10 double-winning side and his role in the 2012 Champions League win was immense, making crucial goal-line clearances in both the semi-final and the final, as well as scoring his penalty in the shootout.
He was eventually dropped in favour of Azpilicueta by the returning Mourinho during the 2013/14 season, and left at the end of that year for Roma.
Having joined in January of 2008, Branislav Ivanovic failed to make a first-team appearance in his first six months, with a reported lack of fitness and pace the reason for this.
After failing to establish himself at either right-back or centre-back in his first two seasons, Ivanovic was far from a Chelsea regular, but in 2009/10, he found form under Ancelotti once Jose Bosingwa suffered a season-ending injury. Ivanovic was named in the PFA Team of the Year for that season, helping the Blues with the aforementioned double.
He missed the Champions League final in 2012 through suspension, but had scored the winning goal in extra-time against Napoli in the last 16.
He also scored the winner in the 2012/13 Europa League final, and once Mourinho returned, he was the best right-back in the country. He helped the side to the 2014/15 Premier League title and was named in the PFA Team of the Year once more.
He won a total of 10 trophies at the club.
Eden Hazard – £32m (Lille, 2012)
Joining the reigning European Champions, Eden Hazard hit the ground running and quite simply was a joy to watch in a Chelsea shirt.
He’s only 22, he has the world at his feet and with the way he’s playing and the ability he has on the ball, he is scaring the life out of people.
– Frank Lampard on Eden Hazard, 2013
He was the ultimate fan favourite, and after contributing over 200 goals, in all competitions, in just over 350 games, Hazard deserves such acclaim. His best season was his last, in which he scored 16 goals and assisted 15 in 32 Premier League starts.
Hazard won six trophies at Stamford Bridge, and gained the club a £90m profit when he moved to Real Madrid.
Although his move to Chelsea could scarcely have worked out better, after moving to Spain he struggled with injury issues and eventually retired from football at the age of just 32.
N’Golo Kante – £32m (Leicester, 2016)
Named PFA Player’s Player of the Year in his first season at Chelsea, N’Golo Kante became the first player since Eric Cantona to win back-to-back English top flight titles with two different clubs when he helped Chelsea to the 2016/17 trophy.
The perfect foil for Jorginho, Kante was widely recognised as one of the best midfielders in the world, with his all-action style of play praised by many.
He helped France win the 2018 World Cup, and was crucial in Chelsea’s 2021 Champions League triumph, winning the man of the match award in the final and both legs of the semi-final.
Like Azpilicueta, 2023 marked the end of his Chelsea journey, as he signed for Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad, teaming up with Karim Benzema.
Manchester United have been the most dominant force in English football since the establishment of the Premier League, winning 13 titles – a tally nobody can match.
Under Sir Alex Ferguson, the Red Devils gobbled up many of the rising stars from England and beyond, and with some excellent coaching they managed to remain at the top of the division for two decades.
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This success in the transfer market coincided with seven Premier Leagues and a Champions League title in the 13 seasons that followed the turn of the century.
FOOTBALLTRANSFERS’ MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS IN THE WORLD
Ferguson retired in 2013 and United’s transfer strategy hasn’t been nearly as smooth since. It is no coincidence that they haven’t won a Premier League or Champions League since he called it a day.
For that reason, not a single transfer post-2013 makes this list, even if Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro and others made promising starts to their Old Trafford careers in recent times.
Captain Bruno Fernandes may feel the most aggrieved to miss out…
10) Michael Carrick – £24.5m from Tottenham, 2006
A truly underrated player, Michael Carrick was crucial to Manchester United’s success in the late 2000’s. Indeed, in his first season at Old Trafford, the Englishman helped the club to their first Premier League title in four years.
The former Tottenham Hotspur man conducted the midfield with his exceptional vision and passing, and was the definition of a player you appreciated more when they were absent from the team. Dictating play in an elite level football match is a skill that few possess, but Carrick was certainly one of them.
9) Patrice Evra – £7m from Monaco, 2006
It can often go unnoticed that Ferguson was able to pick up a France international who had already played in a Champions League final for just £7m, and retain him for eight years of hugely consistent performances in a fantastic defence which included Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Edwin van der Sar.
Patrice Evra’s longevity at the top of the game is a testament to his professionalism, fitness, and ability both defensively and offensively, a pre-cursor for the modern full-back.
8) Robin van Persie – £27.5m from Arsenal, 2012
After losing the Premier League title on the last day of the season to their ‘noisy neighbours’ Manchester City in 2011, Ferguson needed to respond.
And what better way to do that than to sign the league’s top scorer for £27m? Arsenal’s Robin van Persie was that man, and his controversial move across the country was undoubtedly a successful one.
The Dutch talisman secured just one major trophy during his nine year stint with the Gunners; one year at Old Trafford and he’d already equalled that. United were the 2012/13 Premier League champions, and Van Persie powered them to that title with 26 league goals that season.
7) Nemanja Vidic – £9.5m from Spartak Moscow, 2006
Plucked from relative obscurity in 2005, Nemanja Vidic quickly proved his worth as one of the very best no-nonsense central defenders in the European game.
His direct, physical approach complemented the more technically gifted Ferdinand perfectly and the pair built a defensive partnership that was rarely rivalled across the continent, as shown by his five Premier League titles and the 2008 Champions League triumph.
6) Edwin van der Sar – £3.5m from Fulham, 2005
As the long-term replacement for United legend Peter Schmeichel, the pressure on Van der Sar to succeed at Old Trafford couldn’t have been much higher.
Yet, the Dutchman bettered expectations and in his best Premier League season remarkably conceded just 22 goals. But even then, Van der Sar’s highlight in a Man Utd shirt came in the 2008 Champions League final, when he saved the final penalty of the shoot-out, from Chelsea’s Nicolas Anelka, to win the greatest club honour in Europe.
In six seasons with the Red Devils, Van der Sar made the Premier League Team of the Year on three occasions.
5) Ruud van Nistelrooy – £25.5m from PSV Eindhoven, 2001
Despite concerns over his fitness when he moved to England, Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy proved to be an exceptional forward for Ferguson’s United side.
Over the course of five years at the club, Van Nistelrooy scored 95 goals in 150 games and won a Premier League title, an FA Cup and an English League Cup.
He is also fourth on the list of Premier League goals-to-game ratio, with a strike every 125 minutes in the competition.
4) David de Gea – £22.5m from Atletico Madrid, 2011
With Van der Sar retiring at the end of the 2010-11 season, United boss Ferguson knew he needed a long-term goalkeeper. He scouted David de Gea, and signed the player following Gary Neville’s testimonial in May 2011.
The Spaniard has been viewed as one of the best goalkeepers in the league for much of his time at Old Trafford, even if his confidence and form have fallen in the last couple of seasons.
De Gea has now spent more than a decade in Manchester, but has gone without the scale of trophies his famous predecessors, Van der Sar and Schmeichel, achieved. He has still been voted into the PFA Team of the Year five times.
Ferdinand was the kind of signing Ferguson made a habit of; identifying the best young English talent available and snapping them up. Carrick was another example but Ferdinand was perhaps his best.
The ex-West Ham and Leeds defender was exceptional on the ball but was also a leader and together with Vidic created one of the best central defensive pairings in Premier League history.
He may have cost upwards of £40m, but over a decade of successful service made the fee more than worth it.
2) Cristiano Ronaldo – £17m from Sporting CP, 2003
Man Utd were opening Sporting Lisbon’s new stadium in a pre-season friendly when a supposedly jet-lagged John O’Shea was given the run-around by a pacy and tricky teenager.
Ferguson was suitably impressed and sealed the signature of an unknown talent called Cristiano Ronaldo that same summer, despite the youngster only having 31 first-team appearances to his name.
In Ronaldo’s first season on English shores, Arsenal went the entire league campaign unbeaten to achieve their ‘Invincibles’ crown, but two years later United were once again back to the top of the domestic scene thanks, in large part, to the legend’s nascent talent.
His pace, power, skill and eye for goal made Ronaldo a nightmare for defenders and an impossible force to stop when in full flow. The Portuguese superstar scored 31 league goals during his penultimate season at the club, and won the Ballon d’Or in 2008 before leaving to join Real Madrid for a world record fee the following year.
He made his return to Old Trafford in 2021 and finished as United’s top scorer in his first season back, however his second campaign proved disastrous as he fell out of favour with new boss Erik ten Hag before having his contract terminated after an explosive interview criticising the club.
Ronaldo went on to join Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr.
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 15, 2022
1) Wayne Rooney – £33.5m from Everton, 2004
Wayne Rooney had already announced himself as the hottest property in English football by the time he made the move to United in 2004, and although his transfer fee raised eyebrows at the time, the Merseyside-born forward never looking in danger of failing to live up to the hype that came with being the most expensive teenager in the history of the game.
In 13 seasons at Old Trafford, Rooney won every honour available, including five Premier League titles and the Champions League, and carved out a key role for himself in one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s greatest ever sides.
He returned to Everton in 2017 having surpassed Sir Bobby Charlton as both United’s and England’s record goalscorer – a measure of his longevity and success in Manchester.
Manchester City have become an elite club in world football since being bought by Sheikh Monsour in 2008, cementing their place as one of the game’s behemoths by winning a historic treble in 2022/23.
City are now among some of the biggest spenders in the sport, which has allowed them to climb the footballing ladder and compete with the most successful clubs in the world.
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Although they have thrown away millions on some transfer mistakes, City have also spent well on world-class players, some of whom have become legends of the club.
Robinho may have got the ball rolling when he joined from Real Madrid, but the following players have achieved more than the Brazilian since arriving at the Etihad,
City have enjoyed their most dominant period since 2008, winning a cluster of trophies. Football Transfers looks at 10 of their best new players over the last 20 years.
MANCHESTER CITY’S MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS
10) Raheem Sterling – £49m from Liverpool, 2015
Raheem Sterling was just 20 when he moved from Liverpool to Manchester, and it represented a huge gamble from City’s hierarchy. He had displayed his talent at Liverpool, but he was far from consistent, which was shown by his tally of six goals and two assists in his first Premier League season for City.
However, once Pep Guardiola began to work with Sterling, he became far more clinical in front of goal, and his 18 strikes in the 2017/18 season, and 17 the following year helped the side to back-to-back titles.
It was a risky move at the time, but it’s certainly paid off. Sterling joined Chelsea for €56m in 2022.
Signed for just £6.45m from Espanyol in the same summer that Vincent Kompany arrived at the club in 2008, Pablo Zabaleta established himself as one of the league’s best full-backs and proved to be an absolute steal for that price.
With 333 appearances and six trophies for City, Zabaleta was instrumental in establishing them as a force to be reckoned with in English football.
The Argentine was actually signed the day before City were taken over by Sheikh Mansour, making the fact he endured for long yet more admirable. He and Kompany provided a solid foundation for more attacking assets to flourish.
8) Ederson – £35m from Benfica, 2017
With Man City busy buying superstars outfield, there was a growing feeling that Joe Hart presented the team with a weakness in goal even though he was a Premier League winner and, at the time of Guardiola’s appointment, still England’s No.1.
Guardiola wanted a ball-playing goalkeeper and after the failed project with Claudio Bravo, City plumped for Benfica’s Brazilian international Ederson.
Not even Pep could not have predicted how easily Ederson would adapt to English football, though.
Ederson is an outstanding shot-stopper, but his biggest talent is arguably his ability to drill long passes over the top of opposition defenders, turning defence into attack in an instant.
He could just about play outfield as a professional if he wanted to, and his style of play contributes so much to the way City build their game.
7) David Silva – £26m from Valencia, 2010
David Silva was signed for £26m from Valencia, and played a pivotal role in four Premier League wins, and four League Cup and two FA Cup triumphs.
In total, the silky playmaker made over 400 appearances for the Citizens, scoring 77 goals and assisting 141 – an impressive games-per-goal contribution ratio considering his position as a No.10/floating No.8.
His ability to find the defence-splitting pass was unerring, and his vision was up there with the best the Premier League has ever seen.
6) Fernandinho £34m from Shakhtar Donetsk, 2013
Fernandinho spent nine years at the club following his £34m move from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2013.
He racked up over 300 appearances, and during that time has allowed the likes of Silva, Yaya Toure and Kevin De Bruyne the springboard to show their magic.
Fernandinho won 12 trophies at the club, and while not a high-profile name like Sergio Aguero or the aforementioned, he will go down in City folklore as a crucial part of their success in the 2010s.
5) Erling Haaland – £51.3m from Dortmund, 2022
Erling Haaland is the most recent entrant on this list, but he could yet go on to eventually become number one. Among the Premier League’s most incredible signings, the Norwegian sharpshooter cost City a relatively affordable £51.3m when he joined from Borussia Dortmund in 2022.
In his early 20s when he arrived in English football, some expected the son of former City star Alf-Inge to require some time to acclimatise to his new surroundings, but they couldn’t have been more wrong. Haaland netted an outrageous 52 goals in 53 games in his first season, firing City to a historic treble that saw them claim the Premier League, their first-ever Champions League and the FA Cup.
Having already broken countless scoring records, Haaland has so far shown no signs of slowing down.
4) Yaya Toure – £24m from Barcelona, 2010
Yaya Toure is one one of the best midfielder’s in Premier League history, let alone one of City’s top performers.
The Ivorian’s power, technical proficiency, and ability in front of goal struck fear into every opponent he faced, and he was a monster in the middle of the park.
Toure may have left in 2018, perhaps prematurely, but his impact should not be downplayed.
Over 300 appearances, 79 goals and 50 assists along with eight trophies, and arguably the best individual season from a midfielder in Premier league history in 2013/14; Toure had it all.
He was signed for £24m from Barcelona, but he was well worth the money, and of course, who can forget his song!
3) Vincent Kompany – £10m from Anderlecht, 2008
The saying ‘captain, leader, legend’ most certainly applies to Vincent Kompany, who joined City as a defensive midfielder for just £10m back in 2008 before evolving into one of the world’s best central defenders.
Kompany was there from the very beginning of the City rebuild, and 360 appearances, 20 goals, and 12 trophies later, his hero status has long since been cemented.
Signed for a relative pittance, Kompany is arguably one of the greatest bargains in Premier League history and his winning goal against Leicester City to help secure the 2019 title will live long in the memory of every City fan.
2) Sergio Aguero – £35m from Atletico Madrid, 2011
Sergio Aguero joined the club for £35 million from Atletico Madrid in 2011 and, like those already mentioned in this list, played a fundamental role in their rise to the top of English football.
Five Premier League titles, six League Cup wins and one FA Cup victory; Aguero’s trophy cabinet is stacked.
Along the way, he made 390 appearances for the club, scoring 260 goals in all competitions to become the club’s all-time record goal-scorer.
He also netted 184 in just the Premier League, the fourth-highest in history and the highest for a foreign player, with the best goals-per-minute ratio ever in the competition.
Just months after leaving the club to join Barcelona in 2021 he was sadly forced to retire due to heart problems.
Signed the year before Guardiola arrived, De Bruyne joined Man City with the weight of the English press’ criticism on his shoulders. After an underwhelming spell at Chelsea, in which he was never really given a fair shot, he then lit up the Bundesliga and has shone since signing for City.
He’s won countless trophies at the club, made over 250 appearances, and contributed to over 160 goals between goals and assists. De Bruyne is a Man City legend, and one of their greatest ever signings.
It’s difficult to imagine that £55m for any player can be considered a bargain, but De Bruyne has proven that it’s possible.
Read more about: Premier League, Man City, Man City, David, David Silva, Ederson Moraes, Kevin De Bruyne, Pablo, Raheem Sterling, Ruben Dias, Sergio Agüero
Arsenal may now be on the other side of Arsene Wenger’s golden era at the club, but the Gunners remain one of the most attractive destinations in world football.
Mikel Arteta has brought the glory days back to north London, though tangible success in the form of major silverware has yet to arrive. Therefore, it is difficult to compare this current crop of players with the legends of the past.
Arsenal made some incredible signings in the 1990s and 2000s, purchasing some of the best talent the club – and the Premier League at large – has ever seen.
Football Transfers looks at Arsenal’s 10 best transfers of the Premier League era…
10) Freddie Ljungberg – £3m from Halmstad, 1998
Wenger took the unusual – at the time – step of agreeing to buy Freddie Ljungberg without ever having seen him play live.
It was a friendly between Sweden and England which convinced the Arsenal boss to pay Halmstad £3m to land their star man.
The term ‘big game player’ gets thrown around a lot, but Ljungberg really was.
He scored in two FA Cup finals for Arsenal against Liverpool and Chelsea, and in the 2001/02 season, arguably his best, he scored vital goals against Manchester United and Liverpool in the run in.
A workhorse who made late runs into the box an art, he would eventually leave in 2007 as a cult hero among the Gunners fans.
9) Robert Pires – £6m from Marseille, 2000
France international Robert Pires was acquired from Marseille for £6 million in 2000.
He was signed to serve as a replacement for Marc Overmars, another impressive Gunners addition, who had since moved onto Barcelona for around £25m.
Pires, a player who simply oozed class on the ball, suffered a bit with the physicality of the league in his first year, but he came into his own in the second.
– Robert Pires
His popularity with supporters boosted by his uncanny knack to reserve his best performances for North London derbies against Tottenham Hotspur, he soon found his feet in England.
Pires scored nine top-flight goals and added a league-high 15 assists to help Arsenal to overhaul Man Utd to win the domestic double. It was the first of three consecutive peak years where he would make the PFA Team of the Year.
8) Gilberto Silva – £4.5m from Atletico Mineiro, 2002
While Brazil are renowned for the attacking talent they produce, in 2002 the creative players in Arsenal’s team had the perfect Selecao anchorman to allow their attacking players to flourish.
Gilberto Silva had just won the 2002 World Cup with his country when Arsenal beat a host of clubs to win his signature and bring him to the Premier League.
Though a defensive midfielder, Gilberto was also capable of joining in the attack, such was his talent.
He would go on to form one of the best midfield partnerships in the history of the Premier League with Patrick Vieira, as the pair powered the Gunners to their Invincible season in 2004.
7) Sol Campbell – free transfer from Tottenham Hotspur, 2001
In what is still one of the most controversial transfers of all time, Sol Campbell jumped ship from Tottenham to arch rivals Arsenal on a free transfer in the summer of 2001.
Wanting to play Champions League football, Campbell made the decision to leave Spurs after rejecting a contract offer to become the highest paid player at White Hart Lane.
He was actually signed on the recommendation of some Arsenal players, who had previously mentioned to Wenger that Campbell was one of their toughest opponents in the league at the time.
He would be labelled as ‘Judas’ by Spurs fans, but it proved to be the right move for Campbell as he would go on to become one of the best centre-backs around, winning six major honours with the Gunners.
6) Mesut Ozil – £42m from Real Madrid, 2013
Mesut Ozil is on a small list of Arsenal players, post-2010, to warrant a ‘world-class’ label.
– Mesut Ozil
The gifted playmaker created chances with ease, with the Gunners’ lack of attacking talent to blame for him not having higher assist tallies – even if he did manage 78 in his time in North London.
It is rare for a player to live up to such high expectations, but Ozil’s class meant he was able to do that, and indeed exceed them.
Phased out towards the end, memories of the World Cup winner are tainted but his excellence will be remembered more fondly in years to come.
5) Robin van Persie – £2.75m from Feyenoord, 2004
Robin van Persie was signed in the summer of 2004 as a long-term replacement for his Dutch compatriot, Bergkamp.
Injuries and a silly red card against Southampton meant his first year was forgettable, but he would eventually find his feet in an Arsenal shirt in subsequent seasons.
Van Persie would come into his own after Thierry Henry left for Barcelona in 2007, becoming the undisputed main man up top.
He would go on to score 132 goals in 278 Premier League games for the club, but was forced to move onto pastures new after Arsenal couldn’t meet his ambitions, as he joined Man Utd in 2012.
4) Dennis Bergkamp – £7.5m from Inter Milan, 1995
When Dennis Bergkamp failed to score in his first two months at Arsenal having joined from Inter for £7.5m – a huge fee at the time – the critics were already rounding on the Dutchman.
Fortunately, Arsenal showed patience and were rewarded tenfold, though it wasn’t until Wenger’s arrival in September 1996 that Bergkamp’s talents were fully realised.
Wenger built his side around Bergkamp’s creative abilities and he was able to cultivate three devastating partnerships too; with Ian Wright, then Nicolas Anelka and finally Henry.
His grace on the ball was unmatched, and yes, of course he meant that goal against Newcastle.
As it’s Dennis Bergkamp’s birthday, here’s a treat for us all 🎉
3) Cesc Fabregas – free transfer from Barcelona, 2003
Cesc Fabregas made the bold decision to leave Barcelona’s La Masia at 16 to join Arsenal, and it was a choice that paid off for both the Spaniard and his new club.
In the 2003/04 season he would become the club’s youngest ever appearance maker and also their youngest ever goalscorer. Unfortunately for him, he would not feature in enough games to earn a Premier League trophy, though.
– Cesc Fabregas
The following season, he took advantage of injuries to key midfielders to fight his way into the team.
A creative genius and one of the best midfielders ever to grace the English top flight, Fabregas’ performances truly deserved a league winners’ medal, but his emergence, unfortunately, coincided with Arsenal’s decline at the time.
2) Patrick Vieira – £3.5m from AC Milan, 1996
When Wenger arrived at Arsenal in 1996, few people know who he was, and they were even more perplexed at his first signing. Patrick Vieira had been languishing in AC Milan’s reserves the season prior having moved from Caen. His talents were clearly overlooked in Serie A.
The new Arsenal boss saw an opportunity. The result was one of the most seismic shifts in Premier League midfields at any point in history until that point.
– Patrick Viera battling Roy Keane
Vieira arrived like an alien specimen. His tall frame and long gait combined with a passing range that made for an amalgamation of skills unlike any seen before, and he immediately took to every aspect of his new league.
Vieira won three Premier League titles and captained Arsenal to their ‘Invincibles’ season in 2004, while his running feud with Man Utd’s Roy Keane became legendary in English football.
1) Thierry Henry – £11m from Juventus, 1999
Not many would’ve predicted how the signing of winger Thierry Henry from Juventus in the summer of 1999 would transform Arsenal into the new millennium, but Wenger certainly knew the untapped potential that lay within the 1998 World Cup winner.
Henry’s arrival in England wasn’t all plain-sailing. He struggled to find form in the early going, and didn’t find the back of the net until his eighth game of the season, away to Southampton. Yet after that he never looked back. The goals and assists flooded in, and so too did the trophies.
He morphed from an inconsistent winger into one of the most feared strikers in Europe under Wenger, and in his time at the club won two Premier League titles and two FA Cups.
He is without doubt the greatest player in the history of the club.
AC Milan are one of European football’s greatest clubs, and have given out many more huge defeats than those they have been on the end of.
However, competing against the very best teams each season, in European competition, has meant that they been thrashed a fair few times.
Though, that’s not to say that there haven’t been humiliating losses domestically.
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As recently as the 2019/20 season, the Rossoneri were beaten 5-0 at the hands of Atalanta.
But was it the biggest defeat in the club’s history?
This page will showcase AC Milan’s record defeats in the major competitions.
What is AC Milan’s biggest ever defeat in history?
AC Milan’s record defeat came in the 1922/23 season, when they were defeated 8-0 by Bologna in a Serie A match. Bologna’s Giuseppe Della Valle scored the first six.
This remains the only time that Milan have conceded seven or more goals without reply.
What is AC Milan’s biggest ever home defeat in history?
AC Milan’s biggest home loss is that 8-0 thumping by Bologna in the 1922/23 season.
What is AC Milan’s biggest ever away defeat in history?
AC Milan’s 6-0 losses against Juventus in 1925 and Ajax in 1974, respectively, are their biggest away defeats.
What is AC Milan’s biggest ever European defeat in history?
AC Milan’s biggest European defeat is that 6-0 loss to Ajax in January of 1974.
Having won the European Cup Winners’ Cup in the 1972/73 season, Milan faced the Dutch winners of the European Cup in the inaugural European Super Cup.
Milan managed a 1-0 victory in the first leg, at home, but were defeated 6-1 on aggregate after a thrashing in Amsterdam.
What is AC Milan’s biggest ever Champions League defeat in history?
AC Milan’s biggest Champions League defeats have been 4-0 losses against Barcelona, Manchester United and Deportivo La Coruna, respectively – all in second leg ties of knockout rounds, away from home.
Barcelona have long been one of the game’s greatest forces and are more accustomed to dishing out huge defeats than being on the receiving end of them.
Nevertheless, the last half-decade has been far more topsy-turvy for the Blaugrana – especially in Europe where they have been well off challenging for the Champions League in recent seasons.
So what was the biggest defeat in the club’s history?
This page will showcase Barca’s record defeats in the major competitions.
What is Barcelona’s biggest ever defeat in history?
Barcelona’s record defeat came in the 1930/31 season, when they were defeated 12-1 against Athletic Club in a Primera Division match. This remains the biggest-ever scoreline in the whole of La Liga.
Ten years later, they suffered an 11-1 loss to Sevilla, the only other occasion they have conceded double figures in an individual game.
What is Barcelona’s biggest ever home defeat in history?
Barcelona’s biggest home loss was a 6-0 thumping by Athletic Club in the 1945/46 season. The Catalans have not had it easy against the Basques in history.
What is Barcelona’s biggest ever away defeat in history?
Barcelona’s 12-1 loss against Athletic Club in 1931 is their biggest away defeat.
What is Barcelona’s biggest ever La Liga defeat in history?
Barcelona’s biggest La Liga defeat is that 12-1 loss against Athletic Club. It is the biggest defeat in the history of Spain’s top flight.
What is Barcelona’s biggest ever European defeat in history?
Barcelona’s biggest European defeat arrived in neutral territory as recently as August 2020. A Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich always promised to be a difficult affair, but Barcelona folded embarrassingly to an 8-2 loss.
Bayern led 4-1 by the break, but in the final 10 minutes it really got embarrassing as the Germans walked in three goals – including two by Philippe Coutinho, who had been loaned from Barca to the eventual Champions League winners.
What is Barcelona’s biggest ever Champions League defeat in history?
Barcelona’s biggest Champions League defeat is that 8-2 loss against Bayern.
Real Madrid are the most successful club in the history of football, but that doesn’t mean the Spanish giants haven’t been turned over every once in a while and thumped by an unsuspecting opponent.
Indeed, like all clubs in European football, Los Blancos’ success on the pitch has risen and fallen through the years.
Despite winning the European Cup a record 15 times as well as 36 Spanish league titles, the Real Madrid have also had some pretty terrible campaigns and results to boot.
This page will showcase Real Madrid’s record defeats in major competitions.
What is Man Utd’s biggest loss of all time?
What is Real Madrid’s biggest ever defeat in history?
Real Madrid’s biggest ever defeat in the club’s history came back on 5 March 1930 in La Liga, when Catalan side Espanyol overcame their rivals by a truly remarkable 8-1 margin.
What is Arsenal’s biggest loss of all time?
Espanyol are also responsible for Real Madrid’s second-biggest defeat of all time (7-1 in 1950).
What is Real Madrid’s biggest ever home defeat in history?
Real Madrid’s biggest every home defeat arrived on 18 January 1931 – also in La Liga – when they were thrashed 6-0 by Athletic Club.
What is Real Madrid’s biggest ever away defeat in history?
Real Madrid’s biggest ever away defeat in history was the aforementioned 8-1 hammering by Espanyol in 1931.
What is Real Madrid’s biggest ever La Liga defeat in history?
Real Madrid’s biggest ever away defeat in history was that same 8-1 destruction by Espanyol in 1931.
What is Real Madrid’s biggest ever European defeat in history?
Real Madrid’s biggest ever European defeat in history was a 5-0 thumping by Arrigo Sacchi’s AC Milan at San Siro in the European Cup semi-final second leg on 19 April 1989.
Goals from Carlo Ancelotti, Frank Rijkaard, Ruud Gullit, Marco van Basten and Roberto Donadoni blew Los Blancos away in a 6-1 aggregate win for Milan.
Real Madrid also lost 5-0 to FC Kaiserslautern in the UEFA Cup in March 1982.
What is Real Madrid’s biggest ever Champions League defeat in history?
Real Madrid’s biggest ever Champions League defeat is by a 4-0 margin.
They first lost 4-0 to Liverpool in March 2009, with Rafa Benitez’s side truly humbling the Spanish giants at Anfield, thanks to goals from Fernando Torres, Andrea Dossena and a brace from Steven Gerrard.
Los Blancos also lost 4-0 to Manchester City in May 2023, with Pep Guardiola’s team running riot at the Etihad Stadium. Bernardo Silva (x2), Manuel Akanji and Julian Alvarez were all on the scoresheet.
Manchester City are undoubtedly one of the best clubs in England and few would doubt that Pep Guardiola’s side are one of the best in Europe too.
However, it wasn’t so long ago that the English club didn’t have untold fortunes from abroad to rely upon and actually tended to lose games more often than not.
This page will showcase Man City’s record defeats in the major competitions.
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What is Manchester City’s biggest ever defeat in history?
Like many English clubs, Manchester City’s history dates back to the nineteenth century and that’s as far back as you have to go to find their biggest ever defeats.
City have lost by eight goals on four occasions. They were thrashed 10-2 by Small Heath in 1893. They also lost 9-1 to Everton in 1906.
On two occasions the club lost 8-0. The first came in 1894 when Burton Wanderers inflicted such a result on them in the First Division and the result was unfortunately repeated in 1933, when Wolverhampton Wanderers did the same thing.
What is Manchester City’s biggest ever home defeat in history?
Man City’s biggest home defeat of all time came in the 1961/62 season when they were thrashed 6-1 at Maine Road by West Ham in the First Division.
What is Manchester City’s biggest ever away defeat in history?
Manchester City’s biggest ever away defeat in the history of the club came on 11 May 2008, when Middlesbrough thrashed them 8-1 in the Premier League.
What is Manchester City’s biggest ever Premier League defeat in history?
Manchester City’s biggest ever Premier League defeat in the history of the club also came on 11 May 2008, when Middlesbrough beat them 8-1.
What is Manchester City’s biggest ever European defeat in history?
Man City’s biggest ever European home loss came in 2016 when Lionel Messi inspired a brilliant Barcelona team to a 4-0 win at the Etihad in the group stage.
What is Manchester City’s biggest ever Champions League defeat in history?
Despite their long history, Man City haven’t had extensive experience playing in the Champions League. So their biggest defeat also came in 2016, when they were humbled by Barcelona in a 4-0 defeat to Lionel Messi’s side.
Arsenal are one of the biggest teams in England, and are back fighting among the best clubs in England and Europe under Mikel Arteta.
But what is the biggest defeat in the club’s history?
This page will showcase Arsenal’s record defeats in the major competitions.
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What is Arsenal’s biggest ever defeat in history?
For a team the size of Arsenal, you need to look far back in history to find their record defeat, and their’s came well over a century ago in 1896.
In December of that year, they lost 8-0 in Division 2 against a club who no longer exists in Loughborough.
At this time, Arsenal were known as Woolwich Arsenal.
What is Arsenal’s biggest ever home defeat in history?
You have to look at the 19th century again to find Arsenal’s biggest home defeat as in 1899 they were defeated 6-0 by Derby County.
What is Arsenal’s biggest ever away defeat in history?
On four occasions, Arsenal have lost 7-0 on the road.
0-7 vs West Ham (7 March 1927, Div 1)
0-7 vs Newcastle (3 Oct 1925, Div 1)
0-7 vs West Brom (4 Oct 1922, Div 1)
0-7 vs Blackburn (2 Oct 1909, Div 1)
What is Arsenal’s biggest ever Premier League defeat in history?
On two occasions in the Premier League, Arsenal have lost a game by a margin of six goals.
The first was one of the most infamous games in the history of the league as the Gunners were demolished 8-2 by Manchester United at Old Trafford in 2011.
Then, in 2014, they suffered another heavy defeat the hands of Chelsea, losing 6-0 at Stamford Bridge.
What is Arsenal’s biggest ever European defeat in history?
On four occasions, Arsenal have lost a European fixture by a margin of four goals.
Remarkably, three of those matches actually came against German giants Bayern Munich, while the other was in a defeat to Milan.
1-5 vs Bayern Munich (4 Nov 2015, Champions League Group Stage)
1-5 vs Bayern Munich (15 Feb 2017, Champions League Round of 16)
1-5 vs Bayern Munich (7 Mar 2017, Champions League Round of 16)
0-4 vs AC Milan (15 Feb 2012, Champions League Round of 16)
What is Arsenal’s biggest ever Champions League defeat in history?
1-5 vs Bayern Munich (4 Nov 2015, Champions League Group Stage)
1-5 vs Bayern Munich (15 Feb 2017, Champions League Round of 16)
1-5 vs Bayern Munich (7 Mar 2017, Champions League Round of 16)
0-4 vs AC Milan (15 Feb 2012, Champions League Round of 16)
Chelsea are one of the modern game’s biggest sides, but they have not always had it their way – and the past two seasons has been proof of that.
In their first full campaign under the Todd Boehly regime, the Blues performed well below expectations as they finished 12th despite €600 million spent on transfers.
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They have been just as poor in the 2023-24 season, with Mauricio Pochettino struggling immensely in the Stamford Bridge dugout.
It is an unprecedented level of underperformance and their recent struggles got us thinking: what are the biggest defeats in Chelsea’s history? And do any of this season’s results make the list?
This page will showcase Chelsea’s record defeats in major competitions.
What is Chelsea’s biggest ever defeat in history?
Chelsea’s biggest ever loss is by seven goals, a feat that has occurred on three occasions in history.
The first was an 8-1 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers on 26 September 1953, the second was a 7-0 defeat to Leeds United on 7 October 1967, and the third was another 7-0 defeat, this time to Nottingham Forest on 20 April 1991.
All three of those games took place in the First Division.
What is Chelsea’s biggest ever home defeat in history?
Chelsea’s record home defeat of all-time is by four goals. This has happened eight times, with three different scorelines. The Blues have lost 2-6 on three occasions – to Nottingham Forest on 20 September 1986, to Southampton on 2 September 1967, and to Burnley on 22 October 1960.
They have lost 1-5 at home twice – against Watford on 5 May 1986 and Wolverhampton Wanderers on 30 April 1960. Chelsea have also suffered three 4-0 home defeats in history. These came against Wimbledon (6 December 1986), West Ham (29 March 1986), and Sheffield Wednesday (5 December 1959).
What is Chelsea’s biggest ever away defeat in history?
Chelsea’s biggest away defeat is by seven goals. It’s happened three times in history – an 8-1 loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers during the 1953/1954 season, and 7-0 defeats to Leeds United (1967/68) and Nottingham Forest (1990/91).
They suffered a humiliating 5-0 loss against Arsenal in April 2024.
What is Chelsea’s biggest ever Premier League defeat in history?
The biggest Premier League defeat in Chelsea history came recently against Manchester City. It was a 6-0 loss at The Etihad on 10 February 2019, with Sergio Aguero scoring a hat-trick, Raheem Sterling grabbing a brace, and Ilkay Gundogan scoring the other.
The result signalled the beginning of the end for Maurizio Sarri’s time at the club.
What is Chelsea’s biggest ever European defeat in history?
Chelsea’s largest European loss came against Barcelona in the Fairs Cup, which is now known as the Europa League on 25 May 1966. It was in the semi-final, and after Chelsea brought back a 2-0 deficit in the second-leg, a replay was needed.
Barcelona won the toss to play at home, and ran out 5-0 winners.
What is Chelsea’s biggest ever Champions League defeat in history?
Chelsea’s heaviest defeat in the Champions League came against Barcelona, just as their biggest European defeat did. This time it was at the quarter-finals stage, and Chelsea suffered a 5-1 loss after extra-time.
They won the first-leg 3-1, but succumbed to their largest ever Champions League defeat in the second-leg. Rivaldo scored twice, while Luis Figo, Dani Garcia, and Patrick Kluivert scored the others.
Love him or hate him, Cristiano Ronaldo has changed football and he has become the richest person to ever play the sport in the process.
Ronaldo has racked up an extraordinary net worth as part of a career that has seen him represent Sporting CP, Real Madrid, Juventus, Manchester United and Al-Nassr.
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He has dominated the sport, along with Lionel Messi, for two decades and is a five-time winner of the prestigious Ballon d’Or award.
READ MORE: How much does Lionel Messi earn and what is the football legend’s net worth?
Ronaldo has achieved astonishing feats both on and off the pitch, earning huge amounts of salary and commercial income in the process.
Below, FootballTransfers runs through Ronaldo’s net worth and how much he earns per year.
READ MORE: How much does Neymar earn and what is the football legend’s net worth?
What is Cristiano Ronaldo’s net worth?
Ronaldo has an estimated net worth of $600 million as of April 2024. That equates to around £480m and €560m in other major currencies.
How much does Cristiano Ronaldo earn?
Ronaldo reportedly earns $215m per year (£172m/€200m) with Al-Nassr, after signing an eye-watering deal with the Saudi Pro League club after leaving Man Utd.
In alternative reports, Ronaldo’s total earnings in 2023 equalled $136m, according to Forbes. As a result, he was the highest paid athlete in the world. The Portuguese star earned a reported $42m through his basic salary and an additional $90m through endorsements.
Tiger Woods and Floyd Mayweather were the only sporting figures to reach that figure before Ronaldo while still being active in their respective sports.
The most prominent sponsor for Ronaldo is Nike, who reportedly pay him more than $20m every year.
Ronaldo signed a lifetime deal with Nike in 2016 and was only the third athlete to do so, following in the footsteps of basketball giants Michael Jordan and LeBron James. Kevin Durant, another NBA star, subsequently became the fourth athlete to have signed a lifetime contract with Nike.
At present, Ronaldo earns around $45m per year in commercial fees from a host of brands.
As well as Nike, he has represented Altice, Herbalife, DAZN, MTG, PokerStars, Clear Shampoo, Shopee, Panini, Abbott and Unilever over recent years.
What businesses does Cristiano Ronaldo have?
Ronaldo has several business ventures, including a hotel empire named Pestana CR7. Establishments are already set up in Madeira, Lisbon, Madrid, New York and Marrakech, with others planned in glamorous locations around the world.
He also works with American fitness company Crunch, with their joint-venture named CR7 Fitness by Crunch. In addition, Ronaldo has his name attached to a social media influencing degree offered by eCampus, an Italian online university.
A huge income driver that is likely to continue growing in the future is his own CR7 brand, however.
Per Forbes, around a quarter of his endorsement income each year is estimated to come from his own company.
The trademark – a mix of his initials and jersey number – started off promoting branded underwear back in 2013. It has since expanded to offer larger product ranges including shoes, sunglasses, water, perfumes and clothing.
As well as raking it in representing other companies and his own projects, Ronaldo is also extremely generous with his time for charity projects.
He won an award in 2015, being named the most charitable sports star in the world that year, and he has campaigned on issues such as childhood hunger, obesity and biodiversity.
The Portugal attacker has promoted and financially supported charities like UNICEF, World Vision and Save the Children, while Ronaldo has donated to a cancer centre in Portugal, as well as helping to fund the healthcare of a child fan who required brain surgery.
What cars and assets does Cristiano Ronaldo own?
Ronaldo lived in a huge estate in Alderley Edge when he initially played for Man Utd, before buying a mansion for over $6m in the La Finca neighbourhood when he joined Real Madrid.
After signing for Juventus, he snapped up two adjoining villas in Turin that contained a private gym and a swimming pool. The private area was guarded by security with separate entrance gates and huge grounds.
He also owns a holiday property in Costa del Sol, while his main home in Madeira is worth almost $10m and he has also bought up much of the land close to his home.
Ronaldo also has properties in Lisbon and New York. His wife, Georgina Rodriguez, previously revealed she would get lost in the house in Turin due to its immense size.
In addition, Ronaldo is an avid collector of classic cars and The Sun have reported he has a garage worth over $25m.
His Bugatti Centodieci is one of only 10 in the world and is valued at almost $12m.
Also in the collection is a Bugatti Chiron, a Bugatti Veyron, a Mercedes G-Class Brabus, a Lamborghini Aventador, a McLaren Senna, a Rolls-Royce Cullinan, a Rolls-Royce Phantom, a Ferrari F12 and many others.
Ronaldo has also bought other major items with his huge salary. He purchased a Gulfstream G200 twin-engine private jet in 2015 for over $27m and regularly uses it for trips around the world.
In addition, he purchased a superyacht to increase his portfolio of assets. It contains five luxury cabins and six bathrooms, along with modern lounge, kitchen and dining areas.
His watch collection is also immense and includes a Hublot Masterpiece MP-09 Tourbillon Bi-Axis, which is worth a reported $1.2m.
How many social media followers does Cristiano Ronaldo have?
X / Twitter
Ronaldo has a huge 111.1m followers on his X (Twitter) account, as of April 2024.
Facebook
His follower count on Facebook is even higher, with Ronaldo boasting 169m followers on the social media app, as of April 2024.
Instagram
On Instagram, however, Ronaldo is on another level. The Portuguese legend is followed by 628m people, as of April 2024, meaning he is the most followed person on the entire platform.
The winter market saw a whole host of expensive transfers around Europe and beyond, with Xavi Simons to Leipzig for €80m, Jhon Duran to Al-Nassr for €77.5m and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to PSG for €75m just three of the big buck transfers.
But who were the winners and losers of the January window?
Premier League January transfers 2025: All the Done Deals
Let’s start off with the winners of the market.
WINNERS: Liverpool
Liverpool did not spend a penny in the January transfer window – and it does not look to have affected them at all.
They are six points clear at the top of the Premier League with a game in hand, they topped the Champions League and are on course for a quadruple.
Saudi Pro League January transfers 2025: All the Done Deals
Meanwhile, most of their rivals overspent in a desperate bid to improve their fortunes.
Liverpool kept their powder dry and that money can be used in the summer to strengthen a team who could lose some key players.
WINNER: Marcus Rashford
Marcus Rashford was very much at risk of spending the rest of the season in the stands at Old Trafford after being frozen out of the Man Utd squad for publicly announcing his desire to seek a new challenge.
Very few teams had the financial capacity to buy him or pay his wages, which means that Rashford is very fortunate to have found such a great club in Aston Villa take him on.
Villa have signed Rashford on loan until the end of the season and also have a purchase option in the region of €48 million.
Rashford gets the opportunity to kickstart his career at a club in the Champions League, coached by a great coach and with big plans. It’s an opportunity he can’t squander.
WINNER: Kai Havertz
Arsenal had made it a priority to sign a natural number nine during the January transfer window, especially after the ACL injury suffered by Gabriel Jesus.
The Gunners have struggled to maintain a title challenge this season due to a lack of goals and bite in attack.
Kai Havertz has once again been used as a false nine, a role he has done as well as could be expected in – without scoring enough goals.
The expected signing of a striker would have pushed Havertz out of the attack and forced to fight for his place lower down the pitch.
But January came and went without a striker signing, meaning Havertz will remain first choice for the rest of the season.
And now let’s move onto the losers…
LOSERS: Man City
Man City splashed out over €200m in the January transfer window on a host of expensive signings.
They paid €75m for Eintracht Frankfurt’s Omar Marmoush, €60m for Porto’s Nico Gonzalez, €40m for Abdukodir Khusanov, €37m for Vitor Reis and €6m for Juma Bah. They also shipped out club legend Kyle Walker on loan to Milan with an option to buy.
Hastily spending so much money on relatively unproven players is not how City usual do business and demonstrates the desperate situation they find themselves in as they fight for a top four spot.
The 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Arsenal on Sunday shows that these signings are unlikely to improve their fortunes much for this season, at least.
LOSERS: Man Utd
New Man Utd manager Ruben Amorim has had a disastrous start to his career at Old Trafford.
He is performing far worse than his much-maligned predecessor Erik ten Hag and United are languishing down in 13th place in the Premier League.
It has been clear for some time that United need to strengthen their team badly if they are to move up the table but their business in January was two young talents in the form of Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven.
Dorgu and Heaven may very well prove to be good signings but United now face finishing the season as a mid-table team at best.
LOSER: Cristiano Giuntoli: Juventus sporting director
Cristiano Giuntoli was already unpopular with Juventus fans heading into the January transfer window.
His summer market failed spectacularly. He spent €145m on Douglas Luiz, Teun Koopmeiners and Nico Gonzalez, all of whom have flopped so far. He also failed to sign a backup striker, meaning the hapless Dusan Vlahovic was Juve’s only number 9 for the first half of the campaign.
And then in January, he made a complete mess of improving a squad who are struggling to even make the top four.
He had over three months to find a replacement for Bremer after the star defender tore his ACL in October, but failed with target after target before panic buying Newcastle reserve Lloyd Kelly for an inflated €22m. Six months ago he sold Dean Huijsen to Bournemouth (the club Kelly was at before leaving on a free transfer in the summer for Newcastle) – citing financial reasons – and the defender is now worth over €80m.
Juventus are in financial trouble, partly due to Giuntoli’s failed dealings, leading him to try and sell Andrea Cambiaso to Man City. This transfer could now happen in the summer.
Giuntoli was supposed to build a new, great Juventus. He has been an umitigated disaster up until now.
Kylian Mbappe is the most expensive teenager in football history, thanks to his €180 million transfer from AS Monaco to Paris Saint-Germain in 2018.
The France superstar originally joined the Parisians on a one-year loan deal before the deal was made permanent due to an obligation to buy clause.
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He became PSG’s all time record goalscorer in March 2023, overtaking Edinson Cavani’s tally courtesy of a goal against FC Nantes.
READ MORE: What are the most expensive transfers of all time? The 50 highest fees in history
Joao Felix is the second-most expensive teenager of all time. The Portuguese forward burst onto the scene at Benfica and his frightening talent convinced Atletico Madrid to pay €127.2m to sign him in 2019.
Jude Bellingham narrowly misses out on this list due to the fact he turned 20 just two days before his initial €103m move to Real Madrid went through. The England international was still only 19 years old when Los Blancos finalised a deal with Borussia Dortmund, but he technically joined the club on 1 July and he was 20 by that point.
With Bellingham out of the equation, third place belongs to Matthijs de Ligt. The Netherland defender left Ajax to join Juventus for a whopping €85.5m in 2019. He subsequently signed for Bayern Munich three years later.
READ MORE: The 10 most expensive players over 30 of all time
Romeo Lavia is the fourth-most expensive teenager of all time. The Belgium international spent just one season at Southampton before Chelsea paid €62.1m to sign him following their relegation from the Premier League.
In fifth place is Anthony Martial; he left Monaco to join Manchester United for €60m in 2015.
Brazilian trio Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Endrick are the joint-sixth most expensive teenagers in football history. They all left their homeland to join Real Madrid for €45m.
Vitor Roque (to Barcelona) and Fabio Silva (to Wolves) both cost €40m, and they complete the top 10.
The 10 most expensive teenagers of all time
Player
Clubs
Fee
Season
1. Kylian Mbappe
Monaco to PSG
€180m
2018-19
2. Joao Felix
Benfica to Atletico Madrid
€127.2m
2019-20
3. Matthijs de Ligt
Ajax to Juventus
€85.5m
2019-20
4. Romeo Lavia
Southampton to Chelsea
€62.1m
2023-24
5. Anthony Martial
Monaco to Man Utd
€60m
2015-16
6. Vinicius Jr
Flamengo to Real Madrid
€45m
2018-19
= Rodrygo
Santos to Real Madrid
€45m
2019-20
= Endrick
Palmeiras to Real Madrid
€45m
2024-25
9. Vitor Roque
Athletico Paranaense to Barcelona
€40m
2023-24
= Fabio Silva
Porto to Wolves
€40m
2020-21
Read more about: La Liga, Serie A, Liga Portugal Bwin, Eredivisie, Ligue 1, Premier League, Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, Liga Professional, Ajax, Atlético, Barcelona, Benfica, Everton, Juventus, Man Utd, Monaco U17, Porto, PSG, Real Madrid, Southampton, Wolverhampton, Anthony Martial, Fabio Silva, Joao Felix, Kylian Mbappé, Luke Shaw, Matthijs de Ligt, Rodrygo, Vinicius Junior
The Portuguese top flight has produced some excellent players in recent years and Sporting CP’s Pedro Goncalves could become the latest export to succeed on foreign shores.
The attacking midfielder is regarded as one of Europe’s top creative players and he has been heavily tipped for a big move away, much like Bruno Fernandes – his predecessor at Sporting.
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Goncalves is wanted by multiple top clubs, but what kind of player is he?
What position does Pedro Goncalves play?
Goncalves usually plays as an attacking midfielder, although he can also be deployed as a left or right winger.
How good is Pedro Goncalves?
Goncalves has been an output machine since his move to Sporting CP.
He notched 28 goal contributions during his first season at the club, while that tally increased to 31 the following year and 35 in 2022-23. Goncalves is once again set to improve his goal and assist tally this campaign after another fantastic season.
The Portuguese attacker has flourished under Ruben Amorim, the man who decided to move him further up the pitch as the player was previously a deeper midfielder.
Goncalves is Sporting’s primary creator and Viktor Gyokeres’ form in Portugal is in no small part thanks to Goncalves’ quality as an attacking midfielder.
In 2021, former Wolves number two Rui Silva outlined Goncalves’ talents: “He stood out,” he said.
“He had excellent ball possession. He was always able to make space, without missing a pass. And he had that ability to finish. That goal was already visible. He passed the ball into the goal, that ability is his. Innate.
“[Ruben] Amorim found the ideal position for him. There, ahead, with space, and close by when he went to Famalicao, I even told Joao Pedro Sousa [coach at the time] that he could play in a midfield with three. We never saw Pedro’s ability to be in a midfield with two.
“He has the quality to take on another type of team in the future.”
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 16, 2023
Interestingly, Goncalves spent two years at Wolves after arriving at the club from Valencia’s U19 side, but he made just one senior appearance before leaving for Famalicao.
After a one-year spell at Famalicao, he joined Sporting in 2020 and has gone from strength to strength since then.
What clubs are interested in Pedro Goncalves?
Goncalves has been heavily linked with a move away from Sporting in recent years, with Liverpool among the clubs tracking his progress. He is one of several Sporting players of interest to the Liverpool hierarchy, who are considering him as a possible new arrival.
According to Portuguese outlet A Bola, Aston Villa, West Ham and Bayer Leverkusen are also keen on Goncalves.
How old is Pedro Goncalves?
Goncalves was born on 28 June 1998. He is 25 years old at the time of writing.
When does Pedro Goncalves’ contract expire?
Goncalves’ current Sporting CP contract runs until 2027.
What is Pedro Goncalves’ Instagram?
Goncalves’ Instagram has 235k followers as of March 2024.
