Free transfers
After signing Franck Kessié on a free transfer from Milan, Barcelona have also announced the arrival of free agent center-back Andreas Christensen from Chelsea. Both players have signed identical contracts that will run until 2026 at theLaLiga giants and will include an exit clause worth €500 million.
Christensen announced some time ago that he was going to leave Chelsea this summer—his free transfer to Barça has been rumored for months. Kessié, in the meantime, is the fifth most valuable free transfer in the history of the Transfermarkt market values. The Ivorian national team player has the same market value as Memphis Depay did when he joined Barcelona on a free transfer last summer. The two transfers increase Barcelona’s squad value by €80 million to €690 million—the club jumps from the 12th spot in the ranking to the ninth spot leapfrogging Inter Milan, Manchester United, and Atlético Madrid.
Messi, Insigne & Co. – The 25 most valuable free transfers in history
Willian – 2020 – Market value: €22.5M
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Chelsea to Arsenal
Thomas Meunier – 2020 – Market value: €24M
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PSG to Borussia Dortmund
Sergio Agüero – 2021 – Market value: €25M
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Manchester City to Barcelona
Ander Herrera – 2019 – Market value: €25M
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Manchester United to PSG
Dele Alli – 2022 – Market value: €25M
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From Tottenham to Everton
Lorenzo Insigne – 2022 – Market value: €25M
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From Napoli to Toronto FC
Georginio Wijnaldum – 2021 – Market value: €30M
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Liverpool to PSG
Santi Mina – 2019 – Market value: €30M
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Valencia to Vigo
Emre Can – 2018 – Market value: €30M
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Liverpool to Juventus
James Rodríguez – 2020 – Market value: €32M
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Real Madrid to Everton
Michael Ballack – 2006 – Market value: €35M
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Bayern Munich to Chelsea
Adrien Rabiot – 2019 – Market value: €35M
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PSG to Juventus
Niklas Süle – 2022 – Market value €35M
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Bayern to Borussia Dortmund
Hakan Calhanoglu – 2021 – Market value: €35M
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AC Milan to Inter Milan
Andreas Christensen – 2022 – Market value €35M
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Chelsea to Barcelona
Aaron Ramsey – 2019 – Market value: €40M
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Arsenal to Juventus
Leon Goretzka – 2018 – Market value: €40M
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Schalke to Bayern Munich
Stefan de Vrij – 2018 – Market value: €40M
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Lazio to Inter
Antonio Rüdiger – 2022 – Market value: €40M
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Chelsea to Real Madrid
Memphis Depay – 2021 – Market value: €45M
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Olympique Lyon to Barcelona
Franck Kessié – 2022 – Market value €45M
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Milan to Barcelona
Robert Lewandowski – 2014 – Market value: €50M
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Borussia Dortmund to Bayern Munich
David Alaba – 2021 – Market value: €55M
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Bayern Munich to Real Madrid
Gianluigi Donnarumma – 2021 – Market value: €60M
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AC Milan to PSG
Lionel Messi 2021 – Market value: €80M
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Barcelona to PSG
“We will present Kessié on Wednesday and Christensen on Thursday,” president Joan Laporta said. The Catalans are also interested in Leeds United winger Raphinha. The 25-year-old also has offers from Arsenal and Chelsea—he would cost around €60 million. Robert Lewandowski also remains a candidate, but Bayern Munich want at least €50 million, with the complete fee paid upfront.
Free transfers at Barça: Financial constraints lead to a new trend
Free transfers have been far and between at Barça in the past. Former goalkeeper José Manuel Pinto, who joined the club on a free transfer from Celta Vigo in 2008, was for a long-time the last free-agent signing. Then in the summer of 2021, Barcelona signed Depay, Sergio Agüero, and Eric García before also adding Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang last winter.
Mbappé, Bellingham & Foden: The 100 Most Valuable Footballers in the World
Mbappé, Bellingham & Foden: The 100 Most Valuable Footballers in the World
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Following the recent market value updates in Europe’s major leagues, the ranking of the 100 most valuable footballers in the world has been reorganised.
(As of 21 June 2022)
100 Raphinha – Leeds United – Market value: €45m
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Also valued at €45m are: Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma), Tomas Soucek (West Ham), Marcos Llorente (Atlético), Ángel Correa (Atlético), Ederson (Man City), Aymeric Laporte (Man City), Jan Oblak (Atlético), Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
99 Franck Kessié – AC Milan – Market value: €45m
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98 Martin Ødegaard – Arsenal – Market value: €45m
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97 Jonathan David – LOSC Lille – Market value: €45m
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96 Ferran Torres – Barcelona – Market value: €45m
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95 Paul Pogba – Man United – Market value: €48m
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94 Raphaël Varane – Man United – Market value: €48m
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93 Richarlison – Everton – Market value: €48m
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92 Cristian Romero – Tottenham Hotspur – Market value: €48m
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91 Lionel Messi – PSG – Market value: €50m
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90 Alisson – Liverpool – Market value: €50m
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89 Marco Verratti – PSG – Market value: €50m
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88 José María Giménez – Atlético Madrid – Market value: €50m
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87 Kalvin Phillips – Leeds United – Market value: €50m
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86 Patrik Schick – Bayer Leverkusen – Market value: €50m
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85 Lucas Hernández – Bayern Munich – Market value: €50m
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84 Mikel Merino – Real Sociedad – Market value: €50m
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83 James Maddison – Leicester City – Market value: €50m
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82 Carlos Soler – Valencia – Market value: €50m
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81 Pau Torres – Villarreal – Market value: €50m
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80 Arnaut Danjuma – Villarreal – Market value: €50m
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79 Gabriel Jesus – Man City – Market value: €50m
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78 Tammy Abraham – Roma – Market value: €50m
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77 Fikayo Tomori – AC Milan – Market value: €50m
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76 Gianluigi Donnarumma – PSG – Market value: €50m
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75 Ronald Araújo – Barcelona – Market value: €50m
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74 Sandro Tonali – AC Milan – Market value: €50m
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73 Virgil van Dijk – Liverpool – Market value: €55m
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72 David Alaba – Real Madrid – Market value: €55m
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71 Fabián Ruiz – Napoli – Market value: €55m
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70 Youri Tielemans – Leicester City – Market value: €55m
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69 Theo Hernández – AC Milan – Market value: €55m
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68 Darwin Núñez – Benfica/Liverpool – Market value: €55m
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67 Eduardo Camavinga – Real Madrid – Market value: €55m
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66 Thibaut Courtois – Real Madrid – Market value: €60m
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65 Fabinho – Liverpool – Market value: €60m
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64 Leroy Sané – Bayern Munich – Market value: €60m
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63 Kingsley Coman – Bayern Munich – Market value: €60m
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62 Wilfred Ndidi – Leicester City – Market value: €60m
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61 Diogo Jota – Liverpool – Market value: €60m
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60 Mikel Oyarzabal – Real Sociedad – Market value: €60m
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59 Frenkie de Jong – Barcelona – Market value: €60m
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58 Marcus Rashford – Man United – Market value: €60m
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57 Éder Militão – Real Madrid – Market value: €60m
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56 Jules Koundé – Sevilla – Market value: €60m
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55 Alessandro Bastoni – Inter – Market value: €60m
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54 Moussa Diaby – Bayer Leverkusen – Market value: €60m
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53 Reece James – Chelsea – Market value: €60m
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52 Aurélien Tchouameni – Monaco/Real Madrid – Market value: €60m
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51 Rodrygo – Real Madrid – Market value: €60m
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50 Ansu Fati – Barcelona – Market value: €60m
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49 Gavi – Barcelona – Market value: €60m
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48 Andrew Robertson – Liverpool – Market value: €65m
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47 João Cancelo – Man City – Market value: €65m
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46 Leon Goretzka – Bayern Munich – Market value: €65m
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45 Milan Skriniar – Inter Milan – Market value: €65m
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44 Serge Gnabry – Bayern Munich – Market value: €65m
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43 Luis Díaz – Liverpool – Market value: €65m
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42 Federico Chiesa – Juventus – Market value: €65m
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41 Achraf Hakimi – PSG – Market value: €65m
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40 Victor Osimhen – Napoli – Market value: €65m
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39 Bukayo Saka – Arsenal – Market value: €65m
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38 Jamal Musiala – Bayern Munich – Market value: €65m
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37 Sadio Mané – Liverpool – Market value: €70m
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36 Romelu Lukaku – Chelsea – Market value: €70m
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35 Marquinhos – PSG – Market value: €70m
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34 Raheem Sterling – Man City – Market value: €70m
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33 Sergej Milinković-Savić – Lazio – Market value: €70m
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32 Jack Grealish – Man City – Market value: €70m
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31 Nicolò Barella – Inter Milan – Market value: €70m
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30 Federico Valverde – Real Madrid – Market value: €70m
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29 Rafael Leão – AC Milan – Market value: €70m
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28 Kai Havertz – Chelsea – Market value: €70m
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27 Matthijs de Ligt – Juventus – Market value: €70m
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26 João Félix – Atlético Madrid – Market value: €70m
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25 Alphonso Davies – Bayern Munich – Market value: €70m
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24 Florian Wirtz – Bayer Leverkusen – Market value: €70m
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23 Neymar – PSG – Market value: €75m
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22 Heung-Min Son – Tottenham Hotspur – Market value: €75m
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21 Rúben Dias – Man City – Market value: €75m
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20 Lautaro Martínez – Inter Milan – Market value: €75m
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19 Mason Mount – Chelsea – Market value: €75m
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18 Jadon Sancho – Man United – Market value: €75m
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17 Bernardo Silva – Man City – Market value: €80m
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16 Joshua Kimmich – Bayern Munich – Market value: €80m
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15 Rodri – Man City – Market value: €80m
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14 Christopher Nkunku – RB Leipzig – Market value: €80m
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13 Trent Alexander-Arnold – Liverpool – Market value: €80m
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12 Declan Rice – West Ham – Market value: €80m
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11 Pedri – Barcelona – Market value: €80m
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10 Jude Bellingham – BVB – Market value: €80m
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9 Kevin De Bruyne – Man City – Market value: €85m
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8 Bruno Fernandes – Man United – Market value: €85m
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7 Dušan Vlahović – Juventus – Market value: €85m
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6 Mohamed Salah – Liverpool – Market value: €90m
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5 Harry Kane – Tottenham Hotspur – Market value: €90m
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4 Phil Foden – Man City – Market value: €90m
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3 Vinicius Junior – Real Madrid – Market value: €100m
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2 Erling Haaland – BVB/Man City – Market value: €150m
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1 Kylian Mbappé – PSG – Market value: €160m
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