Who is the most expensive winger in the world? That question is different from who the best winger is.
In this article, NaijNaira wants to focus on who the most expensive wingers in football history are.
Yes, once upon a time wingers were merely there to whip balls into big and burly centre-forwards. But not anymore.
Football has evolved so much that some of the most talented and multi-faceted stars play on the wing.
They use trickery, pace and creativity to light up sides across Europe.
These wingers have become more than assist machines and tireless runners.
In today’s world of football, wingers are their teams’ greatest goal threats and playmakers.
Top 10 Most Valuable Wingers In The World
10. Riyad Mahrez – Leicester to Manchester City (€67.8M)
Mahrez plays as a winger for Manchester City in the Premier League. He started his career at French club Quimper in 2009 before moving to Le Havre in 2010.
The 2019 AFCON winner joined Leicester City in 2014 and stayed there for four years before signing for Manchester City in 2018 for a fee of €67.8M making him the most expensive African footballer at the time.
9. Ángel Di María – Real Madrid to Manchester United (€75M)
Di María plays as a winger for Juventus in the Italian Serie A. Generally considered one of the best wingers in the world, the Argentine started his career at Rosario Central in 2005 and moved to Benfica in 2007 before joining Real Madrid in 2010.
He played for Los Blancos for four years before signing for Manchester United in 2014 for a then-British record fee worth €75M.
8. Nicolas Pépé – Lille to Arsenal (€80M)
Pépé plies his trade as a winger for Ligue 1 club Nice on loan from Arsenal. The 27-year-old started his career in Poitiers in 2012 and joined Angers in 2013 where he stayed for four years before joining Lille in 2017.
The Ivorian signed for Arsenal in 2019 after two years with Lille for a fee of €80M making him the most expensive player at the club.
7. Jadon Sancho – Borussia Dortmund to Manchester United (€85M)
Sancho currently plays as a winger for Manchester United in the Premier League.
Widely considered as one of the best young players in the world, he started his career at Borussia Dortmund in 2017 and played there for four years before signing for Manchester United in 2021 for a fee of €85M.
6. Antony Matheus – Ajax to Manchester United (€95M)
Antony plays for English side Manchester United as a winger in the Premier League. He started his career at Brazilian side Sao Paulo in 2018 and moved to Ajax in 2020.
In 2022 Antony signed for Manchester United for a fee of €95M (the third highest transfer fee ever paid by the club and Ajax’s and the Eredivisie’s biggest transfer ever).
5. Gareth Bale – Tottenham Hotspur to Real Madrid (€101M)
Bale currently plays as a winger for Los Angeles FC in the United States Major League Soccer.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest wingers of his generation and one of the greatest Welsh players of all time, he started his career at Southampton in 2006 and spent one season with them before moving to Tottenham Hotspur in 2017.
The Wales all-time top scorer played for Tottenham for six years before signing for Real Madrid in 2013 for a fee reported to be around €101M (a then world record transfer fee).
4. Eden Hazard – Chelsea to Real Madrid (€115M)
Hazard plays for Spanish club Real Madrid as a winger in La Liga. Considered one of the best players of his generation, the Belgian started his career at Lille in 2007 and moved to Chelsea in 2012.
He played for seven years at Stamford Bridge before making the move to Santiago Bernabéu in 2019 for a fee worth €115M making him Real Madrid’s second most expensive signing.
3. Jack Grealish – Aston Villa to Manchester City (€117.5M)
Grealish currently plays as a winger for English club Manchester City in the Premier League.
The Englishman started his career at Aston Villa in 2012 and spent nine years there before signing for Manchester City in 2021 for a fee of €117.5M making him the most expensive English player ever.
2. Ousmane Dembélé – Borussia Dortmund to Barcelona (€125M)
Dembélé plays as a winger for Spanish club Barcelona in La Liga. The Frenchman started his career at Rennes in 2014 and moved to Borussia Dortmund in 2016.
He played for Dortmund for just one year before signing for Barcelona in 2017 for a fee worth €125M making him the joint-second most expensive player in the world at the time.
1. Neymar – Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain (€222M)
Neymar plays as a winger for Paris Saint Germain in the French Ligue 1. Regarded as one of the best players in the world, the Brazilian started his career at Santos in 2009 and played for them for four years before joining Barcelona in 2013.
He played for the Blaugrana outfit for four years before joining PSG in 2017 for a fee worth €222M making him the most expensive player ever.
Article updated 2 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
