Top 20 most expensive defenders in football
The list of the top 20 most expensive defenders in football history highlights not only the biggest spenders, but also a paradigm shift in the market, which had always valued attacking players more.
In the modern game, building a winning team starts from the back, and elite managers know that a world-class backline is worth its weight in gold.
As a result, transfer fees for center-backs and full-backs have absolutely skyrocketed, especially since Manchester United broke the bank to sign Harry Maguire from Leicester City in 2019, a deal that changed history forever.
In this article, we break down the top 20 most expensive defenders in football history, using transfer fees from the trusted Transfermarkt.
From Premier League powerhouses to their continental counterparts from Serie A, La Liga, and the Bundesliga, these are the massive sums clubs have paid to lock down their defensive lines.
The Top 20 Most Expensive Defenders in Football
20. Lisandro Martínez – €50m (Ajax to Manchester United)
Rounding out the list is “The Butcher,” Lisandro Martínez. Erik ten Hag was determined to bring his trusted Ajax general to Old Trafford, a move that cost United a cool €50 million in 2022.
19. Benjamin Mendy – €57.5m (Monaco to Manchester City)
Following Monaco’s stunning 2017 Champions League run, Manchester City completely overhauled their flanks, spending €57.5 million on French left-back Benjamin Mendy. It was a massive statement fee that truly accelerated the explosion in fullback prices.
18. Jan Paul van Hecke – €60m (Brighton to Tottenham)
Dutch defender Jan Paul van Hecke secured a €60 million blockbuster move to Tottenham Hotspur to team up with his former coach Roberto De Zerbi, thus earning a place in the company of the top 20 most expensive defenders in football.
17. Matheus Nunes – €62m (Wolves to Manchester City)
While traditionally deployed across the middle third, Manchester City’s €62 million acquisition of Matheus Nunes from Wolves slots into this tier, since his tactical flexibility and specialized defensive positioning made him thrive at right-back instead.
16. Leny Yoro – €62m (Lille to Manchester United)
Manchester United aggressively beat out fierce European competition to land Lille’s teenage sensation Leny Yoro for €62 million. Regarded as a generational defensive talent across France, the Red Devils paid a premium to ensure he anchors their backline for the next decade.
Top 15 most expensive defenders in football
#15. Dean Huijsen – €62.5m (Bournemouth to Real Madrid)
Bournemouth stumbled on gold with Dean Huijsen, not just because they bought him for cheap from Juventus, but he also helped them to an impressive finish in his only year, before joining Real Madrid as one of the most expensive defenders in football for €62.5m.
#14. Illia Zabarnyi – €63m (Bournemouth to Paris Saint-Germain)
Yes. Bournemouth sold two of the top 20 most expensive defenders in football and secured an absolute king’s ransom when continental heavyweight Paris Saint-Germain came knocking for Illia Zabarnyi, who ultimately joined the French giants for €63 million.
#13. Jeremy Jacquet – €63.6m (Rennes to Liverpool)
An incredibly significant piece of business saw Liverpool dip into the French market, paying Rennes €63.6 million for Jacquet. Bought to inject fresh youth and pace into the Anfield backline, this hefty price tag reflects the premium modern clubs must pay for elite Ligue 1 defensive prospects.
#12. Aymeric Laporte – €65m (Athletic Bilbao to Manchester City)
Tied with Cancelo is elegant left-footed center-back Aymeric Laporte. Manchester City triggered his €65 million release clause in January 2018 to bring him over from the Basque Country. His exceptional passing range from the back became a foundational element of City’s domestic dominance.
#11. João Cancelo – €65m (Juventus to Manchester City)
Pep Guardiola’s relentless pursuit of technically gifted full-backs led Manchester City to sanction a €65 million deal for João Cancelo from Juventus in 2019, and the dream was ultimately fulfilled.
Top 10 most expensive defenders in football
10. Marc Cucurella – €65.3m (Brighton to Chelsea)
Rounding out the top ten in the original ranking is Marc Cucurella, who signed for Chelsea in a €63.3m deal, as part of Todd Boehly’s major acquisition to appease fans after taking over from the reputable Roman Abramovich ownership.
The energetic Spaniard went on to spend four solid seasons in London, completely made the left back position his own, and was one of the best in the Premier League. Cucurella even became a regular in the Spanish national team during his time at Chelsea, before leaving for Real Madrid in 2026.
#9. Matthijs de Ligt – €67m (Juventus to Bayern Munich)
When Juventus sold Matthijs de Ligt to Bayern Munich in the summer of 2022, the fee involved, €68 million, was enough to place the Dutch international in the top 10 most expensive defenders in football.
#8. Achraf Hakimi – €68m (Inter Milan to Paris Saint-Germain)
The only dedicated right-wing-back to feature in the list of top 10 most expensive defenders in football, Achraf Hakimi commanded a €68 million fee when Paris Saint-Germain bought him from Inter Milan.
Hakimi was already worth the fee years earlier when he was on loan at Dortmund, and just a year after paying €40 million to Real Madrid for his services, Inter sold him as one of the most expensive defenders in football.
#7. Rúben Dias – €71.6m (Benfica to Manchester City)
Following a period of defensive fragility, Pep Guardiola looked to Portugal to steady the ship in September 2020. In Rúben Dias, he found one of the top 10 most expensive defenders in football, and the ultimate solution.
The former Benfica academy graduate instantly brought leadership and stability to the Etihad, picking up the Premier League Player of the Season award in his debut year and validating every cent of his €68 million price tag.
#6. Lucas Hernández – €80m (Atlético Madrid to Bayern Munich)
Bayern Munich smashed their own club transfer record when they triggered the €80 million release clause for Lucas Hernández from Atlético Madrid in the summer of 2019.
The versatile World Cup winner, capable of playing centrally or at left-back, provided an aggressive, front-foot presence that immediately justified the massive Bundesliga outlay by helping Bayern secure the Champions League in his debut season.
Top 5 most expensive defenders in football
#5. Wesley Fofana – €80.4m (Leicester City to Chelsea)
Leicester City feature yet again as master negotiators thanks to their deal with Chelsea in 2022, which saw Wesley Fofana join the league of the top 5 most expensive defenders in football in a €80.4m move.
Despite his immense talent, the persistent injury problems that saw him play just 12 games in his second and final season for the Foxes followed him to London, and he never really had a consistent run as a player worth his transfer fee.
#4. Virgil van Dijk – €84.7m (Southampton to Liverpool)
When Liverpool dropped €84.7 million on Virgil van Dijk in January 2018, many pundits questioned the fee. However, the towering Dutchman completely transformed Jürgen Klopp’s side, winning the Premier League and the Champions League.
Van Dijk proved that sometimes, paying a record fee for the right man is worth every single penny, and nearing a decade at the club, he has already achieved a legendary status in Anfield and will be remembered as one of the club’s finest.
3. Matthijs de Ligt – €85.5m (Ajax to Juventus)
After captaining a youthful Ajax side to an incredible Champions League semi-final run in 2019, Matthijs de Ligt became the most wanted young defender on the planet, a lore that eventually made him one of the most expensive defenders in football.
Juventus won the fierce race for his signature, parting with €85.5 million in the summer of 2019. He spent three successful years in Turin before joining Bayern Munich, also for a fee that ranked ninth in the top 20 most expensive defenders in football, and from there to Man United after two seasons in Munich.
#2. Harry Maguire – €87m (Leicester City to Manchester United)
For years, Harry Maguire sat at the top of the list of the most expensive defenders in football following his move to Old Trafford from Leicester City in the summer of 2019, as a desperate Manchester United parted with €87m.
While his old-school, physical style has faced plenty of scrutiny at the club, his place in transfer history is firmly secured, and the deal is always a reference when this topic is discussed.
#1. Joško Gvardiol – €90m (RB Leipzig to Manchester City)
Sitting comfortably at the very top of the pile is Croatian star Joško Gvardiol, who made Manchester City splurge a staggering €90 million to secure his signature from the Bundesliga in 2023.
Gvardiol achieved his status as the top among the top 5 most expensive defenders in football thanks to his ability to play as a dominant center-back or an inverted left-back. He represents the absolute premium price tag for a modern, ball-playing defender.
