Who holds the record as the highest-priced English player ever?

There’s a unique charm associated with a skilled footballer from England, especially as the country is known as the birthplace of the world’s first match and of the game itself.

This charm, combined with football, forms a potent and lucrative mix, so it won’t come as a shock that many of the most pricey footballers in history hail from this region.

But who holds the title of the most expensive English player ever? Keep reading to discover some astonishing figures…

Who is the most expensive English player of all time?

It’s a draw! Both Declan Rice and Jack Grealish joined Arsenal and Manchester City respectively for initial fees of £100million.

Rice – who currently ranks second in eScored’s list of top defensive midfielders globally – may edge out his rival based on goal difference as his 2023 agreement included £5million in unspecified bonuses, but what’s a few million between friends?

In any case, it’s sure to be a sore subject for any Republic of Ireland supporters, as both players represented the Boys in Green in their youth before reverting to their birth nation – what an opportunity missed.

Who held the all-time record transfer fee for an English player before Rice and Grealish?

Prior to Grealish’s signing in 2021, the title of the most expensive English player belonged to Harry Maguire, thanks to his £80million transfer from Leicester City to Manchester United in 2019 – still a world record for a central defender.

There may be some uncertainty surrounding the fee, especially since Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk transferred for £5million less a year earlier, but there’s no doubt Maguire has brought England and the Red Devils some fantastic moments in the years since.

Honorable mentions include Harry Kane – who ranks seventh in eScored’s list of the greatest Premier League strikers of all time – and Jude Bellingham, who transferred to notable clubs Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, respectively, in the summer of 2023, though neither of their fees rivaled those of Grealish or Rice’s transfer.

Nevertheless, Bellingham – currently a 10/1 chance to claim the 2025 Ballon d’Or – could potentially become the most expensive player once everything is settled, as Real Madrid’s initial payment of £88.5million could escalate to an impressive £115million with the addition of bonuses. They would have to include some remarkable clauses for him not to be in contention.