World record transfer fee by position: First £100m defender imminent?

What is the world record transfer fee by position? Look no further as we take you through the most expensive goalkeeper, defender, midfielder and forward of all time, and speculate over whether any modern day player could top their respective transfer fees.

Also, check out who is the world’s most expensive football player.

World record transfer fee by position

Record fee for a Goalkeeper

The record transfer fee paid for a goalkeeper currently stands at £71.6m, which was paid by Chelsea to sign Kepa Arrizabalaga from Athletic Bilbao in 2018. It is safe to say that it has simply not worked out for the Spaniard at Stamford Bridge, as he was deemed surplus to requirements early on in his Blues career.

Indeed, Kepa lost his place to Willy Caballero after a row with former manager Maurizio Sarri, as he wanted to take him off before a penalty shootout in the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City in 2019, but Kepa refused to be substituted. Edouard Mendy was then signed as first-choice goalkeeper, and Kepa never regained his starting spot despite him leaving. He was loaned out to Real Madrid in the 2023/24 season.

In terms of goalkeepers who could surpass the record, PSG's Gianluigi Donnarumma, Borussia Dortmund's Gregor Kobel and FC Porto's Diogo Costa are all 26 years of age and under, and among the best goalkeepers in the world already.

Record fee for a Defender

The record transfer fee paid for a defender is the £77m that Manchester City paid RB Leipzig for Josko Gvardiol in 2023. The Croatian international enjoyed an excellent first season at the Etihad Stadium, and his goals, especially in their latter games, helped them get over the line and win their record fourth consecutive Premier League title.

Is the first £100m defender imminent? Plenty of players, such as Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold or AC Milan's Theo Hernandez, have the potential to hit that value with a move. For central defenders, Arsenal's William Saliba and Manchester City's Ruben Dias hold a market value close to that figure.

Record fee for a Midfielder

The record transfer fee paid for a midfielder is Philippe Coutinho, who moved to FC Barcelona from Liverpool in 2018 for a whopping £142m, including bonuses. Like Kepa, it was an expensive deal that never really worked out, as the Brazilian was loaned out to Bayern Munich and Aston Villa, and is now playing in his home country.

Jude Bellingham is the most likely midfield candidate to break this transfer fee should he ever leave Real Madrid, while German duo Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala also have high transfer values and are showing plenty of potential.

Record fee for a Forward

The record transfer fee paid for a forward is the most any club has ever paid for a player in Neymar, who left FC Barcelona to join Paris Saint-Germain in a world-record £198m deal in 2017. The Brazilian did win plenty of silverware at PSG, but was unable to win the coveted UEFA Champions League with the Ligue 1 heavyweights.

In the current football climate with Profit and Sustainability (PSR) rules in place, it is hard to see any player surpassing that world-record transfer fee anytime soon, although the most likely candidates would be Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr should they ever wish to leave the Santiago Bernabeu, as well as Manchester City's Erling Haaland.