Record Premier League signings

With Nicolas Pépé, Harry Maguire et al reportedly on the verge of potentially huge Premier League transfers, Playmaker takes a look at the most expensive transfer fees ever paid by English clubs. Buckle up!

Let's be clear from the outset, this article doesn't give a jiffy about transfers where foreign clubs splashed the cash. Strike Coutinho to Barca and Hazard to Real Madrid from the equation. This rapid recap focuses purely on the biggest transfers to ever feature in the debit column of Premier League clubs' bank statements.

1. Paul Pogba (£89m from Juventus to Manchester United, 2016)

First up, a man who has arguably still to shake off his price tag. 

It was a case of the prodigal son returning when Pogba rejoined Manchester United, where he had come through the ranks, from Juventus in 2016. However, although his quality has been undoubted throughout his second stint at Old Trafford, critics - including previous Red Devils boss José Mourinho - have questioned the French World Cup winner's attitude and consistency. Pogba has been angling for a move away from Manchester this summer, and a potential switch to Real Madrid remains on the cards. 

2. Romelu Lukaku (£75m from Everton to Manchester United, 2017) and Virgil Van Dijk (£75million from Southampton to Liverpool, 2018)

We have a tie for second place on this money list, between Romelu Lukaku and Virgil van Dijk - who both fetched a pretty price of £75million. The fortunes of these two footballers after their respective transfers could not be more marked at the present time. Romelu Lukaku is currently on the fringes at Manchester United, with all the indications being that the Belgian striker is on his way to either Inter or Juventus. Van Dijk, meanwhile, continues to be lauded as a potential Ballon D'or winner after a truly outstanding campaign at the heart of Liverpool's defence in 2018/19. What does £75m get you? In the Dutchman's case, it buys a ball-playing centre back, who inspired Champions League success, and has still not been beaten in a one-on-one since he joined Liverpool. Good value! 

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3. Kepa (£71.6m, from Athletic Bilbao to Chelsea)

Kepa has enjoyed a solid yet controversial start to his Chelsea career. Solid, in as much as he looked the part between the sticks; controversial as he refused to listen to previous Blues' boss Maurizio Sarri in Chelsea's League Cup final defeat to Manchester City: £71m obviously doesn't buy obedience! 

4. Rodri (£63m, from Atletico Madrid to Manchester City, 2019)

This silky defensive midfielder comes to English shores with expectations that perhaps even exceed his price tag. Dubbed 'The Next Guardiola' for his composure and vision, the Spanish international looks set to make Manchester City an even more formidable force in 2019/20. 

5. Riyad Mahrez (£60m, from Leicester City to Manchester City, 2018)

It took a while for Algerian international Mahrez to engineer his move from 2015/16 Premier League champions Leicester City to Manchester City - but it has proved worth the wait. Although he hovers on the fringes of City's starting line-up, Mahrez contributed to their outstanding success last season - and should return for the coming campaign buoyed by AFCON success with Algeria. 

So, there we have it...for now at least.