€237m record
©TM/IMAGO
Barcelona are one of the most prestigious clubs in the world and a dream destination for many top footballers. The famed Nou Camp will become the biggest stadium in Europe when its current renovation is complete and it’s housed some famous names over the years.
Ronaldinho, Neymar and Johan Cruyff have all joined the Catalan club while Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy has produced some incredible talents like Sergio Busquets, Lamine Yamal and most notably, Lionel Messi. The Argentine is arguably the best player of all time but his departure for PSG in 2021 was partly due to Barcelona’s terrible transfer record as they’ve wasted inordinate sums of money on players. But which clubs have Barcelona paid the most money to in transfer fees across the last twenty seasons? Let’s find out.
The clubs that Barcelona have paid the most money to in transfer fees
Liverpool have received more money in transfer fees from Barcelona than any other club. The Spanish giants have paid the Anfield club €236.72 million for three players with Philippe Coutinho’s €135m move their joint-most expensive signing in history. Luis Suárez (€82m) and Javier Mascherano (€20m) are the two other players to swap Anfield for the Nou Camp since the start of the 2005/06 campaign. As the graphic below illustrates, three La Liga clubs occupy the next three places with Sevilla second, Valencia third and Atlético Madrid in fourth.
Barcelona have signed more players from Sevilla (8) than any other club across the last twenty seasons with Jules Kounde’s €50m move in 2022 the most expensive. Borussia Dortmund complete the top five courtesy of just one transfer, Ousmanne Dembele’s €135m move in 2017 – Barcelona’s joint highest alongside Coutinho. Thierry Henry, Cesc Fàbregas and Alex Song ensure Arsenal are in the top ten while Santos are the only non European club that feature. Neymar famously moved from the Brazilian club to Barcelona for €88m in 2013 and his €222m departure for PSG in 2017 is their highest sale.