The transfer of Erling Haaland to Manchester City is a hot topic in the world of soccer at the moment. The Norwegian striker will arrive at the Etihad Stadium from the ranks of Borussia Dortmund this summer.
He will earn £375,000 a week, plus incentives, after the striker's buyout clause of €60 million was met, according to the club's statement. When the 21-year-old prolific striker completes his move to England, he will be under a lot of pressure to live up to or maybe beyond the standards he set for himself in Germany.
Moreover, Manchester City supporters will be praying that he does not follow in the footsteps of other players who have crumbled under the weight of their astronomical transfer fees in the past. Take a look at some of the top players that cost more than €70 million but failed to justify their worth.
Eden Hazard to Real Madrid (€115m)
When Eden Hazard left Stamford Bridge after seven years, Chelsea supporters were upset, but they couldn't deny the Belgian an opportunity to play under his hero, Cristiano Ronaldo, and for the club that had always been his favorite. However, Real Madrid have been able to function without the injury-prone ace. After three seasons with the Whites, he is now 31 years old and has missed over half of the team's games.
Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea (€113m)
Chelsea signed Romelu Lukaku from Inter Milan in a club-record deal in August 2021 as Thomas Tuchel sought to remedy his striker crisis. However, the entrance of the Belgian only served to exacerbate their predicament. The interview in December 2021, in which he criticized Tuchel's methods and stated his desire to return to Italy was certainly ill-advised.
Harry Maguire to Manchester United (€87m)
It is still a global record for clubs to pay €87 million for a defender. When Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over as manager of Manchester United, he assigned Harry Maguire the captain barely six months after arriving from Leicester. The England international has had a horrible time at the Old Trafford, making numerous high-profile mistakes.
Kepa Arrizabalaga to Chelsea (€80m)
After selling Thibaut Courtois to Real Madrid late in the 2018 summer transfer window, Chelsea knew they would have to pay a high price to replace the Belgian goalkeeper. However, soon enough, Frank Lampard sacked Kepa after a string of miscues in his debut season at the club, and the problem only got worse. The Blues eventually signed Edouard Mendy, therefore ending Kepa's reign as the top pick.
Antoine Griezmann to Barcelona (€120m)
Lionel Messi's dominance of Barcelona's squad meant that Barcelona underestimated how much Antoine Griezmann could contribute, considering the Frenchman's age at the time of his signing. After scoring 35 goals in 120 games, he was loaned back to Atletico Madrid for two years. The Frenchman's loan departure with no cost attached shows the Blaugrana's careless approach to transfers.
Nicolas Pepe to Arsenal (€80m)
Arsenal's all-time highest purchase of Nicolas Pepe from Lille is the clearest evidence of the club's disastrous recruiting approach. Due to the multi-year nature of the agreement, the Gunners are still on the hook for the money they lost as a result of their expensive error. Under Mikel Arteta, Pepe has mostly been a spectator at the Emirates Stadium, with only brief bursts of brilliance.
Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona (€135m)
When Barcelona signed Coutinho, it was evident from the start that he would struggle to perform. He was plagued by ailments and inconsistency, resulting in the benching of Barca coaches Ernesto Valverde and Quique Setien. Then, Aston Villa took the risk to believe in the Brazilian, and they appear likely to finalize a deal for him this summer, which would mean a massive loss for Barca on the playmaker.
