Two decades of world record transfers in pictures as Neymar inches closer to PSG move

Sport360 staff 20:18 03/08/2017

Neymar’s proposed world record move to Paris St Germain was held up on Thursday as LaLiga officials turned away the delegation sent to meet his eye-watering buy-out clause.

The striker’s club, Barcelona, said they would only allow the 25-year-old Brazil international to make the move to Paris if his release fee of €222 million/£198.5 million) was met and paid in full.

That did not stop PSG in their tracks and lawyers acting on behalf of the player were sent to LaLiga headquarters in Madrid to pay the money, only for them to be snubbed.

However, here, we look at the previous players to have broken the transfer record in the past two decades.

ALAN SHEARER – 1996: £15 million (BLACKBURN TO NEWCASTLE)

Having won the Premier League at Blackburn in 1995, all-time Premier League record goalscorer Shearer returned to his hometown club a hero.

RONALDO – 1997: £19.5 million (BARCELONA TO INTER MILAN)

The Brazil striker moved on to break the record for the second time in a year but, despite a great scoring ratio, he only won the UEFA Cup during his spell at the San Siro.

DENILSON – 1998: £21.5 million (SAO PAULO TO REAL BETIS)

A precocious talent in Brazil, Denilson never made the desired impact after his record move and struggled to hold down a place at Betis before moving on.

CHRISTIAN VIERI – 1999: £32 million (LAZIO TO INTER MILAN)

Eight clubs in as many seasons eventually led Vieri to Inter, where they broke the transfer record once again and he would form a formidable partnership with Ronaldo.

HERNAN CRESPO – 2000: £35.5 million (PARMA TO LAZIO)

A year later, Lazio replaced Vieri with Crespo and he ended his first season with the club as Serie A’s top goalscorer.

LUIS FIGO – 2000: £37 million (BARCELONA TO REAL MADRID)

The era of the Galacticos truly began with the acrimonious transfer of Portugal winger Figo between the Clasico rivals.

ZINEDINE ZIDANE – 2001: £46.6 million (JUVENTUS TO REAL MADRID)

Madrid continued to build their team of superstars by adding France international Zidane from Juventus – where he went on to becoming a Champions League-winning player and coach at the Bernabeu.

KAKA – 2009: £56 million (AC MILAN TO REAL MADRID)

Breaking their own record once again, Kaka’s move from Italy was not as successful as Madrid would have hoped but he still lifted a LaLiga title before returning to Milan in 2013.

CRISTIANO RONALDO – 2009: £80 million (MANCHESTER UNITED to REAL MADRID)

Having coveted Ronaldo for a couple of years, Madrid upped their record significantly to land the 2008 Ballon d’Or winner – and the Portuguese went from strength to strength in Spain.

GARETH BALE – 2013: £86 million (TOTTENHAM TO REAL MADRID)

A fifth-straight record broken by Madrid as they returned to England to poach the Premier League’s hottest talent – this time taking Wales international Bale to Spain, where he would later flourish.

PAUL POGBA – 2016: £89 million (JUVENTUS TO MANCHESTER UNITED)

Having left Old Trafford four years earlier for a nominal amount, France midfielder Pogba returned as the new world-record signing.

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