Football clubs are always looking for the next big star and they are willing to invest large amounts of money on promising young talents.
While older players have a lot of experience and can make an immediate impact, they won’t help the team in the long term and they have no resale value.
Here, TEAMtalk have taken a look at the 10 most expensive teenagers of all time and how they fared after completing their big-money moves.
Note: We’ve taken into account any potential add-ons even if they weren’t all triggered, and the transfer fees are also in Pounds instead of Euros.
10. Estevao Willian – £54.9m
Year: 2025
From: Palmeiras
To: Chelsea
European clubs have invested heavily in young Brazilian footballers in recent years, with Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, Endrick and Vitor Roque all completing huge moves before the age of 20.
But Estevao usurped them all after Chelsea paid Palmeiras an initial £33.8million and another £21.1million in potential add-ons.
The 18-year-old winger will arrive at Stamford Bridge this summer, having registered 27 goals and 15 assists in 83 appearances for the Brazilian side.
“Estevao could be the best thing to come out of Brazil since Neymar,” former Real Madrid and Arsenal forward Julio Baptista said.
“The way he makes decisions in small moments in the match, it’s amazing. He has incredible quality, and I can’t wait to see him in the Premier League.”
Chelsea wonderkid Estevao scores stunning solo goal for Palmeiras 🤯 pic.twitter.com/vpCbkrXKtR
— GOAL (@goal) February 21, 2025
9= Romeo Lavia – £58m
Year: 2023
From: Southampton
To: Chelsea
Despite Southampton’s relegation from the Premier League in 2022/23, Lavia still won a lot of plaudits for his performances at St Mary’s.
Liverpool were willing to pay £60million for the Belgium international, but he snubbed the Reds and expressed his desire to join Chelsea.
The Blues were then able to negotiate a slightly lower fee, paying an initial £53million and another £5million in potential add-ons.
But he has endured an injury-plagued start to his Stamford Bridge career and is yet to complete a full 90 minutes in a Chelsea shirt.
9= Anthony Martial – £58m
Year: 2015
From: Monaco
To: Manchester United
Once dubbed as the next Thierry Henry, Martial became the world’s most expensive teenager when he swapped Monaco for Manchester United in 2015.
He cost an initial £36million and a series of performance-related bonuses were also inserted into the deal, potentially taking the fee up to £58million.
The France international made an excellent first impression by scoring against Liverpool on his debut and picked up the 2015 Golden Boy award.
But he failed to reach his full potential at Old Trafford, netting 90 goals in 317 appearances in all competitions before leaving on a free transfer at the end of the 2023/24 season.
7. Leny Yoro – £58.8m
Year: 2024
From: Lille
To: Manchester United
Having established himself as one of the finest young defenders in world football, Yoro looked set to join Real Madrid in the summer of 2024.
But Manchester United secured his signature by outbidding the LaLiga side, paying Lille an initial £52.1million and another £6.7million in potential add-ons.
The 19-year-old centre-back missed the first half of his debut season at United through injury but has since shown glimpses of his undoubted ability.
6. Joao Neves – £59.3m
Year: 2024
From: Benfica
To: Paris Saint-Germain
One of three Benfica academy graduates on this list, Neves made his first-team debut in January 2023 and quickly emerged as a key player at both club and international level.
Paris Saint-Germain forked out an initial £50.5million for the midfielder and the fee could rise to £59.3million with performance-related add-ons.
The Portugal international enjoyed a sensational debut season in Paris, helping the side win a historic Ligue 1, Coupe de France and Champions League treble.
“He is very young, but we didn’t have any doubts about him because of his intensity and quality on and off the ball,” Luis Enrique said.
PSG COME BACK AGAINST MAN CITY 🤯
After going 2-0 down, Joao Neves fires home to give PSG the lead 🤩
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/t2p3ZSS6sS
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 22, 2025
5. Renato Sanches – £63m
Year: 2016
From: Benfica
To: Bayern Munich
Following an impressive breakthrough season at Benfica in 2015/16, Sanches joined Bayern Munich in a deal worth an initial £27.5million and another £35.5million in add-ons.
It looked like a very smart move after he won Euro 2016 with Portugal and picked up the Young Player of the Tournament award.
But the midfielder failed to make an impact in Munich and had a disastrous loan spell at Swansea City before joining Lille on a permanent deal in 2019.
“The beginning was difficult,” he said when reflecting on the move. “I went there alone, I was 18, and I thought I was ready to be alone, to face this challenge, but now I know I wasn’t.”
4. Matthijs De Ligt – £77.1m
Year: 2019
From: Ajax
To: Juventus
De Ligt shot to prominence in the 2018/19 season after captaining Ajax to a domestic double and the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Juventus fought off competition from Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona to sign the centre-back in a deal worth up to £77.1million.
He won the Serie A title in his debut season and the Coppa Italia in 2020/21, but he failed to replicate his Ajax form in a Juventus shirt and was sold to Bayern Munich in 2022.
“I was captain at Ajax and felt like I had to lead this team,” he said. “Of course, if you then go to a team that has such legends in defence and in goal, for a guy of 19 it might be a bit difficult at first to express yourself in the way you actually could.
“In a way, I was less myself but I learned a lot and tried to absorb things every day to become a better player and leader.”
3. Joao Felix – £113m
Year: 2019
From: Benfica
To: Atletico Madrid
Eyebrows were raised when Atletico Madrid paid a club-record £113million for Felix, who had just one season of senior football under his belt.
The Portugal international was tasked with filling the void left by Antoine Griezmann’s departure but failed to produce his best form under Diego Simeone.
He registered just 34 goals and 18 assists in 131 appearances for the club and had loan spells at Chelsea and Barcelona before rejoining the former in a £46.3million deal in 2024.
2. Jude Bellingham – £115m
Year: 2023
From: Borussia Dortmund
To: Real Madrid
Bellingham made two big-money moves as a teenager; first by leaving boyhood club Birmingham City for Borussia Dortmund in 2020.
He spent three years in Dortmund before joining Real Madrid in a deal worth an initial £88.5million and another £26.5million in potential add-ons, making him the most expensive English player of all time.
The midfielder won the LaLiga title and the Champions League in his debut season at the Bernabeu and is now regarded as one of the best players in the world.
He came to create history. 🫲🫱
🤍 What a season, @BellinghamJude!
#LALIGAEASPORTS | @realmadriden
pic.twitter.com/UOJaxFNVoe
— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) May 4, 2024
1. Kylian Mbappe – £166m
Year: 2018
From: Monaco
To: Paris Saint-Germain
After helping Monaco win Ligue 1 and reach the Champions League semi-finals in 2016/17, Mbappe established himself as one of the most sought-after talents in world football.
He joined Paris Saint-Germain on an initial loan deal and that move was then made permanent for £166million, making him the most expensive teenager of all time and the second-most expensive signing.
The France international justified that fee and went on to become PSG’s all-time top goalscorer, netting 256 goals in 308 appearances in all competitions.
But his time at the Parc des Princes came to an acrimonious end, and he joined Real Madrid on a free transfer in the summer of 2024.
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