Man City's 10 most expensive transfers of all time

Man City's 10 most expensive transfers of all time Make us your Google favourite When Sheikh Mansour purchased the club in August 2008, Manchester City 's fortunes were changed forever, with the influx of money ensuring they were able to attract the best players in the world. The €43 million signing of Robinho just days into Mansour's reign set things in motion, and since then he has spent billions on transfers. With over 20 trophies in total, including the historic treble in 2022-23, it's fair to say that Mansour's money has brought immense success to Man City. Below, sources lists Man City's 10 most expensive signings of all time. 10. Rodri - €70m (from Atletico Madrid, 2019) Rodri was the player selected by Man City to replace the ageing Fernandinho, and they couldn't have picked a better signing if they tried. After a sluggish first year in which he adjusted to English football, Rodri came into his own in 2020-21, helping the side to yet another Premier League triumph. His value to Man City was epitomised when he finished fifth in the 2023 Ballon d'Or, while he was immortalised when he scored the winning goal in the 1-0 victory over Inter Milan in the 2023 Champions League final. He then won the Ballon d'Or the following year. When Pep Guardiola left the club in the summer of 2026, Rodri followed suit, joining Barcelona after captaining Spain to their second World Cup success and winning the tournament's Golden Ball award. 9. Ruben Dias - €71.6m (from Benfica, 2020) Now, this was a risk. Ruben Dias was seen as an immense talent in Portugal, but his slight weakness in defending large spaces caused many to worry about his big-money move to Man City. However, he eased those concerns within weeks of his arrival in England, before guiding City to Premier League glory, and winning the FWA Player of the Year award in a stellar first season. He went from strength to strength from there and was pivotal in the treble-winning season of 2022-23, before helping the club win another Premier League title the following year. 8. Antoine Semenyo - €72m (from Bournemouth, 2026) Antoine Semenyo made this list following his €72m move from Bournemouth in January 2026. The Ghana forward had enjoyed an eye-catching 2024-25 campaign with Andoni Iraola's side, but he snubbed significant interest in his signature by signing a new contract with the Cherries. However, Semenyo began the new season in red-hot form, and after 14 goal contributions in the first 20 Premier League matches of 2025-26, Man City fought off substantial competition to sign him for €72m during the winter transfer window. He won the Carabao Cup and FA Cup just a few months after his arrival. 7. Omar Marmoush - €75m (from Eintracht Frankfurt, 2025) Man City endured an uncharacteristically poor start to the 2024-25 campaign and decided to act in the January window, splashing more than €200m on new signings. The most expensive arrival - and indeed the club's biggest-ever January arrival - was Eintracht Frankfurt hotshot Omar Marmoush, who joined for a whopping €75m. The Egyptian had set the Bundesliga alight with 20 goals and 14 assists in just 27 appearances before moving to City. He started his career at the Etihad Stadium in similar fashion, but this didn't last. After playing second fiddle to Erling Haaland for a season, he was loaned to Tottenham with a €58m purchase obligation in the summer of 2026. 6. Kevin De Bruyne - €76m (from Wolfsburg, 2015) Signed the year before Guardiola arrived, Kevin De Bruyne joined Man City with the weight of the English press' criticism on his shoulders. After an underwhelming spell at Chelsea, in which he was never really given a fair shot, he then lit up the Bundesliga, and after signing for City, De Bruyne became one of the world's best players. The Belgian hit double-digits for trophies won, made over 350 appearances, and contributed to over 225 goals. De Bruyne is a Manchester City legend, and one of their greatest ever signings. It's hard to think that €76m could be a bargain, but De Bruyne proved that it's possible before his Bosman move to Napoli in 2025. 5. Josko Gvardiol - €90m (from RB Leipzig, 2023) Josko Gvardiol became the most expensive defender in football history when he joined Man City from Leipzig for €90m in the summer of 2023. Gvardiol had emerged as arguably the best young defender on the planet in the Bundesliga and was one of the stars at the 2022 World Cup as Croatia made