The 10 most expensive Portuguese players of all time

The 10 most expensive Portuguese players of all time Portugal have produced some of the biggest stars in football history, including Cristiano Ronaldo, who many consider to be the greatest player of all time. As a result, many Portuguese footballers have moved club teams for huge fees in the transfer market. Below, sources runs through the 10 most expensive Portuguese players of all time. 10. Pedro Neto - €60m (Wolves to Chelsea, 2024) Pedro Neto joined this list in 2024 when Chelsea paid €60m to sign him from Wolverhampton Wanderers. Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur were all linked with Neto, but Chelsea won the race for his signature amid a spending spree during Enzo Maresca’s first transfer window in charge. The quick winger had scored 14 goals in 135 games for Wolves and netted 19 times in his first two seasons at Stamford Bridge. 9. Matheus Nunes - €62m (Wolves to Man City, 2023) Matheus Nunes completed a shock move to Man City for €62m after a fairly underwhelming debut campaign at Wolves. He arrived at Molineux with huge expectations following an immense spell at Sporting CP, in which he was named as one of the world’s best players by Pep Guardiola, and Man City subsequently opted to spend over €60m to sign him in 2023. Nunes made just seven Premier League starts during his first season at Man City, with the midfielder restricted to a rotation role. However, he eventually broke into the team and established himself as a makeshift right-back under Guardiola. 8. Bruno Fernandes - €65m (Sporting to Man Utd, 2020) Bruno Fernandes spent two-and-a-half years at Sporting CP and he established himself as one of Europe’s best attacking midfielders during his time in Lisbon. Fernandes notched more than 110 goal contributions in just 137 games for Sporting, and this convinced to spend €65m to bring him to Old Trafford in January 2020. The Portuguese star was subsequently named club captain in July 2023. In 2026, Fernandes was named Premier League Player of the Year and set a new assist record in the English top flight. 7. Goncalo Ramos - €65m (Benfica to PSG, 2024) Interest in Goncalo Ramos’ services broadcasterrocketed following his form at the 2022 World Cup, in which he displaced Cristiano Ronaldo as Portugal's starting forward, and Paris Saint-Germain agreed to sign him on loan in 2023. He netted 14 goals in all competitions during the 2023-24 campaign and the deal was made permanent for €65m. Ramos departed Benfica with 41 goals in 106 first-team matches. 6. Joao Cancelo - €65m (Juventus to Man City, 2019) A Benfica academy graduate, Joao Cancelo spent time at Valencia, Inter Milan and Juventus before joining Manchester City for €65m in 2019. He reinvented himself as an inverted full-back under Pep Guardiola and played a key role as the Etihad side continued to stamp their authority on English football. However, the defender fell out with Guardiola after the 2022 World Cup and following loan spells at Bayern Munich and , Cancelo joined Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Hilal on a permanent deal in August 2024. 5. Joao Neves - €65.9m (Benfica to PSG, 2024) Benfica academy product Joao Neves burst onto the scene in 2023 and quickly established himself as one of the biggest midfield prospects in European football. Man Utd were one of his earliest admirers, but he was ultimately considered too expensive and ended up moving to PSG for €65.9m in 2024 instead. It proved to be a match made in heaven. Neves formed a ridiculous midfield partnership with compatriot Vitinha in Paris and the pair were crucial as PSG won back-to-back Champions Leagues in 2025 and 2026. 4. Ruben Dias - €71.6m (Benfica to Man City, 2020) Ruben Dias became Man City’s second-most expensive signing in history when he joined the club in 2020, with Pep Guardiola identifying the right-footed centre-back he was after. Nicolas Otamendi moved in the opposite direction, with Dias finally completing a switch to Man City following several years of interest. He departed Benfica with 137 first-team appearances to his name and he helped Man City win their first-ever Champions League trophy in 2022. 3. Cristiano Ronaldo - €94m (Man Utd to Real Madrid, 2009) Cristiano Ronaldo set a new transfer record when paid €94m to sign him from Man Utd in 2009. He had won the Ballon d’Or in 2008 and Los Blancos finally finalised the deal one year later, with Ronaldo leaving Man Utd having won nine trophies during his first spell at Ol