From Ronaldo to Osimhen: Top seven most expensive transfers in Serie A history

Once the undisputed pinnacle of world football in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Serie A remains a fiercely competitive league, even if it has lost some of its former dominance. Juventus’s reign in the 2010s is over, leading to a more balanced and exciting title race each season.

While Serie A clubs may not possess the same financial might as their Premier League counterparts, they have still invested heavily in new players throughout the years. Transfer fees across global football have skyrocketed in the last decade, and many of the biggest Serie A signings occurred during this period.

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The league continues to attract world-class talent, ensuring that Serie A remains a prestigious and compelling competition.

Here are the top seven most expensive transfers in Serie A history, according to data from FootballTransfers.

Cristiano Ronaldo – €117m (Real Madrid to Juventus, 2018)

Juventus made a major splash by signing Cristiano Ronaldo after the 2018 World Cup. Despite scoring 101 goals, he couldn’t deliver Champions League glory and returned to Manchester United in 2021.

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Gonzalo Higuain – €90m (Napoli to Juventus, 2016)

After a prolific final season at Napoli, Higuain’s €90m move to Juventus made him the second most expensive player in Serie A history at the time. While a consistent goalscorer, he never replicated his Napoli form and was later loaned out before joining Inter Miami.

Matthijs de Ligt – €85.5m (Ajax to Juventus, 2019)

Juventus won the race for the highly sought-after de Ligt. Although he showed promise, he didn’t fully meet expectations and was sold to Bayern Munich in 2022.

Dusan Vlahovic – €83.5m (Fiorentina to Juventus, 2022)

Juventus secured Vlahovic amidst strong competition. Despite a decent scoring record, he hasn’t fully lived up to the hype and is likely to leave Juventus in the summer of 2025.

Arthur Melo – €80.6m (Barcelona to Juventus, 2020)

Part of a swap deal with Miralem Pjanic, Arthur‘s time at Juventus was plagued by form and fitness issues. He was loaned to Liverpool, Fiorentina, and Girona with limited success.

Victor Osimhen – €77.5m (Lille to Napoli, 2020)

Napoli’s record-breaking signing of Osimhen was initially hampered by injuries. However, he returned to full fitness and led Napoli to their first Scudetto in 33 years. After links to various clubs, he joined Galatasaray on loan in 2024.

Romelu Lukaku – €74m (Man United to Inter Milan, 2019)

After a difficult spell at Manchester United, Lukaku thrived under Antonio Conte at Inter. He scored prolifically and helped Inter win the Scudetto. He then returned to Chelsea for a much higher fee (€113m) before returning to Inter on loan.