In soccer, Argentina is synonymous with pride, talent, and triumph. From Diego Armando Maradona to Lionel Messi, the country has produced many a gem over the years, impacting the world’s game in a way that very few countries have. La Albiceleste, which has won two Copas America and a FIFA World Cup in the last three years, has not stopped churning out world-class talents, with Julian Alvarez and Co. proudly carrying on the tradition of excellence.
Understandably, Argentine players have always created a lot of buzz in the transfer market, with teams lining up to play jaw-dropping fees for their services. Today, we will take a look at the top five Argentina stars who have racked up millions in transfer fees. Continue reading to meet the five most expensive Argentinians in history.
#5 Lisandro Martinez – €57.4 million ($62.78 million)
Shortly after becoming Manchester United’s manager in the summer of 2022, Erik ten Hag pushed the club to bring in Lisandro Martinez from his former club Ajax. The center-back had proven his mettle in the Netherlands, scoring six times in 120 games across three seasons and helping them to two consecutive Eredivisie titles in 2020-21 and 2021-22. Naturally, Ajax did not let him go for cheap, securing €57.4 million ($62.78 million) in transfer fees for his services.
Martinez emerged as one of Manchester United’s best players in his debut season, scoring once in 45 games and helping them to a third-place finish. The 2023-24 season, however, was a disappointment, as he missed the majority of the season due to a foot injury. Luckily for United, he proved his fitness ahead of the FA Cup final against Manchester City and helped the Red Devils to a 2-1 win.
#4 Angel Di Maria – €75 million ($82.03 million)
Angel Di Maria enjoyed a blockbuster four-season stay at Real Madrid between 2010 and 2014. Joining from Benfica for €33 million ($36.09 million), Di Maria settled in effortlessly in the Spanish capital, becoming one of the first names on Jose Mourinho’s team sheet. During his stay, he helped the Whites to a La Liga title, a Copa del Rey, and their coveted 10th UEFA Champions League trophy, aka “La Decima.” The Argentine was Man of the Match in the UCL final against Atletico Madrid.
Just a couple of months after lifting the Champions League trophy with Real Madrid, Di Maria joined Manchester United in a mega €75 million ($82.03 million) move. It came as a shock to most Real Madrid fans, as they expected the Argentina icon to at least see out his contract.
Di Maria hit the ground running at Old Trafford. However, he eventually fell out with then-manager Louis van Gaal and exited the club only a year after joining. Having scored four times and claiming 11 assists in 32 games, the 36-year-old signed for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in a €63 million ($68.91 million) move.
Note: Di Maria’s transfer fee to PSG was higher than Martinez’s. However, since we wanted to include five individuals, we avoided repetition.
#3 Julian Alvarez – €75 million ($82.03 million)
The latest Argentine to crack the list, Julian Alvarez has sealed a mega €75 million ($82.03 million) switch from Manchester City to Atletico Madrid. The deal could cross $100 million if all the add-ons come into play in the coming seasons.
Manchester City signed Alvarez from River Plate for a €21.4 million ($23.41 million) fee in January 2022. City kept him at River Plate for the remainder of the 2021-22 season, officially integrating him in July 2022. Alvarez popped up with impressive performances almost every time he came on, but he could not become the team’s first-choice center-forward, not with Erling Haaland smashing records left, right, and center.
So, after scoring 36 goals in 103 games and winning two Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League trophy with the Cityzens, Martinez has joined Atletico in search of regular minutes. According to reports, Atleti boss Diego Simeone is a big fan of the player. So, the Argentina attacker should not have trouble racking up regular minutes in the Spanish capital.
#2 Gonzalo Higuain – €90 million ($98.44 million)
One of the most underrated strikers of the 21st century, Gonzalo Higuain sealed a massive €90 million ($98.44 million) move from Napoli to Juventus in the summer of 2016. The former Real Madrid man earned that big-money switch thanks to his exploits in Naples.
He was in blistering form for Napoli between 2013-14 and 2015-16, scoring 91 goals and providing 26 assists in 146 appearances across competitions. In the 2015-16 season, Higuain scored a jaw-dropping 36 goals in 35 Serie A appearances.
Higuain enjoyed two fine seasons at Juventus, scoring 55 goals across competitions. However, Cristiano Ronaldo’s arrival in the summer of 2018 pushed him down the pecking order. The former Argentina international spent the 2018-19 season out on loan before returning to Turin for one last dance in 2019-20. In September 2020, Higuain left Europe, joining Major League Soccer side Inter Miami. He retired from the sport in January 2023.
#1 Enzo Fernandez – €121 million ($132.35 million)
At the summit sits Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez, who joined the Pensioners for a record €121 million ($132.35 million) fee from Benfica in January 2023. Fernandez joined Chelsea on the back of Argentina’s triumph at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The central midfielder delivered eye-catching performances throughout the tournament in Qatar to take his team to the coveted trophy.
Fernandez claimed two assists in 22 appearances for the Blues across competitions in the 2022-23 season. In his first full season, he chipped in with seven goals and three assists in 40 matches in all tournaments. It will be interesting to see how new manager Enzo Maresca goes about getting the most out of the supremely talented midfielder.
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