12 Most Expensive Transfers In Premier League History

Lets face it, there's too much money in football. It makes us mere mortals gawp in jealousy when we hear how much a player is pocketing per week, or how much it cost just for them to kick a football around somewhere different to where they used to. It's getting beyond ridiculous, but the Premier League is only getting richer. Bumper sponsorship deals, extortionate ticket prices, the mind-boggling figures television broadcasters will pay to show live matches - it all contributes. In turn, this means that England's top clubs have the financial muscle to splurge preposterous amounts of money on some of the biggest stars in the game. That's not to say clubs get it right every time - £35 million for Andy Carroll is completely insane, and we're looking at you Liverpool - but even the players with proven track records can end up wilting under the pressure of a big money move. Since the turn of the century, football transfers have gotten a little out of hand. But it's only been in the last month that the British transfer record has been broken once more. Manchester United's huge summer of spending saw a certain Argentinian maestro become the newly crowned 'most expensive player in British football'. You'll likely know who it is already - provided you haven't been living under a rock or roaming the jungles of the Philippines - but here's the eleven to precede the main man to get you started.

12. Eliaquim Mangala - FC Porto To Manchester (£32 Million)

French centre half Eliaquim Mangala was signed earlier this summer by Premier League champions Manchester City, seemingly as the answer to Manuel Pellegrini's problem of who partners Vincent Kompany in the centre of defence. Mangala comes to the Premier League with a big reputation, typically shown to be a physically strong presence boasting excellent acceleration and tactical awareness. His Champions League and international experience make him one of the brightest young defenders in Europe, but Porto demanded that City pay a quite handsome fee to sign the player. Time will tell if he's the answer to Manchester City's defensive issues. However, he wouldn't have to do much wrong to better the performances of a certain Martin Demichelis, who has been amongst the most uncertain and shaky defenders to win a Premier League title in recent history.