Most Expensive 18-year-olds Ever - Millions Before Starting to Shave

Three of the top 10 football's most expensive 18-year-olds ever got into this category in the summer of 2024. Four of them in the last two years, nine in the last 10 years, and all in this century. Suitably unsurprisingly to anyone who has ever glanced at the football market trends over the years. Yet, somehow, apart from the most recent three moves, the majority of the transfers look like good deals for the buying parties.

What is surprising to a degree is that nine of the 10 most expensive 18-year-olds grew up as native speakers of Portuguese or English. Only at number 12 on the list do we find the Italian-speaking (and gesticulating) Alessandro Bastoni. Of the top 20, 15 fall into the Anglophone and Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking world) areas.

#10 Renato Sanches in 2016 from Benfica to Bayern Munich for €35,000,000

Not the best start considering that we stated these most expensive 18-year-olds had a terrific track record. There's no denying it - the Golden Boy Award winner from 2016 has disappointed! Sure, he has trophies to his name thanks to his time with Bayern Munich, but he was never the key player in any major squad. Rarely the guaranteed starter. The sheer number of transfers speaks that much, as Sanches was loaned to Swansea, moved to Lille, then PSG, then loaned to Roma, and now back to Benfica.

Playing in 234 games - often for dominant clubs - and scoring only 14 goals and making 15 assists. Sanches played only 53 games for Bayern but technically won four Bundesliga titles, two German Cups, and three Supercups. Lille's Ligue 1 title in 2021 might seem like the shining light of the 27-year-old's career, but even then he played in only 23 matches, and at an average of 55 minutes per game.

#9 Wayne Rooney in 2004 from Everton to Manchester United for €37,000,000

Here it is. Arguably, the most well-worth it transfer ever. Sir Alex Ferguson was deemed mad for splurging the long-time record for a teenager, but Wayne Rooney paid it all back and then some. The date of the transfer has to be noted, as adjusted for inflation on the market, Wayne Rooney would certainly be the most expensive player on the list. In less complicated terms - his transfer happened 10 years before the next closest of the ones on this list!!!

Bought after 77 games for Everton, Rooney ended up playing in 559 games for Manchester United, scoring 253 goals and making 139 assists. Of course, tracking back (as a forward) and rhino-like pressing weren't measured back then, but were invaluable for Wazza’s contirbution. With five Premier League titles, Champions League trophy, Europa League trophy, four League Cups, four Community Shields, one FA and one FIFA Club World Cup - yeah, Fergie was right.

#8 Luke Shaw in 2014 from Southampton to Manchester United for €37,500,000

The next massive 18-year-old transfer after Rooney was Luke Shaw. And the left-back still played 37 games together with Rooney! To showcase the longevity of the versatile Rooney. Somehow, truly surprisingly, Luke Shaw managed to have longevity as well, despite the injuries, despite controversies and ridicule. Bought from Southampton after 67 games for the Saints, Shaw was one of the most expensive players in 2014, let alone a teenager.

However, Shaw has played only 275 games for MUFC in 10 years. In league alone, he could've had 100+ games more if not for the injuries. At the age of 29, he still has three years on his contract keeping him at Old Trafford. Hopefully, improving on his trophy haul of two League Cups, one European League, one FA Cup, and one Community Shield.

#7 Fabio Silva in 2020 from FC Porto to Wolverhampton Wanderers for €40,000,000

Smaller clubs have less of a margin for error than the giants. Bayern could’ve afford to not play Renato Sanches, and Wolverhampton had to field Fabio Silva, despite his abysmal return of five goals and six assists in 72 matches! The proclaimed next striker for Portugal hasn't even made his debut for the national team since his massive €40,000,000 deal.

What Silva has going for him is that he is olny 22 still, with loads of experience playing for big clubs across Europe. He was solid at Anderlecht scoring 11 goals and making four assists in 32 matches. But the issue is that he was worse in his next two loans for PSV and Rangers, scoring five for the Dutch side in 19 games, and six in Scotland across 25 matches. Yet this is also not a surprising development as Silva was signed by Wolves with only 21 games of senior football, in which he scored three goals.

#6 Vitor Roque in 2023 from Athletico-PR to FC Barcelona for €40,000,000

Last winter, Barcelona returned to the undying gold vein of Brazil. A source that gave the club Neymar - and consequently the biggest sale in the history of the sport. A route that was almost monopolized by their counterparts from the capital, as evidenced by further inclusions on the list. The centre-forward Vitor Roque isn't the most hyped Brazilian prospect now, he is on the second spot on this list.

Hence, even this Barca that is fielding three 17-year-olds in its starting lineup didn't hold on to the now 19-year-old this summer. A loan to Real Betis was arranged after Roque scored only two goals in the 16 matches he played for FCB so far. His record with Club Athletico Paranaense was amazing for a teen, with 28 goals and 11 assists in 81 matches. But the transition to Europe is a hard task, for every Ney, there are dozens of Reiniers.

#5 Archie Gray in 2024 from Leeds to Tottenham Hotspur for €41,250,000

Famously, Ben White cost Arsenal €58,500,000 having played only a single season of Premier League football. But the Gunners are looking back at that deal with a smirk. Tottenham Hotspur has made Archie Gray the most expensive English teenager in history after a season of Championship football. A total of 52 senior football appearances. White at least had over 150 total games amongst the big boys.

Gray made two assists in his matches for Leeds United but has already started gathering minutes for THFC. Even his international record is lacking, as he has only two games for England's U21. Yet, not a lot of critical noise has been raised around this move, as seemingly most recruitment teams wanted Gray, but Spurs offered the best conditions.

#4 Rodrygo in 2019 from Santos to Real Madrid for €45,000,000

Even before he played his total of 80 games for Santos, Real Madrid put an offer in place for Rodrygo. Now, at the age of only 23, the Brazilian right-wing player has 219 appearances for Real Madrid, with 55 goals and 42 assists! Rodrygo was immediately placed into action, he played only three games for Real Madrid Castilla!

His record for Santos wasn't stellar, with 17 goals and eight assists, and he was never in the limelight as much as the next person on the list - for the better - but he delivered. Winning all of the same trophies as his year older partner in crime.

#3 Vinicius Junior in 2018 from Flamengo to Real Madrid for €45,000,000

Paid the same sum of money as Rodrygo, just a year earlier, Vinicius Junior has had a bigger impact on the club with 83 goals and 77 assists in 267 matches. But he paid the heavier price and had a steeper road to his now stardom. As his then-teammate, Karim Benzema was caught on video saying that his teammates shouldn't pass him the ball because he was playing against them.

Vinicius arrived from Flamengo with his final tally at the club with 14 goals and five assists. With Real, he has a trophy haul of two Champions League titles, two Club World Cups, three La Ligas, UEFA Supercup, three Spanish Supercups, and one Copa del Rey.

#2 Endrick in 2024 from Palmeiras to Real Madrid for €47,500,000

Perhaps riding the hype of his two predecessors (at Real and on this list of most expensive 18-year-olds), Endrick has had the most hype out of all these players. In great part because of the maturity he seems to have - based on his statements. It seems that he won't have the growing pains that Vini had. Especially as he scored a goal in his first debut four minutes, helping the club win the UEFA Supercup.

With Palmeiras, he was twice the Champion of Brazil and once a Supercup winner, scoring 21 goals and making four assists in his 82 matches for the green-and-white side. The issue in front of Endrick is more logistical - as he will share the locker room - but rarely the pitch - with Kylian Mbappe.

#1 Leny Yoro in 2024 from LOSC Lille to Manchester United for €62,000,000

By Supporterhéninois - Own work, CC0, Link

It's still hard to believe that the most expensive 18-year-old ever isn't a flashy, agile centre-forward, born with a nose for goal and feet itching for dribbling. But considering that the buyer is Manchester United, it's not shocking. Leny Yoro played in 60 games for Lille, scoring three goals and making an assist as a CB.

But question marks are raised about this purchase, United's third on this list, as Yoro only has 13 international appearances for France in all categories. The list of the most expensive 18-year-olds will change quickly, but Yoro will have a big burden of expectations because of the massive fee forever.