English football fans will be well aware what the transfer market does to home grown players’ valuations.
For the last few years we’ve had to become fairly accustomed to truly ridiculous fees being thrown around for fairly average players.
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And Kyle Walker’s £54m move to Manchester City this summer officially tops the lot after the right back became the most expensive English player and defender of all time.
But who would make up an XI of the priciest English players of all time?
We’ve gone for a rather in vogue 3-4-3 formation…
Goalkeeper – Jordan Pickford (£30m)
Pickford’s performances for Sunderland last season weren’t quite good enough to keep the Black Cats in the Premier League, but he did enough to convince Everton to splash a sizeable amount on him last month.
Right centre-back – John Stones (£47.5m)
One of Manchester City’s many expensive defensive signings in the last few years, Stones swapped Everton for Manchester to join the Pep Guardiola revolution last summer.
Centre-back – Rio Ferdinand (£30m)
Ferdinand controversially swapped one United for another in 2002 when he left Leeds for Manchester, going onto win six Premier League winner’s medals.
Left centre-back – Michael Keane (£30m)
Keane’s solitary Premier League season with Burnley last campaign really caught the eye of more elite suitors, and Everton again were there to snap him up earlier in July.
Right wing-back – Kyle Walker (£54m)
Walker’s astronomical move to Manchester City this month sent shockwaves around the Premier League, particularly considering he didn’t even start for Tottenham at the back end of last season
Central-midfield – Adam Lallana (£25m)
Lallana was the first to take the now well trodden path from Southampton to Liverpool back in 2014 and he’s now a key cog in Jurgen Klopp’s side.
Central-midfield – James Milner (£26m)
Despite being fielded more as a left back in recent times at Liverpool, Milner slots into midfield in our team because of his consistent displays there for Manchester City after his move from Aston Villa in 2010.
Left-wing back – Luke Shaw (£30m)
Shaw’s career has never really got going after leaving Southampton for Manchester United in 2014, particularly after an horrific leg break against PSV in the Champions League in September 2015.
Attacking midfield – Raheem Sterling (£49m)
Previously the incumbent of the country’s most expensive transfer before Walker joined him at City, Sterling is an important part of Guardiola’s vibrant attacking set up after leaving Liverpool in 2015.
Attacking midfield – Wayne Rooney (£30m)
Rooney has since returned to Everton but his decision to flee the nest for Manchester United in 2014 was more than vindicated, winning five Premier League titles and becoming the Red Devils’ record goal scorer in the process.
Striker – Andy Carroll (£35m)
Somehow remains Liverpool’s record signing after his move in January 2011, Carroll’s career has been blighted by injuries following a torrid time at Anfield.
TOTAL EXPENDITURE: £386.5m