Pep Guardiola’s 11 Most Expensive Signings Ever (Ranked)

It’s no secret that Pep Guardiola is one of the greatest coaches of all time. Debates as to whether he is the greatest abound on the internet, but it is impossible to deny that the influence the Catalan has had – and continues to have – on the way football is played is beyond dispute.

Indeed, it is not without reason that he is often cited by his peers when they talk about their inspirations. From his early days on the Barcelona bench to his dominance of the Premier League and his performances in the Bundesliga, the former midfielder has won everything in his career.

These successes have been achieved thanks to a meticulous tactical approach and players capable of implementing every one of his demands. Many of the latter have been bought at a high price, so that he can build a squad that is ever more in tune with his ideas for the game. To get a better idea, here is a list of the 11 most expensive signings of Guardiola’s career.

11

Erling Haaland

Transfer fee: £52m (from Borussia Dortmund to Manchester City)

Erling Haaland is perhaps Manchester City’s most fruitful signing of recent years. With a reputation as a cold-blooded goalscorer at all his previous clubs, the Norwegian left Borussia Dortmund for Manchester City at the start of the summer of 2022. And to say that his introduction to English football has had the impact of an earthquake is in no way an exaggeration.

After scoring a record 36 goals in 35 Premier League appearances in his first season, the centre-forward went on to score a staggering 27 goals in 31 games in his second. Winner of the 2023 Champions League after another phenomenal campaign (12 goals in 11 games), the 24-year-old has certainly not finished terrorising opposing defences – and could try to break some records that no one imagine to be broken.

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10

Matheus Nunes

Transfer fee: £53m (from Wolverhampton Wanderers to Manchester City)

Matheus Nunes has the particular distinction of having been the most expensive recruit in Wolverhampton Wanderers’ history (£38m, now surpassed by Matheus Cunha, bought for the sum of £44m) and of being their biggest sale.

Having arrived at Wolves in the summer of 2022 from Sporting CP, the Portuguese midfielder soon caught the eye of Guardiola, who had no hesitation in convincing his management to spend £53m to secure his services a year later. It was a costly deal for a player who was facing stiff competition in his first season at the Etihad Stadium, having made just 19 Premier League appearances – and nine starts – in the 2023/24 campaign.

9

Jeremy Doku

Transfer fee: £55.5m (from Stade Rennais to Manchester City)

It was a profile that seemed to be sorely lacking at Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. A fast, twirling and provocative winger, Jeremy Doku immediately impressed his Catalan coach. ‘The way he played today, I don’t remember anything like that since a long time ago,’ he even said after a match against West Ham in early September 2023.

Not always a starter (20 in all competitions), the 22-year-old Belgian nonetheless made 43 appearances for the Skyblues in his first season in England, posting a more than promising record of six goals and 10 assists, while posing a constant threat to opposing defences in every one of his appearances.

8

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Transfer fee: £56.5m (from Inter Milan to Barcelona)

Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s transfer to Barcelona is undoubtedly one of the most sensational in history. For the simple reason that the Swedish striker was not the only player involved. In fact, it was part of an XXL swap deal with Samuel Eto’o, who had shone with the Catalans the previous season and headed for Internazionale, along with a fee of £56.5m.

It was an epoch-making deal with far-reaching repercussions, with the Italians knocking out the Spanish side in the quarter-finals of the 2009/10 Champions League just a few months later. Ironically, Eto’o scored a second hat-trick in a row, while Ibrahimovic had a more complicated season.

7

Aymeric Laporte

Transfer fee: £57.2m (from Athletic Club to Manchester City)

A defender with a versatile profile, Aymeric Laporte left Athletic Club in January 2018 to become the then most expensive recruit in Manchester City’s history (as well as the biggest sale in Bilbao’s history), who blew up his £57.2m release clause.

After winning the English league title six months after arriving in the UK, the now Spanish international went on to win five more with the Skyblues, as well as a Champions League, a European Super Cup and eight domestic trophies. Transferred to Al-Nassr in the summer of 2023, he made a total of 180 appearances under Pep Guardiola, scoring 12 goals and providing four assists.

6

Joao Cancelo

Transfer fee: £60m (from Juve to Manchester City)

Having trained at SL Benfica and played for Valencia and Inter Milan, Joao Cancelo joined Juventus in July 2018 and quickly made a name for himself. So much so that a season later, Manchester City decided to spare no expense in acquiring the services of the Portuguese attacking full-back. In August 2019, he left Italy for England in a £60m deal (£27.4 + Danilo’s transfer to the Vecchia Signora), an all-time record for a right-back.

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Although he struggled to make an impact in his first year, he became an indisputable force in the following years. His versatility appealed to Guardiola, who used him as an inside midfielder when his team were in possession of the ball to ensure better control. Unfortunately, the relationship between the two men cooled and the Portuguese became undesirable in the eyes of his coach, who let him go out on loan to Bayern Munich and then Barcelona.

5

Riyad Mahrez

Transfer fee: £60m (from Leicester City to Manchester City)

Riyad Mahrez was a key figure in Leicester’s improbable bid to win the Premier League title in 2015/16, when he was also introduced into the prestigious PFA Player of the Year list, before joining Manchester City in the summer of 2018. The £60m deal was the biggest transfer in the Skyblues’ history.

Not always a first-team starter during his first few seasons at the Etihad Stadium, the Algerian has gradually established himself as a world-class right-winger. After making 134 decisive appearances in 236 games for the Cityzens, the player trained in Le Havre, France, went on to win – among other honours – four Premier League titles (he is the most successful African player in the history of the English league), a Champions League and two FA Cups.

4

Rodri

Transfer fee: £62.5m (from Atletico Madrid to Manchester City)

As is the case with many of the players currently plying their trade at Manchester City, Rodri is one of the world’s leading lights in his position. A veritable control tower and metronome of the Manchester City midfield, the former Atletico Madrid player is quite simply considered the best sentinel on the planet.

It’s a role he knows how to exceed when the need arises, as he has a remarkable ability to project. The proof is in his many vital goals at the end of important matches, including the one that gave Manchester City the first Champions League title in their history in 2023.

3

Ruben Dias

Transfer fee: £65m (from SL Benfica to Manchester City)

Ruben Dias rose to prominence at his hometown club SL Benfica before joining Manchester City in 2020 for a fee approaching £65m. The Portuguese quickly established himself as one of the Premier League’s leading defenders.

So much so that he was named FWA Footballer of the Year, Manchester City’s Player of the Year and Premier League Player of the Season at the end of the 2020/21 season, his first under his new colours. Three years later, at the age of 27, he is now one of the best centre-backs in the world and has played a major role in the Skyblues’ various title wins in recent seasons.

2

Josko Gvardiol

Transfer fee: £77.6m (from RB Leipzig to Manchester City)

History will remember that for one week, before Moises Caicedo signed for Chelsea, Josko Gvardiol held the record for the most expensive transfer in Premier League history for an U21 player. Having made his name with RB Leipzig, the Croatian defender joined Manchester City in August 2023 for the sum of £77.6.

A colossal investment for one of the hottest young players on the planet. Used 42 times in all competitions in his first season in England, the Zagreb-born defender has carved out a place for himself in a crowded squad and proved decisive at certain key moments during the season.

1

Jack Grealish

Transfer fee: £100m (from Aston Villa to Manchester City)

One of the most expensive transfers in the history of the Premier League (£100m), Jack Grealish holds the record as Manchester City’s most lucrative signing. Recruited from Aston Villa in the summer of 2021, the left winger has never really managed to win over the observers.

After struggling in his first season, he enjoyed a much more encouraging campaign in 2022/23, before disappointing again in the final campaign. His inconsistent performances also contributed to a decline in his playing time, with him making just 10 starts in the Skyblues’ entire 2023/24 campaign. Not selected to take part in Euro 2024, he will no doubt be keen to remind the world of the talent he possesses.

All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt. Correct as of 21st of July 2024.