The most expensive buy-backs in football history

It can often be a source of pride when a club re-signs a player who they consider one of their own, however such a move can come at a great cost, as these examples show.

Paul Pogba to Manchester United (120 millon euros)Not only will Paul Pogba be costing Manchester United 120m euros, but the French midfielder managed to leave the Lancashire club on a free transfer back in 2012. Since then, he’s set Italy alight with consistently strong performances for Juventus, and has set a high bar for himself in his Premier League homecoming.

Nicolas Anelka to Paris Saint-Germain (33.8m euros)Impressively, few have ever demanded such an amount in transfer fees as striker Nicolas Anelka did in his recently-ended career. Back in 1997 Paris Saint-Germain sold Anelka to Arsenal for just 700,00 euros, but paid Real Madrid almost 50 times that when re-signing the attacker three years later.

Mats Hummels to Bayern de Munich (30.8m euros) In allowing Mats Hummels to join Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund for just 4.2m euros in 2011, Bayern Munich probably didn’t foresee them having to spend 35m to bring the defender back to Bavaria some five years afterwards.

Cesc Fàbregas to Barcelona (30.8m euros)As part of an esteemed generation of La Masia graduates, a teenage Cesc Fabregas was plucked by Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal for just 3.2m euros. After eight years in North London, the Blaugrana enacted a clause to bring the midfielder home for 34m euros, although they would later sell Fabregas to Chelsea for 33m euros.

Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea?Reports persist that Romelu Lukaku will return to Chelsea after three years at Everton, one of which were on loan, the Toffees having paid 35m euros for the Belgian. Indeed, the Blues are rumoured to be ready to pay 80m euros for his services, an incredible number given the 12m euros also spent on him as an Anderlecht player back in 2011.