Football transfers are not cheap. To have a player strengthen their ranks, teams are willing to pay big money. The football transfer considered to be the most expensive in the sport's history was that of Gareth Bale leaving Tottenham to play at Real Madrid. The Spanish club paid not less than £86 million (about $133 million at today's exchange rates) to have the player among its own. But recent news suggest that this record might be broken this year. According to reports in the media, UK Premier League team Manchester United is willing to almost double that amount.

Sinaida Omondi of Team Kenya breaks away from Alena Tiron of Team ROC in the Women’s pool A match between Team ROC and Team Kenya during the Rugby Sevens on day six of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Tokyo Stadium on July 29, 2021 in Chofu, Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Team China performs during the team free routine artistic swimming competition at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Sunday, October 8, 2023. (Photo by Aaron Favila/AP Photo)

A member of team Japan performs during the women's team free final at the FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary on June 24, 2022. (Photo by Marton Monus/Reuters)

Members of team China perform during the Artistic Swimming Team Free Final at the FINA Swimming World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, 19 July 2019. (Photo by Antonio Bat/EPA/EFE/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

Hotel staff practice self-defence skills after a training session given by team member of Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team, in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, April 7, 2016. (Photo by Reuters/Stringer)

Groupama Sailing Team, skippered by Franck Cammas of France during leg 1 of the Volvo Ocean Race to Cape Town on November 6, 2011. (Photo by Yann Riou/Groupama Sailing Team/Volvo Ocean Race via Getty Images)

Midfielder Lindsey Horan (9) of Team United States and midfielder Kosovare Asllani (9) of Team Sweden go up for a header during the first round of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Tokyo Stadium on Wednesday, July 21. 2021. Sweden defeated the United States of America 3-0. (Photo by Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post)