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.

Alexa Grasso, left, is hit by Valentina Shevchenko during a UFC 285 mixed martial arts flyweight title bout Saturday, March 4, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Photo by David Becker/AP Photo)

Japan fans pose for a photo outside the ground ahead of the Rugby World Cup 2023, Pool D match at the Stade De Nice, France on Sunday, September 17, 2023. (Photo by Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty Images)

Russia's Andrey Rublev reacts against Australia's Alex De Minaur during their men's singles match on day eight of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 21, 2024. (Photo by Martin Keep/AFP Photo)

Serena Williams awaits a return with partner Venus Williams (not pictured) of the United States against Lucie Hradecka and Linda Noskova of Czech Republic during the Women’s Doubles First Round match on Day Four of the 2022 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 01, 2022 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

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A portrait of Eric Abidal of Lyon prior to the UEFA Champions League Group D match between Olympique Lyonnais and Manchester United at the Municipal de Garland Stadium on September 15, 2004 in Lyon, France.

Space Shuttle Discovery leaves the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) on its way to the Orbiter Processing Facility at Kennedy Space Center August 11, 2011 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Space Shuttles Endeavour and Discovery switched buildings as they are being decommissioned with the end of the Shuttle program. (Photo by Roberto Gonzalez/Getty Images)