A Brazil supporter kisses a replica of the world cup trophy before the Qatar 2022 World Cup quarter-final football match between Croatia and Brazil at Education City Stadium in Al-Rayyan, west of Doha, on December 9, 2022. (Photo by Adrian Dennis/AFP Photo)

An Ivorian supporter celebrates after winning at the end of the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2024 final football match between Ivory Coast and Nigeria at Alassane Ouattara Olympic Stadium in Ebimpe, Abidjan on February 11, 2024. (Photo by Sia Kambou/AFP Photo)

Manchester City's Norwegian striker #09 Erling Haaland reacts during the English FA Cup Quarter Final football match between Manchester City and Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on March 16, 2024. (Photo by Lee Smith/Action Images via Reuters)

Lyon's Ghanaian forward #37 Ernest Nuamah celebrates after scoring a goal during the French L1 football match between Olympique Lyonnais (OL) and Stade de Reims at The Groupama Stadium in Decines-Charpieu, central-eastern France on March 30, 2024. (Photo by Olivier Chassignole/AFP Photo)

Gianluigi Donnarumma of Italy shakes hands with Luka Modric of Croatia during the coin toss during the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between Croatia and Italy at Football Stadium Leipzig on June 24, 2024 in Leipzig, Germany. (Photo by Lee Smith/Reuters)

A Colombian fans cheers before the 2026 FIFA World Cup South American qualifiers football match between Colombia and Argentina, at the Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez stadium in Barranquilla, Colombia, on September 10, 2024. (Photo by Joaquín Sarmiento/AFP Photo)

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.

Football Soccer, England vs Wales, EURO 2016, Group B, Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens, France on June 16, 2016. Soccer fan Laura Woods from England fixes her makeup near riot police near the Lens stadium before the England vs Wales game. (Photo by Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters)