The 10 most expensive Uruguayan players of all time

Cameron Smith

• 30 Aug 2024 22:04 BST
• 5 min read

Uruguay have immense pedigree as a footballing nation and they boast some of the greatest players in the sport’s history.

Many of those stars have transferred clubs for huge fees in recent years.

Below, FootballTransfers runs through the 10 most expensive Uruguayan players of all time.

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10. Matias Vecino - €24m (Fiorentina to Inter, 2017)

After two impressive seasons at Fiorentina, Matias Vecino joined Inter Milan for €24m in 2017 and he immediately became an important player for the Nerazzurri.

However, he racked up just 364 minutes of league action during Inter’s 2021-22 Serie A winning season and after five years at San Siro, he left the club to join Lazio on a free transfer that summer.

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9. Manuel Ugarte - €24.5m (Famalicao to Sporting, 2021)

Manuel Ugarte’s first inclusion in this top 10 is due to his €24.5m transfer from Famalicao to Sporting CP in 2021.

The Uruguay midfielder had only spent six months at Famalicao, following a €9.1m move from CA Fenix in January, but Sporting had seen enough to purchase him after less than a year in Portugal.

8. Luis Suarez - €26.5m (Ajax to Liverpool, 2011)

Luis Suarez features in seventh place thanks to his move to Liverpool in 2011. The Uruguay legend joined the Anfield outfit for €26.5m from Ajax and was an instant hit in the Premier League.

Suarez proved to be an absolute bargain and he eventually left Liverpool with 82 goals in 133 games for the club.

7. Lucas Torreira - €28.7m (Sampdoria to Arsenal, 2018)

Lucas Torreira was one of Serie A’s standout midfielders at Sampdoria and his form in Italy convinced Arsenal to pay €28.7m for his services in 2018.

The Uruguayan spent six years on Arsenal’s books, making 89 appearances in total, but his final two campaigns with the Gunners were spent on loan with Atletico Madrid and Fiorentina.

Torreira joined Galatasaray for €6m in 2022.

6. Darwin Nunez - €34m (Almeria to Benfica, 2020

Darwin Nunez only spent one season with UD Almeria, but he notched 16 goals in the second tier of Spanish football and Benfica decided to pay €34m to sign him in 2020.

Almeria turned a tidy €24m profit as a result, while Nunez went on to score 48 goals in 85 games for Benfica.

5. Manuel Ugarte - €50m (PSG to Man Utd, 2024)

Ugarte again features, this time at number five - and it won't be the last time. The midfielder moved from PSG to Man Utd after just a year in Paris after the Red Devils had chased him for the entirety of the 2024 summer window.

Ugarte ultimately joined on a deal that saw them pay €50m guaranteed and €10m in add-ons to help PSG recoup their original outlay.

4. Manuel Ugarte - €60m (Sporting to PSG, 2023)

The aforementioned Ugarte is also the fourth-most expensive Uruguayan player of all time. After two years at Sporting CP, he joined Paris Saint-Germain for €60m in 2023.

Ugarte had been linked with a move to Chelsea, but he opted to seal a Ligue 1 move instead, and he made 37 appearances during his debut campaign at the Parc des Princes before departing for Man Utd.

3. Edinson Cavani - €64.5m (Napoli to PSG, 2013)

Edinson Cavani sits in third place courtesy of joining PSG for €64.5m in 2013. The Uruguayan legend was a cult hero at Napoli, but he left the Serie A giants to join the PSG project.

Cavani was PSG’s all-time record goalscorer, with 200 strikes, until Kylian Mbappe broke his record in March 2023. He left the club to join Manchester United in 2020.

2. Luis Suarez - €81.7m (Liverpool to Barcelona, 2014)

Suarez was the most expensive Uruguayan player for some time, but he is now second on this list.

He left Liverpool to join Barcelona for €81.7m in 2014. Suarez’s career at Camp Nou was delayed due to a ban after biting Giorgio Chiellini at the 2014 World Cup, but he immediately hit the ground running once he was able to play.

Suarez won 13 trophies and scored 195 goals during a hugely impressive six-year stint at Barca.

1. Darwin Nunez - €85m (Benfica to Liverpool, 2022)

Darwin Nunez is the most expensive Uruguayan player of all time. After a successful two years at Benfica, which included him netting 34 goals in his final campaign, he joined Liverpool in 2022.

The Reds paid a whopping €85m to sign him, with Benfica holding out for a massive fee.

Nunez scored 15 times during his debut season at Anfield.

The 10 most expensive Uruguayan soccer players of all time