The 10 most expensive Bundesliga transfers of all time

Cameron Smith

• 3 Oct 2024 13:00 CDT
• 5 min read

The Bundesliga has been dominated by Bayern Munich over the past decade and it’s therefore not a surprise that the Bavarian giants typically spend the largest amount on new players.

Bayern won 11 consecutive titles from 2013 to 2023, with the club splashing far more than the likes of Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen. As a result, they are responsible for nine of the 10 most expensive Bundesliga signings in history.

Below, FootballTransfers runs through the 10 most expensive Bundesliga transfers of all time.

READ MORE: The 10 most expensive Premier League transfers of all time

10. Corentin Tolisso - €41.5m (Lyon to Bayern, 2017)

Corentin Tolisso became Bayern’s all-time record signing when he joined the club for €41.5 million in 2017, but his time at the Allianz Arena didn’t go as planned.

The Frenchman suffered multiple injury problems and he was only able to make 118 Bayern appearances during a five-year spell in Bavaria. He re-joined Lyon on a free transfer in 2022.

READ MORE: The 10 most expensive La Liga transfers of all time

9. Dayot Upamecano - €42.5m (RB Leipzig to Bayern, 2021)

Bayern needed defensive reinforcements after the departures of David Alaba, Javi Martinez and Jerome Boateng in 2021, and they opted to sign RB Leipzig star Dayot Upamecano for €42.5m to bolster their backline.

The Frenchman was widely considered as one of the top young defenders in European football at the time and Bayern fought off competition from Chelsea and Liverpool to sign him.

8. Julian Draxler - €43m (Schalke to Wolfsburg, 2015)

Julian Draxler is the only non-Bayern signing on this list. The German surprisingly swapped Schalke for Wolfsburg in 2015 and, in the process, he became the most expensive Bundesliga player in history at the time.

However, Draxler was slightly underwhelming at Wolfsburg, contributing just 18 goals and assists in 45 games, and he left to join Paris Saint-Germain after just 18 months.

7. Leroy Sane - €49m (Man City to Bayern, 2020)

Leroy Sane was eager to join Bayern in 2019, but an ACL injury ruined his chances of securing a move back to Germany until the following year.

He finally arrived in Bavaria in 2020, with the move signalling the end of a hugely successful four-year stint at Manchester City. In total, Sane made 135 appearances for the Premier League giants, scoring 39 goals and winning seven major trophies.

6. Kim Min-jae - €50m (Napoli to Bayern, 2023)

Kim Min-jae emerged as one of the world’s top defenders during his one-season stay at Napoli, with the South Korea international helping the Serie A giants win the Scudetto for the first time in 33 years.

He earned a €50m move to Bayern off the back of his success in Naples, becoming the most expensive Asian player of all time.

5. Joao Palhinha - €51m (Fulham to Bayern, 2024)

Joao Palhinha was on the verge of joining Bayern on Transfer Deadline Day in 2023, but the move collapsed at the last minute and he was forced to remain at Fulham for another year instead.

The deal was finally completed in July 2024, with Palhinha leaving Craven Cottage having made 79 appearances for the club.

4. Michael Olise - €53m (Crystal Palace to Bayern, 2024)

Michael Olise seemed destined to join Chelsea in both 2023 and 2024, however the Blues fluffed their lines with the deal and Bayern swooped with a €53m bid, which was promptly accepted by Crystal Palace.

The France winger scored 10 goals and provided six assists in 19 games during his final Premier League season and he left Selhurst Park after three seasons with the club.

3. Matthijs de Ligt - €67m (Juventus to Bayern, 2022)

The third-most expensive Bundesliga signing of all time is Matthijs de Ligt, courtesy of his €67m move from Juventus to Bayern in 2022.

The Dutch centre-back spent two years at the Allianz Arena, winning one Bundesliga title, before linking back up with Erik ten Hag at Manchester United.

2. Lucas Hernandez - €80m (Atletico Madrid to Bayern, 2019)

Lucas Hernandez surprisingly became Bayern’s record signing when he joined the club from Atletico Madrid in 2019, with the Frenchman costing a whopping €80m.

He spent four years at Bayern, but injuries restricted him to just 107 appearances in total and he moved to PSG for €45m in 2023.

1. Harry Kane - €95m (Tottenham to Bayern, 2023)

Bayern spent €95m on Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane in 2023, with the German giants beating Man Utd to his signature.

In the process, Kane set a new Bundesliga transfer record, and he repaid Bayern’s investment by scoring 44 goals in his debut campaign at the club.

The 10 most expensive Bundesliga signings of all time