Top 10 Manchester City most expensive departures ever – Manchester City Highest transfer fees received
Manchester City most expensive departures ever? Manchester City’s most expensive departures of 2025? Manchester City have signed some great players in the past but they have also sold some great players too. Watch & Bet Here =>
So who makes the Manchester City most expensive departures list? Well, read more to find out! There are some surprising names on the list!
Top 10 Manchester City most expensive departures ever?
Manchester City’s highest transfer fee received ever? Which player has made Manchester City the most amount of money in their sale?
Manchester City’s most expensive departures
| # | Player | Age | Season | Joined To (Club) | Fee (€ Million) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Julián Álvarez | 24 | 2024/25 | Atlético Madrid (Spain) | €69.6m |
| 2 | Raheem Sterling | 27 | 2022/23 | Chelsea (England) | €52.2m |
| 3 | Ferran Torres | 21 | 2021/22 | Barcelona (Spain) | €51.0m |
| 4 | Gabriel Jesus | 25 | 2022/23 | Arsenal (England) | €48.5m |
| 5 | Leroy Sané | 24 | 2020/21 | Bayern Munich (Germany) | €45.5m |
| 6 | Cole Palmer | 21 | 2023/24 | Chelsea (England) | €43.6m |
| 7 | Danilo | 28 | 2019/20 | Juventus (Italy) | €34.3m |
| 8 | Oleksandr Zinchenko | 25 | 2022/23 | Arsenal (England) | €32.5m |
| 9 | Riyad Mahrez | 32 | 2023/24 | Al-Ahli (Saudi Arabia) | €32.5m |
| 10 | Shaun Wright-Phillips | 23 | 2005/06 | Chelsea (England) | €29.2m |
| 11 | Álvaro Negredo | 29 | 2015/16 | Valencia (Spain) | €26.0m |
| 12 | Kelechi Iheanacho | 20 | 2017/18 | Leicester (England) | €25.7m |
| 13 | Aymeric Laporte | 29 | 2023/24 | Al-Nassr (Saudi Arabia) | €25.5m |
| 14 | James McAtee | 22 | 2025/26 | Nottingham Forest (England) | €23.7m |
| 15 | João Cancelo | 30 | 2024/25 | Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia) | €23.2m |
| 16 | Taylor Harwood-Bellis | 22 | 2024/25 | Southampton (England) | €21.3m |
| 17 | Robinho | 26 | 2010/11 | AC Milan (Italy) | €19.5m |
| 18 | Mario Balotelli | 22 | 2012/13 | AC Milan (Italy) | €18.6m |
| 19 | Yan Couto | 23 | 2025/26 | Borussia Dortmund (Germany) | €18.6m |
| 20 | Angeliño | 24 | 2021/22 | RB Leipzig (Germany) | €16.7m |
| 21 | James Trafford | 20 | 2023/24 | Burnley (England) | €16.0m |
| 22 | Brahim Díaz | 19 | 2018/19 | Real Madrid (Spain) | €15.8m |
| 23 | Javi García | 27 | 2014/15 | Zenit (Russia) | €15.5m |
| 24 | Douglas Luiz | 21 | 2019/20 | Aston Villa (England) | €15.5m |
| 25 | Nicolás Otamendi | 32 | 2020/21 | Benfica (Portugal) | €13.9m |
Manchester City’s most expensive departures
Let us take another look at what they are doing and how they left Man City!
1. Julian Alvarez—Manchester City’s most expensive departures
In the summer of 2024, Manchester City sold World Cup champion Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid, their largest-ever transaction.
The La Liga powerhouses made one of the most costly moves ever, spending an initial €75 million plus an additional €20 million in add-ons.
Alvarez joined City in 2022 and quickly established himself as a key member of the first squad. However, the forward requested to quit the team since he felt he had not been selected for Guardiola’s most crucial games.
2. Raheem Sterling—one of Manchester City’s most expensive departures
After an outstanding tenure at the Etihad Stadium, Raheem Sterling deserves to go down in Man City history as one of their greatest players.
He scored 131 goals and captured four Premier League championships during his seven years at the club. He was one of the best dribblers and wingers in the world during his time playing under Guardiola, and he was crucial to those victories.
Given that he only had one year left on his contract and that it was time for a change, he was sold to Chelsea for a fair amount of €56.20 million.
3. Ferran Torres—one of Manchester City’s most expensive departures
Ferran Torres was a player who hinted that he may become one of the greatest in Europe in his position, thus many Manchester City supporters were disappointed to see him leave in the January 2022 transfer window.
Torres was used in a variety of roles after coming to the Etihad from Valencia in the summer of 2020, including on the wing and as a false nine.
He put up a decent 16 goals across all competitions, but when Barcelona put in a bid of £46 million plus £9 million in add-ons, he made it known that he was desperate to go back to Spain.
The 21-year-old started to make his move as Pep Guardiola refused to obstruct him. At the team, he won the Premier League and an EFL Cup, earning City a sizable profit. He was sold to Barcelona for €55 million.
4. Gabriel Jesus—one of Manchester City’s most expensive departures
Gabriel Jesus‘ six-year tenure at Manchester City was unusual. He joined as one of the most promising young players in Brazilian football, and he scored 44 goals in total over the course of the 2018–19 and 2019–20 seasons thanks to his prolific play.
Jesus was scattered all over the frontline, though, and never quite nailed down a regular starting shirt or a regular position.
As time went on, his chances and goals diminished, and when City signed Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2022, he was no longer needed.
City transferred him to Arsenal for a reasonable €52.20 million with just one year remaining on his deal. He was an essential member of Arteta’s team before his injury in the middle of the season.
5. Leroy Sane—one of Manchester City’s most expensive departures
Sané was a vital member of the Man City team and had advanced to become one of the most deadly inside strikers in the world under Pep Guardiola’s tutelage.
However, the young German was sidelined for over a year due to an ACL injury, and when he was well again, Sane decided to start over. After declining to sign a contract extension at the Etihad Stadium, he moved for Bayern Munich in 2020 for a far lower price than was anticipated prior to his injury. During his tenure at Man City, Sane contributed to the team’s two Premier League championships.
6. Cole Palmer—one of Manchester City’s most expensive departures
As Cole Palmer rose through the youth levels, he was heralded as one of the next wave of great young Man City players. He scored the game-winning goal for England against Spain in the 2023 Under-21 European Championship final, showcasing his potential.
A right winger with a fantastic left foot, City concluded that, considering their wealth, there was no room for him at the club. For such an inexperienced player, Chelsea’s €47 million bid was considered too good to refuse, and they let him to go in the summer of 2023.
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