The summer transfer window isn't in full swing just yet but we're fairly certain that a host of English clubs will pursue a prudent policy of developing young talent splurge lots of cash on some of the best players available.
This writer thinks that it's impossible to put a price on the godlike talents of Lionel Messi but the clever people at the CIES Football Observatory have crunched the data and finalised the list of Europe's most expensive players.
Unsurprisingly, the Argentinian genius is top of the list but it's interesting to see where other players rank.
Position, age, contract, experience, performance, achievements, results and competition level are all taken into account when deciding the rankings.
Second place is probably a surprise when you look at things strictly in terms of current end-product but there's no denying that a certain Belgian has the talent and age to be one of the greats.
Take a look.
