But it bares remembering that plenty of football clubs, Preston North End included, are far more economically restrained, largely operating in the realms of hundreds of thousands rather than millions. In fact, PNE’s club record signing of Milutin Osmajic recently arrived for a fee of just over £2m. For context, Cristiano Ronaldo currently earns £3.6m per week in Saudi Arabia.
But what if we adjust a few of PNE’s historic transfer fees to take inflation into account? Well, you get the following list of Preston’s 19 most expensive transfers of all time…
Also, be sure not to miss…
1. Neil Mellor - £1.55m from Liverpool in August 2006 (£2.54m today)
PNE vs Cardiff City, Saturday 18th April 2009 - PNE won the match 6-0
Neil Mellor releases the trigger Photo: David Hurst
2. Tom Bayliss - £2m from Coventry in August 2019 (£2.42m today)
Preston North End's Tom Bayliss (left) and Brighton and Hove Albion's Alexis Mac Allister battle for the ball during the Carabao Cup third round match at Deepdale Stadium, Preston. Credit: Jason Cairnduff/NMC Pool/PA Wire. Photo: Jason Cairnduff
3. David Healy - £1.24m from Manchester United in January 2001 (£2.2m today)
David Healy causes a few problems playing for Preston North End against Rotherham United at Deepdale Photo: KEVIN McGUINNESS
4. Milutin Osmajic - £2.13m from Cadiz in September 2023 (£2.13m today)
Milutin Osmajic, who signed for Preston North End this September Photo: Preston North End