Who’s next? The largest transfer following each European Championship since Euro 1996: Recent additions at Manchester United and Real Madrid…

Now that the European Championship has over, several of the tournament’s brightest stars will be targeted by major teams throughout the continent.

Major international tournaments frequently result in big-money moves featuring players who excelled during the summer competitions.Euro 2024 is expected to be no exception, with the likes of Dani Olmo, Nico Williams, and Martin Zubimendi.Here, we look back at the biggest post-tournament deals involving players who’d appeared at the Euros for each edition since 1996.
1996 – Alan Shearer to Newcastle – £15m

Forking out more than double the then-British-record fee they’d received 18 months earlier when selling Andy Cole to Manchester United, Newcastle United sent shockwaves around the game when they spent £15 million to sign Alan Shearer in the summer of 1996.Shearer had just enjoyed a stellar European Championship with England on home soil, powering Terry Venables’ Three Lions to the semi-finals and earning the Golden Boot with five goals.Real Madrid and Manchester United had both also wanted Shearer that summer, but the star striker – who’d scored 130 goals in 171 games for Blackburn Rovers – chose his hometown club. The fee Newcastle paid for the 25-year-old set a new world record, eclipsing the £13.2 million Barcelona had splashed on Ronaldo just two weeks earlier.2000 – Luis Figo to Real Madrid – £37 million

In one of the most controversial transfers in football history, Luis Figo left Barcelona in the summer of 2000 to join rivals Real Madrid after Los Blancos activated his record-breaking £37 million release clause.Continuing with the trend of significant post-tournament transfers following Euro competitions:

**2004 – Wayne Rooney to Manchester United – £27 million**

Wayne Rooney’s performances for England at Euro 2004, where he scored four goals in four matches, caught the attention of top clubs. Manchester United secured his signature for £27 million, making him the most expensive teenager in football history at the time.

**2008 – Andrei Arshavin to Arsenal – £15 million**

After a standout performance in Euro 2008, where he helped Russia reach the semi-finals, Andrei Arshavin transferred to Arsenal in January 2009 for £15 million. His creativity and flair had made him one of the tournament’s stars.

**2012 – Jordi Alba to Barcelona – £14 million**

Jordi Alba was instrumental in Spain’s Euro 2012 victory, scoring in the final against Italy. His performances earned him a move from Valencia to Barcelona for £14 million, where he became a mainstay at left-back.

**2016 – Renato Sanches to Bayern Munich – €35 million**

Renato Sanches was one of the breakout stars of Euro 2016, helping Portugal to their first major tournament win. Bayern Munich secured his services for €35 million, a record fee for a teenager at that time.

**2020 – Federico Chiesa to Juventus (loan with obligation to buy for €60 million)**

Federico Chiesa’s dynamic performances for Italy at Euro 2020, where he was a key player in their victorious campaign, led to Juventus securing him on a loan deal with an obligation to buy for a total fee of around €60 million from Fiorentina.