Top 10 most profitable transfers of all time
Football's relationship with money has always been a close one, with plenty of top clubs willing to break the bank for the best of players.
Very few clubs, though, are great at buying low and selling high - although the present trend seems to be increasing.
Without further ado, here are the 10 most profitable transfers of all time, as of February 2018:
All transfer figures sourced from Transfermarkt.com
#10 Virgil van Dijk - Southampton to Liverpool
Southampton have the reputation of being Liverpool's feeder club, but the Saints can truly be happy at their ability to sell players at inflated prices to the Reds. The fact that Virgil van Dijk is the most expensive defender of all time is still a bit disconcerting - especially given his record of conceding 5 goals in 2-and-a-half-games for the Reds so far.
However, Van Dijk truly justified the €15.7 million Southampton paid Celtic for his services and then some, with some commanding performances in the 2016/17 season.
A €63.1 million profit is also nothing to frown at - and you can be sure the Saints will reinvest that fee well. As for Liverpool, as long as Jurgen Klopp persists with his current system, Virgil van Dijk might never truly justify his fee.
Fee Paid: €15.7m
Fee Sold: €78.8m
Profit: €63.1m