Luring talent away from lesser teams usually requires the buyer to include a sell-on clause, ensuring a share of future profits funnels down to the seller.
In the data-driven landscape of football transfers, this phenomenon has become increasingly common as teams look to unearth the next hidden gem.
Below Safe Betting Sites take a look at some of the biggest sell-on clauses down the years, and the teams who have pocketed sizable fees as a passenger.
Biggest Sell-On Clauses of All-Time
10. Michael Olise – £4.5m to Reading After Move to Bayern Munich
For a grossly mismanaged club who have reported just under £200m in unpaid tax bills, Michael Olise’s sell-on fee will have been a welcomed injection of cash for Reading – even if it appears insignificant.
Although the Frenchman was widely expected to depart Crystal Palace this summer in favour of an elite club, a move to Bayern Munich seemingly came out of the woodwork.
The 10% sell-on fee means The Royals will receive £4.5m, which should help some way to remedying their perilous financial future.
9. Cesc Fabregas – £5m to Arsenal After Move to Chelsea
Cesc Fabregas’ move to Chelsea was a dagger to the heart of Arsenal fans, particularly after Arsene Wenger passed up the opportunity to bring back his former captain that same summer.
The Spaniard’s return to boyhood club Barcelona didn’t quite hit the expected heights that the drawn-out saga promised, and a move back to the Premier League beckoned.
His five-year stint at Stamford Bridge would – much to the dismay of Arsenal fans – prove far more fruitful than his seven-year stay in North London.
Arsenal did, however, benefit from £5m in sell-on fees after Barcelona sanctioned the £30m sale of Fabregas to Chelsea.
8. Adam Lallana – £6.25m to Bournemouth After Move to Liverpool
Adama Lallana’s preference for the south coast is well-documented, beginning a long and fruitful career as a youth player at Bournemouth.
The Cherries had the foresight to include a larger-than-usual 25% sell-on clause, which would go on to earn them £6.25m after he moved from Southampton to Liverpool in 2014.
Now 36, his journey across the south coast sees him depart Brighton for a true full circle moment, joining up with newly-promoted Southampton where his senior career began.
7. David Bentley – £7m to Arsenal After Move to Tottenham
David Bentley famously came back to haunt his boyhood club Arsenal, this time donning the lilywhite of North London rivals Tottenham in 2008.
That fixture would result in a crowning moment amid an otherwise stuttering career, as he launched a dipping volley from the half-way line to cement his place amongst some of the Premier League’s iconic goals.
Arsenal would have the last laugh however, with the Gunners taking home £7m following Bentley’s move from Blackburn to Tottenham.
A once promising prospect pulled the curtain down on his career in 2013, aged 28.
6. John Stones – £7.1m to Barnsley After Move to Manchester City
John Stones garnered his fair share of critics in his formative years at Manchester City, but the £47.5m fee they paid to lure him away from Goodison has been more than justified.
Six Premier League titles, four domestic cups and a Champions League to add is the kind of haul players can only dream of.
His potential was clear to see when coming up through the ranks at local club Barnsley, who were the beneficiaries of a £7.1m sell-on fee in 2016, just as they returned to the Championship from League One.
5. Michael Keane – £7.5m to Manchester United After Move to Everton
Manchester United clearly saw a bright future for local lad Michael Keane, who spent his formative years in the youth set-up at Carrington.
Despite impressing, finding a route into the first team proved troublesome as he made just one league appearance in four years.
Upon his departure to Burnley in 2015, United ensured they would receive a hefty 25% sell-on fee should he be shipped off again.
Everton came calling just two years later with a £30m bid, with United banking £7.5m in the process.
A former England international and Everton stalwart in recent years now finds himself used as a second-fiddle centre-back at Goodison.
4. Raheem Sterling – £7.8m to QPR After Move to Manchester City
Merseyside is where Raheem Sterling’s glittering career really took off, but his performances as a teenager at QPR awoke the senses of England’s elite.
Liverpool fought hard to ward off interest from other potential suitors, but not before QPR shoehorned a 20% sell-on clause into his contract.
This eventually led to them earning £7.8m from Sterling’s £49m switch to Manchester City in 2014, where he would go on to prove his worth with four league titles.
3. Kevin De Bruyne – £10m to Chelsea After Move to Manchester City
One of Jose Mourinho’s shortcomings in an otherwise trophy-laden career comes in the shape of Kevin De Bruyne, whom he failed to nurture during their time together at Chelsea.
Granted De Bruyne was a young player at the time, but the Belgian has gone on to make a case for being the greatest midfielder to ever grace the Premier League.
Luckily Mourinho’s employers had the foresight to include a sell-on clause upon his departure to Wolfsburg, earning them £10m after arriving back in England 18 months later as City sanctioned a £55m purchase.
2. Tino Livramento – £15m to Chelsea After Move to Newcastle
Coming in at number two is a deal that may surprise you, although Tino Livramento’s breakout season at Newcastle last year is evidence of his immense ability.
Chelsea are yet again the beneficiaries of this sell-on fee – the second-biggest ever – after they collected £15m when Livramento swapped the south coast for Tyneside in 2023.
The high-octane 21-year-old is proving his worth at Newcastle, becoming a mainstay in Eddie Howe’s starting eleven and even collecting Champions League experience in his first season.
1. Riccardo Calafiori – £22m to Basel After Move to Arsenal
Arsenal’s fruitful relationship with Serie A side Bologna looks all but certain to continue this summer, and it is another versatile centre-back/left-back hybrid swapping Northern Italy for North London.
Following in Takehiro Tomiyasu’s footsteps, Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori is on the verge of £42.1m move to Arsenal after catching the eye for Gli Azzuri at the Euros.
The slight delay in finalising the move has hinged on a sticking point over the final fee, for which his former club Basel will receive 50% of – the largest percentage on this list.
Given his value has skyrocketed over the last month, Bologna have been eager to hold out for a fee that befits the 22-year-old’s new-found status, but also one that ensures they get a sizeable share with half of it going to Basel.
It likely means Basel will receive just over £22m as a result of their astute decision to include a hefty 50% sell-on clause last August.
