Irish record transfer fees adjusted for inflation and where Kelleher move ranks
Brentford's decision to cough up an initial £12.5m to sign Caoimhin Kelleher from Liverpool has parachuted the goalkeeper into 10th place in the list of all-time Irish record transfer fees.
The Corkman cost just £500,000 more than Southampton paid Manchester City for Gavin Bazunu, his rival for the number one jersey at international level.
But there are plenty of Ireland internationals - both current and former - ahead of Kelleher on the list of all-time fees.
Had Liverpool looked for almost double their initial asking price, he would have beaten current number one - and new clubmate - Nathan Collins who was sold by Wolves to Brentford for £23m in July 2023.
Collins holds down first and second place, thanks to the £20.5m Wolves splurged to take him from Burnley just 12 months earlier.
Next up is Robbie Keane and Damien Duff, followed by current defender Jake O'Brien.
Of course, Kelleher could eventually leap to fourth in the list if he meets all the clauses that would ultimately net Liverpool a cool £18m.
While Collins sits in top spot - and second place - if you adjust the figures for inflation, he isn't the most expensive Irishman.
Running the top-15 fees paid out through the Bank of England's Inflation Calculator, Damien Duff is, by right, the most expensive Irishman in the history of the game.
He cost Chelsea £17m when he signed from Blackburn in July 2023. Incredibly, that equates to £31m in today's money - and it squeaks him ahead of his old teammate Robbie Keane.
Keane's transfer from Tottenham to Liverpool in July 2008 came in at £19m - or £30.9m with inflation figures going through the roof right now.
£31m (with inflation): Damien Duff Blackburn to Chelsea (July 2003, original fee £17m)
£30.9m: Robbie Keane - Tottenham to Liverpool (July 2008, £19m)
£24.6m: Robbie Keane - Coventry to Inter Milan (July 2000, £13m)
£23.9m: Nathan Collins - Wolves to Brentford (July 2023, £23m)
£23.2m: Nathan Collins - Burnley to Wolves (July 2022, £20.5m)
£19.1m: Robbie Keane - Liverpool to Tottenham (February 2009, £12m)
£19m: Matt Doherty - Wolves to Tottenham (August 2020, £15m)
£18.9m: James McCarthy - Wigan to Everton (September 2013, £13.5m)
£17.3m: Robbie Brady - Norwich to Burnley (January 2017, £13m)
£16.9m: Jake O'Brien - Lyon to Everton (July 2024, £16.4m)
£16.5m: Shane Long - Hull to Southampton (August 2014, £12m)
£14.6m: Aiden McGeady - Celtic to Spartak Moscow (August 2010, £9.5m)
£14.4m: Jeff Hendrick - Derby to Burnley (August 2016, £10.5m)
£13.6m: Gavin Bazunu - Manchester City to Southampton (June 2022, £12m)
£12.5m: CAOIMHIN KELLEHER - Liverpool to Brentford (June 2025)
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