Schalke 04: 20 most expensive transfers in Schalke 04 history

2. Nabil Bentaleb—$20.90m

Just one big old question mark. Nabil Bentaleb came from Tottenham Hotspur ticketed as the solution to their midfield. He was the all-purpose midfielder who could do so many things and, best of all, he could score goals too. Whether those be penalties or from distance, he was good at it, and goals are always something that the Royal Blues seem to have a shortage of.

Bentaleb always tickled stardom but was never able to fully indulge in his wealth of possibility. And now, as of writing, he is desperately seeking an exit while simultaneously dealing with the other major problem of his career—injuries.

Rumors tying him to a Premier League return, perhaps to Newcastle, look to mean the end for yet another failed midfield investment, and the big question now is what the Royal Blues can expect to get in return, because there’s no way they’re going to get as much as they paid for him.

And now, after so many hits and misses, let’s move on to No. 1.