TRANSFER fees in the Premier League have hit extraordinary heights with expanding TV rights, Russian oligarchs and Middle Eastern interests injecting billions of dollars into the game.

But what would stars of past eras sell for in today’s market?

According to one website, clubs would have to fork out $219.5 million for Rio Ferdinand, $201.5 million for Manchester United legend Roy Keane and a princely $227 million for all-time record scorer Alan Shearer.

Credit company Totally Money have calculated what they call ‘football player inflation’, which works out the average value of players since the Premier League’s inception and compared the increase in costs over time.

TV, broadcasting, and advertising rights, merchandise, improved stadiums and even house prices at the time of the deals are all taken into consideration, and the stunning results ultimately show the some record-breaking prices.

TOP 10 BIGGEST PL TRANSFERS IN TODAY’S MONEY

Andriy Shevchenko
Age 29, Season 2006-2007 - AC Milan to Chelsea

Then - $53,500,000

Now - $261,300,000

Alan Shearer
Age 25, Season 1996-1997 - Blackburn to Newcastle United

Then - $27,200,000

Now - $226,800,000

Rio Ferdinand
Age 23, Season 2002-2003 - Leeds to Manchester United

Then - $52,600,000

Now - $220,700,000

Paul Pogba
Age 23, Season 2016-2017 - Juventus to Manchester United

Then - $156,000,000

Now - $212,200,000

Juan Sebastian Veron
Age 26, Season 2001-2002 - Lazio to Manchester United

Then - $48,000,000

Now - $210,200,000

Didier Drogba
Age 26, Season 2004-2005 - Marseille to Chelsea

Then - $47,100,000

Now - $208,700,000

Fernando Torres
Age 26, Season 2010-2011 - Liverpool to Chelsea

Then - $90,700,000

Now - $208,600,000

Michael Essien
Age 22, Season 2005-2006 - Lyon to Chelsea

Then - $45,300,000

Now - $208,700,000

Roy Keane
Age 21, Season 1993-1994 - Nottm Forest to Manchester United

Then - $9,700,000

Now - $201,500,000

Wayne Rooney
Age 18, Season 2004-2005 - Everton to Manchester United

Then - $45,300,000

Now - $186,900,000

Topping the charts is former Blue Andriy Shevchenko, whose original transfer fee of $53.5m back in 2006 would now be the equivalent of paying AC Milan $261.5m for his services today.

Manchester United would be glad they picked up Roy Keane for just over $10 million from Nottingham Forest back in 1993, with the Irishman valued at $201.5m if he was on the market today.

And long gone are the days of a defender never going for over £30m (A$55m), the index had Rio Ferdinand as the third most expensive player at $219.5m, when he was originally sold to United for $52.5m back in 2002.

There were a few surprise packages in the list too, with Stan Collymore’s $15m transfer in 1995 from Forest to Liverpool now valued at over $150m and Juan Sebastian Veron’s $48m switch from Lazio to the Red Devils now worth $210m in today’s money.

Surprisingly, Premier League icons Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp didn’t make the list’s top 20, but the duo’s combined transfer fee in today’s world comes to $250m – almost ten times as much as their original fees.