Roy Keane is astonished by the “mind-boggling” transfer fees in this window and claims there has never been a better time to be a footballer.

Brazilian star Neymar joined PSG from Barcelona for a world record fee of £199 million.

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho claimed that was “not expensive” because of the commercial gains the French giants would make.

But at the same time, Mourinho feared it would drive up the price of ordinary players to eye-watering levels.

Great Britain & Ireland teammates David Beckham and Ryan Giggs celebrate the first goal (
Image:
Getty)
Giggs tracks Cristiano Ronaldo (
Image:
AFP)
Ruud van Nistelrooy celebrates scoring from the penalty spot against Newcastle with teammates Roy Keane and Paul Scholes (
Image:
Getty)
Manchester City v Manchester United November 2000 David Beckham and Roy Keane celebrate

Asked today what the players he soldiered alongside would be worth now, Keane said: “Ruud (van Nistelrooy) would be worth a billion. Beckham, a billion. Giggsy, two billion.”

And Roy Keane? “3.75 million,” he laughed, the then British record fee that Manchester United paid Nottingham Forest for in 1993.

Keane continued: “It’s mind-boggling, it really is. The figures out there now for players, it’s not the player’s fault, it’s the market, the market value of players. It’s mind-boggling.

“Especially for the average players. If ever there’s a time to be a professional footballer, it’s now - average players are going for £35m. My goodness.

“The really brilliant players are going for big money. When average players are going for £30m-£40m, it does make you scratch your head.”

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