FC Basel and BSC Young Boys have dominated the Swiss Super League's outgoing transfer market for a decade. An analysis of transfer fees reveals that each club has produced the league's most expensive departure five times in the last ten seasons.
The data, compiled by transfermarkt.ch and reported by kicker.ch, shows the ten most expensive Super League departures since the 2017/18 season have generated nearly 150 million euros. Players from both clubs have moved to the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A, and LaLiga.
Which players commanded the highest fees?
In the current 2026/27 season, Jaouen Hadjam tops the list. The 23-year-old Young Boys defender moved to Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion for a total package of around 13 million euros. French outlet L'Équipe reported the fee includes about 2 million in bonuses. Hadjam signed a contract until 2031. He had joined Young Boys from FC Nantes in early 2024.
The previous season, 2025/26, saw Zachary Athekame as the record departure. Young Boys received 10 million euros from AC Milan. The Italian club signed the player until 2030 and later loaned him to Lyon. Young Boys had signed Athekame from Neuchatel Xamax in 2024 and secured a sell-on clause.
How did FC Basel shape the earlier years?
FC Basel dominated the transfer market at the start of the period with fees exceeding 20 million euros. In the 2024/25 season, Thierno Barry left the club for a total of 20 million euros. The striker departed in August 2024 after just over a year, initially moving to Villarreal CF for around 13 million euros. A subsequent transfer to Everton brought in an additional 7 million. For Basel, Barry scored 20 goals and provided 5 assists in 41 competitive matches.
A particularly lucrative deal for Basel involved Riccardo Calafiori. The defender left the club in 2023 for an initial fee of around 4 million euros to join Bologna. Basel had secured a significant sell-on clause. When Calafiori transferred from Bologna to Arsenal FC for over 50 million euros in 2024, a large portion of that fee flowed back to Basel.
What does this mean for the current campaign?
The ability to develop talent and sell for profit remains a key pillar for success. FC Basel has started the 2026/27 Super League season strongly, sitting third in the table with nine points from four games. The team has three wins and one loss, with a goal difference of +7 (7 scored, 4 conceded). This places them just one point behind league leaders BSC Young Boys.
Top scorer Žan Celar has netted three times in his four appearances. The recent form reads WWLW. The next challenge comes on September 20th with a home match against direct rivals FC St. Gallen, who are currently fourth. The full schedule is available on our fixtures page.
How do the clubs position themselves internationally?
The consistent record transfers underscore the high quality of youth development and scouting networks at both Swiss top clubs. They operate as reliable talent factories for Europe's major leagues. This reputation helps in attracting young players aiming for a step up to a top division.
The financial strength from these sales allows the clubs to remain competitive in the domestic title race. The current league table can be viewed on our standings page. For FC Basel, the task now is to confirm their positive early league form and close the gap to the frontrunner.
