Neymar's £198m move to Paris Saint-Germain has eclipsed the world transfer record

Neymar's £198m move to Paris Saint-Germain has eclipsed the world transfer record... here's how it has evolved over the past 20 years

• Neymar has joined Paris Saint-Germain in a world record £198million move 
• The move would almost double Paul Pogba's existing world transfer record
• Sportsmail runs down the evolution of the record over the past 20 years 

It looks like Neymar is no more, at Barcelona at least. 

The Brazilian has completed his move to French giants Paris  Saint-Germain for a world record transfer fee of £198million. He's also said to be earning more than £500,000-per-week.

The deal blows the previous record, Paul Pogba's £89million switch to Manchester United, out of the water by more than £100million.

Neymar is now the most expensive player in the history of football following his £196m move

MSN is no more - the successful trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez has split up

Given the size of the deal it's easy to forget how far the record has come since transfer fees became the norm; just 20 years ago the biggest fee ever paid was still below £20million. 

Sportsmail looks back at the last 10 times the transfer record has been broken. 

Neymar has joined his fellow Brazilian Dani Alves at the Ligue 1 side for a world record fee

 

August 9, 2016 - Paul Pogba (Juventus to Manchester United, £89m)

Having left United for nothing during the reign of Sir Alex Ferguson, the French midfielder returned to Old Trafford in a Stormzy of publicity as the grime star reintroduced him to Red Devils fans with a viral social media video. 

The overall price, with add-ons and agents' fees taken into account, will rise to £100m.

Pogba's arrival at Manchester United was marked by a viral social media video

September 1, 2013 - Gareth Bale (Tottenham to Real Madrid, £85m)

The Welshman agreed a £300,000-per-week deal to swap north London for the Spanish capital, saying it was 'the right time to say goodbye' to Spurs.

The transfer generated a £75m profit for Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy, who bought Bale for £10m six years previously.

Spendaholic Real president Florentino Perez poses with Gareth Bale after buying him for £85m

July 6, 2009 - Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United to Real Madrid, £80m)

It was the deal that shook football, raising the transfer record by almost 50 per cent in a single swoop.

Ronaldo was greeted at the Bernabeu by 80,000 delirious fans and quickly declared: 'This is a spectacular day'.

Cristiano Ronaldo cost Madrid £80m when he moved from Manchester United in 2009

June 9, 2009 - Kaka (AC Milan to Real Madrid, £56m)

It didn't last for long, but for a while the elegant Brazilian was the world's most expensive player. Kaka signed an £8m-a-year contract at Real, leaving Milan to lament their loss with a truly exceptional statement. 

'The loss technique, while serious, can be remedied. It will be very difficult to fill the void that will be left by Kaka, a shining example of professionalism, commitment and professionalism,' it read. 

'AC Milan, (according to) the wishes of the managers, players and supporters of the Rossoneri, offer him the most cordial and affectionate wishes for the continuation of his sporting career.' 

Kaka held the world record for less than a month after joining Real from AC Milan

July 10, 2001 - Zinedine Zidane (Juventus to Real Madrid, £45m)

FIFA had only just resolved to introduce new transfer rules which would have allowed Zidane to move for a free (what ever happened to them?) when the star man from France 98 and Euro 2000 relocated to Spain.

Zidane would collect £3.5m a year at Madrid. He said: 'A while back I said the amount of money was enormous and that I was not worth that much. 

'It is indeed a lot of money. I am fully aware of that and my thoughts on the matter have not changed. A new challenge is at hand. I was really in need of something different. Things came into focus today.'

Zinedine Zidane cost Real Madrid £45m when he moved from Juventus in the summer of 2001

July 24, 2000 - Luis Figo (Barcelona to Real Madrid, £37m)

Uh oh. Barca to Real. Luis Figo was one brave man. Florentino Perez built his presidential campaign on the promise to sign the Portuguese, going so far as to commit to paying for every Madrid fan's subscription if he failed to land his man.

So it was just as well he did. Though the whole process left Perez's Barcelona counterpart Joan Gaspart incredulous.

'I'll not forget this. Whoever is responsible for this will pay for it. We'll see how and when,' he said. We're still waiting.

Luis Figo caused controversy when he swapped Barcelona for fierce rivals Real

July 13, 2000 - Hernan Crespo (Parma to Lazio, £36m)

Another man who barely held the record long enough to take a picture with it, Argentinian striker Crespo appeared to have been the subject in the fastest-moving transfer of all time.

On the Tuesday, 24 hours before he signed, he told reporters: 'I am amazed at this news. I have not signed anything and have no idea at what stage the negotiations are.' 

Thanks for that, Hernan.

Hernan Crespo poses for the camera after undergoing his Lazio medical in 2000

June 8, 1999 - Christian Vieri (Lazio to Inter Milan, £28m)

Vieri made a happy habit of being incredibly expensive. The Italian striker's San Siro switch ensured he had three entries in the top-10 dearest transfers of all time (at the point of his departure from Lazio).

These were the days before the Euro, of course. In old money, Vieri set Inter back 80billion lire. Yikes.

Christian Vieri cost Inter Milan a whopping 80billion lire when he arrived from Lazio

August 27, 1998 - Denilson (Sao Paulo to Real Betis, £22m)

Hold up. Real Betis? £22million? What the?

Yep, it happened. Back in '98, Brazilian whizkid Denilson left his home country for the Seville on a quite ridiculous 11-YEAR contract. To make it all that bit more whacky, a £260m buyout clause was inserted into the deal.

By 2006, the forward was on trial at Portsmouth. Oof. 

Denilson signed an 11-year contract at Real Betis when he signed for the Sevilla club in 1998

June 20, 1997 - Ronaldo (Barcelona to Inter Milan, £19.5m)

After 47 goals in 49 games for Barca, the original Ronaldo fell out with the Catalans just as they were willing to tie him to a 10-year deal. 

In stepped Inter president Massimo Moratti. 'It was a whim of mine,' Moratti recalled recently. 'When you a buy a club you dream of something exceptional, even at the expense of perfect administration.' 

A £19.5m whim.  

Ronaldo joined Inter Milan in 1997 after falling out with former club Barcelona

Rolls-Royce reveals its new Phantom: A £350,000 work of automotive art that it promises will be 'the most silent car in the world'

• Flagship Rolls-Royce Phantom is designed to whisk the world’s wealthiest around in near silence
• Inside, passengers can recline in the height of luxury, surrounded by high gloss and 'exquisitely tactile' wood
• Powerful all-new 6.75 litre twin-turbo V12 engine gives a top speed electronically restricted to 155mph
• Rolls-Royce Phantom also has sports car acceleration, getting from 0-62mph in just 5.3 seconds.

Whisper it softly, but the quietest and most technically advanced Rolls-Royce Phantom ever was launched in London tonight.

The flagship Rolls-Royce is designed to whisk the world’s wealthiest around in near silence and the lap of luxury – and it comes with its own dashboard art gallery for those who can afford the £350,000 price tag.

The new Phantom even paves the way for a future all-electric Rolls-Royce, ready to comply with Government moves to ban the sale of new ‘conventional’ petrol and diesel vehicles from 2040.

Rolls-Royce revealed its new £350,000 Phantom in London tonight - describing it as 'the most silent motor car in the world'

The new Phantom even paves the way for a future all-electric Rolls-Royce, ready to comply with Government moves to ban the sale of new ‘conventional’ petrol and diesel vehicles from 2040

The car has had a plaque applied to and was unveiled during a glamorous event at Bonhams, in London, this evening

On the basis that silence is golden and the new Phantom limousine is ‘a work of art’, Rolls-Royce say their new Phantom is ‘the most silent motor car in the world’ and the quietest Rolls-Royce ever made –at least for the pampered chauffeur-driven occupant in the back.

The launch was hailed as another big vote of confidence in Britain – with the big Roller exported around the globe and considered the pinnacle of British automotive craftsmanship

Bosses at Rolls-Royce’s parent company BMW – which earlier this week announced they were building an electric Mini in the UK – said the new Phantom demonstrated that they remain ‘fully committed to the future of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars’, based at Goodwood, in West Sussex.

Beneath the Phantom’s smart suit lies some serious engineering. 

The new limousine’s ‘revolutionary’ flexible chassis design can also be used for a variety of future models – including ‘those with different propulsion systems’ such as an electric drive-train, said Rolls-Royce.

It will also underpin the forthcoming Rolls-Royce 4X4 – codenamed ‘Project Cullinan’ after the diamond used in the Crown Jewels – and also the next generation Ghost, Wraith, and Dawn models as well as future bespoke ‘coach-build’ projects.

Artful dasher: The dashboard of the new Phantom includes a space for the owner's personally-selected artwork

The Phantom is distinctly a Rolls-Royce but under the skin is a new high-tech platform that future Rollers will be built on

But it’s what’s on show that matters to most Rolls-Royce owners, especially those buying the new Phantom, who are likely to be spending considerably more time in the back than on the driver’s seat, enjoying the smooth ‘magic carpet ride’ that is its hallmark.

The Phantom allows connoisseurs and collectors of fine art to quietly contemplate in silence their own specially commissioned artworks, set behind a long stretch of protective glass on the dashboard, allowing the luxury limousine to doubles as an art gallery on wheels.

If the owner does sit behind the wheel they shouldn’t be disappointed – and nor will the chauffeur who takes it out for a spin.

Thanks to the powerful all new 6.75 litre twin-turbo V12 engine, which bosses call ‘the silently beating heart of the new Phantom’, the car has a top speed electronically restricted to 155mph and sports car acceleration, getting from 0-62mph in just 5.3 seconds.

Rolls-Royce makes great play of the feeling of entering and exiting its cars. In the Phantom you step into a world of luxury

Those buying the new Phantom are likely to be spending considerably more time in the back than on the driver’s seat

The chauffeured passenger can look up to see the largest Starlight 'headliner' ever seen in a Rolls-Royce, comprising pinpricks of light in the roof.

He or she is surrounded by high gloss and exquisitely tactile' wood panelling in the door interiors, centre consoles, dashboard and picnic tables. The armrests are inspired by the classic J-Class yacht.

The sweep of wood panelling across the back of the front seats are influenced by the famous Eames Lounge Chair of 1956 which is part of the New York Museum of Modern Art’s permanent display.

If you do decide to slip behind the steering wheel, the Rolls-Royce Phantom offers sports car rivalling stats, with 0 to 62mph despatched in 5.3 seconds - many buyers may choose not to opt for a purple hued steering wheel though

Every item of switchgear is made from metal, glass, or wrapped in the finest leather, while the exterior of the new Phantom features clean lines and a flawless paint finish

Phantom customers have a choice of seats: including the more intimate lounge seat, individual seats with an occasional armrest, or fixed centre console, plus the newly introduced 'sleeping seat'.

On top of that, the rear seats are carefully angled so that passengers can talk to each other without straining their necks. The fixed rear centre console incorporates a drinks cabinet with whisky glasses and decanter, champagne flutes and cool-box.

Rear picnic tables and screens are cleverly secreted behind the wood panelling on the rear of the front seats and can be electrically deployed and retracted at the touch of a button.

Every item of switchgear is made from metal, glass, or wrapped in the finest leather.

How the Daily Mail revealed the first BMW-built Rolls-Royce when the previous generation Phantom was launched in 2003

Stamp of quality: Rolls-Royce makes great play of its British craftmanship and its home on the Goodwood estate

Rolls-Royce took the wraps off its latest new Phantom flagship limousine, at a glitzy VIP party in London’s Mayfair. It is the eighth in an illustrious line stretching back 92 years – and was joined by its seven predecessors at a special exhibition of ‘The Great Eight Phantoms’. 

Significantly, it is only the second Phantom since German car maker BMW took control of the company, launching the Phantom VII in 2003, which it built at its then brand new boutique factory in the grounds of the Earl of March’s Goodwood estate, near Chichester.

What about an electric Rolls-Royce? 

With all eyes on electric cars right now, Rolls fans should note that the flexible chassis means it can develop an all-electric Rolls-Royce. In 2011, Rolls-Royce built a one-off working prototype all-electric Rolls-Royce Phantom codenamed 102EX. This was followed in 2016 by an all-electric driverless concept car codenamed 103EX.

Earlier this month, Rolls-Royce chief executive Torsten Müller-Otvös said he would introduce battery technology when it is sufficiently developed to power an ’all-electric’ car.

Speaking at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, to Autocar magazine, he said: ‘Electrification is the way forward – and there will be no in between steps for us like hybridisation.'

‘It is the propulsion system for the future, make no error. There is a time - nobody can predict when - when there will be no combustion engines.’

Rolls-Royce said the new Phantom’s flexible ‘all-aluminium space-frame’ chassis will ‘underpin every future Rolls-Royce’ and that the new Phantom sets ‘a new benchmark’ in luxury, comfort and refinement, and is lighter, quieter, and 30 per cent stiffer than its predecessor'.

Keeping the noise down was a major task of Rolls-Royce engineers and designers – from the powerful but quieter new engine, to thicker 6mm two-layer glazing all around the car, 130kg of sound-deadening acoustic insulation around the cabin, foam-filled tyres, and soft-touch self-closing doors.

A spokesman stressed: ‘The new Phantom is the most technologically advanced Rolls-Royce ever.

‘Incalculable effort was expended to create ‘the most silent motor car in the world’.

It provides an all-round ‘perfect 360° cocooning effect’ in a motor car that is approximately 10 per cent quieter than its predecessor at 62mph.

A spokesman said: ‘It means conversation within the car is completely effortless’.

The company notes: ‘As the patron settles in to the car, an assistant or valet steps forward and lightly touches the sensor on the door handle so it whispers closed of its own accord.

'From one’s position on beautifully enhanced rear seats, the occupant is borne along in near-silence as if on a pillow of air, thanks to much enhanced ride and acoustic comfort.

‘Indeed, when Rolls-Royce’s acoustic test engineer first reviewed results road and vibration tests, the sound levels were so low they had to check their instruments were calibrated correctly.’

Rolls-Royce also worked closely with its tyre supplier to invent ‘Silent-Seal' tyres which have a foam layer inside to wipe to reduce overall tyre noise by 9db.

The dashboard art ‘Gallery’ also houses an analogue clock – a nod to the fact that it is ‘the loudest sound you can hear in a Rolls-Royce’.

The Phantom is designed to have real presence on the road, with an imposing grille, topped by the Spirit of Ecstasy

New headlamps include the most advanced laser-light system of any car that at night casts light 600 metres down the road

Technology is also in abundance, with a central information screen which can be retracted behind the centre stack when not in use.

Satellite Aided Transmission linked to a 8-speed automatic gearbox ‘also ensures that the driver is prepared for whatever the road has in store for them’.

Self-levelling air suspension makes millions of calculations every second as it continuously varies the electronically controlled shock absorber adjustment system – reacting to body and wheel acceleration, steering inputs and camera information

Meanwhile, a ‘Flagbearer’ system – evocative of those men required by law to carry a red flag walking ahead of early motor cars – adds a stereo camera in the windscreen to scan the road ahead, adjusting suspension ahead of time at speeds of up to 62mph.

New headlamps include the most advanced laser-light system of any car that at night casts light 600 metres down the road.

The design of the Phantom updates the car but shows it as very much a Rolls-Royce, echoing the looks of its cars over recent years.

'From its debut in 1925, a Rolls-Royce Phantom has been the choice of the world’s most influential and powerful men and women', says boss  Torsten Müller-Ötvös

The new Phantom’s grille, created from hand-polished stainless steel, is for the first time integrated into the surrounding bodywork to create a cleaner and contemporary design. It is also raised higher than on the previous model, resulting in the Spirit of Ecstasy standing half-an-inch higher.

There are nods to the past, particularly at the rear with its 'tapered tail' and raked glass, says design chief Giles Taylor: 'The design evokes the beautiful flowing rears of the 1950’s and 1960’s Phantoms.’

Also evoking the Phantom’s past was Rolls-Royce boss Torsten Müller-Ötvös. He said: ‘From its debut in 1925, a Rolls-Royce Phantom has been the choice of the world’s most influential and powerful men and women.’

Time for a touch up! Russian oligarch's £240million Motor Yacht A undergoes a refit so she's spruce enough to keep up with her new £360million big sister

• Sailing Yacht A, worth £360m, and £240m Motor Yacht A, are both owned by billionaire Andrey Melnichenko 
• Mr Melnichenko received his new Sailing Yacht A last month after it completed its final sea trials in Gibraltar
• The oligarch, 45, is worth around £11billion, and is a Russian industrialist with assets in fertiliser and coal
• Motor Yacht A's minor refurbishment and maintaenance will take 'a few months'

A Russian oligarch's £240 million prized superyacht is undergoing a facelift, almost ten years after it was built.

Motor Yacht A - one of the world’s 25 largest superyachts - is currently docked in Navantia, Cartagena, in south-eastern Spain. 

Her renovation comes as owner, Russian oligarch Andrey Melnichenko, 45, - who is believed to be worth around £11billion - recently got his hands on in a new vessel, the £360million Sailing Yacht A.

The two luxury boats have this week been pictured moored alongside each other in Cartagena.

Costing a combined total of £600million, they first took to the waves together in early May.

Motor Yacht A will now be given a luxury makeover and a maintenance job similar to a car receiving an MOT and service that will take 'a few months' a spokesman for the owner told MailOnline. 

Motor Yacht A, pictured left next to her big sister Sailing Yacht A, is going renovation work in Navantia, Cartagena, Spain

In Spain, Motor Yacht A (right) will be given a luxury makeover in a maintenance job similar to a car receiving an MOT and service that will take 'a few months' a spokesman for the owner said

Both Motor Yacht A (pictured) and Sailing Yacht A belong to Andrey Melnichenko - a 45-year-old Russian industrialist worth around £11billion with assets in fertiliser and coal

Sailing Yacht A, which was has three 300ft masts that are taller than Big Ben's tower, met Motor Yacht A in Monaco

The towering Sailing Yacht A boasts masts at 300ft that are taller than Big Ben as it sits in the water off the coast of Monaco

Motor Yacht A which belogns to the Russian oligarch born in Gomel, Belarus, during Soviet rule, who is one of the richest citizens of Russia and the world with a reported net worth of around £11billion

A spokesman for Mr Melnichenko said: 'Motor Yacht A is undergoing a planned minor refit in the Navantia shipyard in Cartagena. 

'It's a technical survey and regular maintenance to maintain her usual as-new condition.'

Sailing Yacht A had been tested rigorously in Gibraltar before being handed to its owner last month where she and Motor Yacht A were sent out to sea.  

They were spotted in the 430-acre principality of Monaco, the glitzy and glamorous seaside principality on the French Riviera.  

Sailing Yacht A was handed over to the owner by the project team led by Dirk Kloosterman having completed her final sea trials in the Navantia shipyard in Cartagena, and in Gibraltar at the beginning of May. 

The staggering Sailing Yacht A is a 468ft-long vessel which has three 300ft masts that are taller than Big Ben's tower.  

Motor Yacht A, pictured left, sailing in waters off the coast of Monaco next to its owner's new toy- Sailing Yacht A, seen right

Pictured in Monaco, Sailing Yacht A, left, and Motor Yacht A, right, are both stamped with a huge A on the back of the vessels

People disembark Sailing Yacht A's smaller ferrying vessel as it moors among the other luxury yachts in Monaco's harbour

HOW DOES MOTOR YACHT A STACK UP AGAINST SAILING YACHT A?

Billionaire Andrey Melnichenko owns two of the world's largest superyachts. Here's how they stack up:

Motor Yacht A 

Launched: 2008

Builder: Blohm + Voss (Hamburg, Germany)

Designer: Philippe Starck 

Cost: £240million

Length: 119 metres (390ft)

World's 21st largest superyacht 

Guests: 14

Crew: 42 

Maximum speed: 23 knots (26 mph)

Cruising speed: 19.5 knots (22 mph)

Flag: Bermuda 

Sailing Yacht A

Launched: 2017

Builder: Nobiskrug (Rendsburg, Germany)

Designer: Philippe Starck 

Cost: £360million

Length: 142.8 metres (468.5ft)

World's 9th largest superyacht 

Guests: 20

Crew: 54 

Maximum speed: 21 knots (24mph)

Cruising speed: 16 knots (18 mph)

Flag: Bermuda 

Sailing Yacht A boasts eight floors - with a helicopter pad on one of the decks - and an underwater observation room.

It is powered by a 'hybrid diesel-electric package with controllable pitch propellers,' and is designed to accommodate 20 guests and a crew of 54. 

Project Director Dirk Kloosterman said: 'This has been the most challenging assignment of my career. I am confident Sailing Yacht A will be the world's greatest yacht in terms of design and technology for the years ahead.' 

A close-up shot of billionaire Andrey Melnichenko's £240million superyacht which he called Motor Yacht A

Motor Yacht A, left, and Sailing Yacht A, in the sea off the coast of Monaco with a combined value of about £600million

A smaller vessel is lowered into the water from Motor Yacht A, which appears to have inspired the design of the new yacht

The two yachts, that cost a combined £600million, met today in Monte Carlo, in Monaco

The 468ft-long vessel Sailing Yacht A (left) is owned by Andrey Melnichenko, as is Motor Yacht A (right) 

Andrey Melnichenko, who has an estimated net worth of $13.4 billion (£10.8 billion), is said to favour using the letter 'A' so that his vessels are listed first in shipping registers

The impressive superyachts were both designed by Frenchman Philippe Starck for the Russian billionaire 

The 45-year-old Russian industrialist is worth around £11billion, with assets in fertiliser and coal.

He is the main shareholder of EuroChem, one of the leading fertiliser producers in the world. 

Sailing Yacht A eclipses his other superyacht, Motor Yacht A, worth £240million. 

It boasts an opulent lounge with floor-to-ceiling windows, wood and leather furniture, and a spacious owner's cabin that is larger than most apartments in London or New York and is said to have bomb-proof glass and a rotating bed.

Sailing Yacht A boasts eight floors - with a helicopter pad on one of the decks - and an underwater observation room

The ultra-luxurious Motor Yacht A features an unconventional design and bears a resemblance to a military-style submarine

The cruise speed of the ship is 18mph, with a top speed of 24mph. The hull is made of steel, with a teak-finish deck

Three spa pools with current-generating technology are spread throughout the yacht, and one has a glass floor that passengers can look into from the lower deck.  

There are seven luxurious cabins for up to 14 guests and accommodation for 42 crew members.

Powered by two diesel engines, the yacht has a top speed of 23 knots (26.4 mph) and a cruising speed of 19.5 knots (22.4 mph), with a range of 6,500 nautical miles. 

Over the years it has been spotted in places such as Honolulu, Malibu, Monaco, Puerto Rico, Turkey and Thailand.

Both vessels were designed by Frenchman Philippe Starck, a renowned contemporary designer. 

The Belarus-born Melnichenko lives a glamorous, jet-setting lifestyle with his wife, Aleksandra, a former model and pop star from Serbia. 

In addition to two massive yachts, he owners a customised Boeing 737 private jet, a villa in the French Riviera, a penthouse in New York and a sprawling estate near Ascot, England.  

He is said to favour using the letter 'A' so his vessels are listed first in shipping registers.   

The huge yacht, which has 300ft masts, as tall as Big Ben, was seen sailing off into the sunset from Gibraltar on May 2, where workers were seen carrying out tests and inspections on it  

The impressive superyacht was designed by Frenchman Philippe Starck and built by German Naval Yards, Nobiskrug

The luxurious vessel has 300ft masts, eight floors, a helicopter pad and an underwater observation room and is designed to accommodate up to 20 guests and more than 50 crew

The yacht, named Sailing Yacht A, has been branded 'the world's greatest yacht' by project chiefs

The boat's owner has an estimated net worth of $13.4 billion (£10.8 billion) and he spent £360million on the luxury vessel

The impressive vessel was photographed on May 2 in Gibraltar, where workers have been carrying out tests and inspections

The massive yacht, which has eight floors, was undergoing testing in Gibraltar before being handed to its owner

The colossal yacht has three 300ft masts, eight floors, a helicopter pad and an underwater observation room

The massive vessel, which has space for 20 guests and more than 50 crew, was being tested and undergoing inspections in Gibraltar on May 2 

WHO ARE ANDREY MELNICHENKO AND HIS GLAMOROUS WIFE ALEKSANDRA?

Andrey and Aleksandra Melnichenko, a former model and pop star from Serbia - the couple met in France in 2003

Born in Gomel, Belarus, during Soviet rule, Andrey Melnichenko is one of the richest citizens of Russia and the world, with a reported net worth of around £11billion.

He is the main shareholder of EuroChem, one of the leading fertiliser producers in the world.

The billionaire industrialist met his wife Aleksandra, a former model and pop star from Serbia, in the South of France in 2003 and within two years were married in the same spot in an extravagant wedding which included performances by pop stars Whitney Houston and Christina Aguilera, along with Spanish singing legend Julio Iglesias.

Moscow-based Melnichenko paid singer Jennifer Lopez $2million to perform at his wife's lavish 30th birthday bash at their English mansion in Ascot, and the pair regularly throws sailing parties attended by the rich and famous.

In 2008, rocker Lenny Kravitz performed at their third wedding anniversary bash on Motor Yacht A. Three years later rapper Snoop Dogg entertained partygoers in a specially-built mirrored disco room.

Mrs Melnichenko once told Harper's Bazaar: 'The boat is perfect for parties, and we are always looking forward to the next one.'

In addition to two of the world's largest superyachts and a sprawling estate in Berkshire, west of London, the couple owns a villa in the French Riviera, a duplex penthouse in New York, a flat in London and a customised Boeing 737 private jet.