Rio Ferdinand was a tremendous player during his time as a player.Starting off his career at West Ham United, Ferdinand would feature at the club for six seasons before departing for Leeds United for £18 million.After two successful seasons in Yorkshire, Ferdinand would be on the move once again.Manchester United would seal a deal for the defender in a fee worth £30 million.That transfer smashed the record of the most expensive British footballer in history at the time, while also making him the world's most expensive defender.That would prove to be money well spent for the Red Devils as he would become paramount in all of United's success for the following 12 seasons.But how much would he be worth in today's market?Transfer fees have soared since he made the move to Old Trafford in 2002.Virgil van Dijk's move to Liverpool in January earlier this year for £75 million dwarfs the figure Ferdinand transferred to United for.But it has now been revealed that Ferdinand would be worth almost four times what he was worth in 2002.Ferdinand went for $52.6million then. Due to inflation in transfer fees, that is the equivalent of $220.7million in today's market.The now 39-year-old has reacted to this on Twitter - and he's done so brilliantly.He wrote: "Madness how the game has changed... Told People At The Time I was a Bargain!!!!!! 

Wow. That is a lot of money.

Although it wouldn't have looked it at the time, that fee does indeed look like a bargain compared to what he would be worth in today's market.

Ferdinand's right, though. It is crazy the sort of prices players are going for nowadays.

Unfortunately, the way that the market has been going, it seems as if the prices clubs pay for players will continue to rise for the unforeseeable future.