James Rodriguez set Monaco back nearly £40million last summer and stopping Colombia's in-form forward could prove priceless for Brazil, according to midfielder Fernandinho.
The Manchester City man knows a thing or two about big price tags, he joined the Premier League champions for a whopping £30m last June.
But the 29-year-old believes Rodriguez was worth every penny of his fee having watched the star attacker net five times in four World Cup games so far for Colombia.
The two did cross paths briefly in the Champions League while Fernandinho was at Shakhtar Donetsk and Rodriguez was at Porto.
But the two will get up close and personal again in an all-South American quarter-final in Fortaleza on Friday and Fernandinho admits he'll have an eye on the 22-year-old.
"I played against him in the Champions League. It was at the start of his time in Europe and he wasn't yet a first-choice for Porto," said Fernandinho.
"Already in that game he showed his technical quality with his left foot. In this World Cup he is showing everyone that the money Monaco paid for him was well invested. The less space he gets against us, the better it will be for Brazil.
"Wherever I have played, man-marking does not exist anymore. It needs to be done zonally."
Brazil made it through to the last eight after a nerve-racking penalty shootout victory over Chile on Saturday.
Fernandinho started that game and he says the expectation levels are growing on the host nation.
"We have been preparing ever since we first got together on May 26," he added. "We have worked on the psychological side and there is no need to do any of that now. What matters now is to show what we can do on the pitch.
"This is my opinion. We have a very big responsibility representing a country of 200 million people who hope for happiness and better days through football."
Brazil's darling Neymar looks set to feature in the clash, despite fears he would miss out due to thigh and knee injuries.
The Barcelona star has netted three times so far in the World Cup and could add to that tally at the Estádio Castelão.
"The worst is the knee – it's what's hurting the most," team spokesman Rodrigo Paiva said.
"He will be evaluated again, but team doctor Jose Luiz Runco said fans don't have to worry because he's not a concern for the match."
