I would pick Toni Kroos. Value for money, a starter, won all the major trophies.
Who is the best transfer of all time?
- Thread starter JSArsenal
- Start date
Would Denis Law fit in that list?
More like buying a Ferrari and ending up with a Bugatti Veyron.
Yeah, quite possibly but I only listed players from the era of most fans on the forum. From a City point of view as well, free transfer and his goal sealed United's relegation from the top flight
Btw, Rummenigge was another one Bayern bought for peanuts as a teenage no-name.
off the top of my head, Ronaldo to Madrid gave them an incredible return. Cantona to United is an obvious one too.
Barca got Pique back for £5m, fantastic ROI.
Not the best of all time but Arsenal bought Anelka for half a million then sold him to Madrid for £22 million 2 years later, replacing him with a greater talent in Henry, who went on to be their record goal scorer.
Probably not quite what OP had in mind, but i want to add Uli Hoeneß. Of course in his case the most influential part of his career was beside the pitch for Bayern, despite him being also a part of some of our vintage 70s teams as a player.
My issue with Ronaldo in that list is that first Real Madrid are arguably the greatest club of all time, they purchased Ronaldo for a world record fee and during the first 5 seasons they won 1 league title, Copa del Rey and 1 CL. That's not much of a return when you consider the investment particular when you consider the fact that they added an other world record fee before the CL win and it took a lot of investment in order to turn them into CL serial winners.
I wouldn't say that it was the transfer that changed their fate, while it was a great acquisition it's more in line with "regular" great acquisitions, it was done at a high price and it didn't completely change the team history.
Great list, @harms! 
I'd probably add these to the mix:
I'd probably add these to the mix:
- Benfica: Eusébio from Maxaquene. 450+ goals, European Cup, 11 Primeira Liga titles.
- Ajax: Johan Neeskens from Heemstede. 3 European Cups and stature as Johan II.
- Peñarol: Alberto Spencer from Everest. 450+ goals, 3 Copa Libertadores, 8 Primera División titles.
- Milan: Gianni Rivera from Alessandria. Golden Boy of Milan, 2 European Cups.
- Botafogo: Garrincha from Serrano. Greatest icon with Nílton Santos, maybe the most beloved Fogão ever.
- Everton: Dixie Dean from Tranmere. 400 goals and 2 First Division titles.
Ronaldo to United and Real is a big one in modern times.
Lewandowski to Bayern has been another massive one.
Lewandowski to Bayern has been another massive one.
I know next to nothing about Liverpool history but is Dalglish a candidate for this thread?
Mbappe and neymar too.
Not the best transfer of all time and probably for another thread, but one which I feel deserves a mention here. Abu Treika signed for Egyptian club Al Ahly in 2004 for a fee of 450k EGP ~ roughly 45000 pounds.
He went on to win seven league titles and five Champions League titles for Al Ahly in 9 years (league was cancelled the two other times with Al Ahly top of the league).
He has become a cult hero in Egypt (at least to Ahly fans). It would be interesting to hear similar stories if anyone has any.
But on topic, it has to be Ronaldo, both to us in 2003 and then to Madrid in 2009. Both teams benefitted on both footballing and financial fronts from their respective deals.
Lewandowski is a great shout, but I don't think he's had as big an impact as Ronaldo has had on two major clubs in Europe.
He went on to win seven league titles and five Champions League titles for Al Ahly in 9 years (league was cancelled the two other times with Al Ahly top of the league).
He has become a cult hero in Egypt (at least to Ahly fans). It would be interesting to hear similar stories if anyone has any.
But on topic, it has to be Ronaldo, both to us in 2003 and then to Madrid in 2009. Both teams benefitted on both footballing and financial fronts from their respective deals.
Lewandowski is a great shout, but I don't think he's had as big an impact as Ronaldo has had on two major clubs in Europe.
Thats insane. They bought him underpriced, got his prime and made all their money back.
That was Ronaldo and he deservedly claimed all the accolades. We lost the title the season after Ronaldo left. Then won in 2011 and RVP won us 2013. maybe Rooney was the leader for just ONE of those titles
Ronaldo hands down. He actually made a world record fee look like a bargain. Then they sell him on for a profit a decade later after he’s won them 4 champions leagues and become their record goal scorer. Madness when you think about it.
Cruyff to Barca - totally transformed the club as well as being a massive success on the pitch
Maradonna to Napoli - took a team of also rans to winning two seria a titles when seria a was the best league in the world - might have cost a lot at the time but was still great value
Maradonna to Napoli - took a team of also rans to winning two seria a titles when seria a was the best league in the world - might have cost a lot at the time but was still great value
Whoever put Pogba needs to go and have a word with themselves. Shouldn't even be near this thread let alone the winner.
Ronaldo for me. Madrid got him at a snip, he went up a level when he joined them and turned into an absolute machine. They then sold him for an amazing fee (personally i think this was a mistake). I've gotta give a shout-out to Juve for getting Pirlo on a free transfer. Was hailed as the best midfielder in the world for a good while after that.
Ronaldo for me. Madrid got him at a snip, he went up a level when he joined them and turned into an absolute machine. They then sold him for an amazing fee (personally i think this was a mistake). I've gotta give a shout-out to Juve for getting Pirlo on a free transfer. Was hailed as the best midfielder in the world for a good while after that.
Messi to Barcelona
I'd also say Ronaldo, just because there isn't another player with the same mental fortitude and work ethic out there. Whatever RM bought him for, now looks peanuts compared to the player they got in return. I highly doubt they'd go toe-to-toe with Messi's Barca without Ronaldo.
One transfer which hasn't been mentioned yet is the forgotten man Coutinho. Pool bought him for €13m and sold for €145m. His sale fueled the transfers for Van Dijk and Alisson, which eventually turned Pool into a top european team.
One transfer which hasn't been mentioned yet is the forgotten man Coutinho. Pool bought him for €13m and sold for €145m. His sale fueled the transfers for Van Dijk and Alisson, which eventually turned Pool into a top european team.
Hard to beat the return on investment for a club on this transfer.
I think so too. He's a marvellous striker.
Cantona -a ready made striker.
No waiting about like with Ronnie.
Modric was a good buy for Madrid.
No waiting about like with Ronnie.
Modric was a good buy for Madrid.
Di Stefano to Real Madrid. The political turmoil this caused between Barca and Madrid was crazy. If this transfer had gone the other way Barcelona could have been the club to win 5 consecutive european cups.
Dalglish to Liverpool.
Cryuff to Barcelona.
Rijkaard, Van Basten and Guilt to AC Milan
Cantona to Utd
Maradonna to Napoli
Platini to Juventus
Edit: Posted first then started to read the posts above and all have already been mentioned. Doh!
Dalglish to Liverpool.
Cryuff to Barcelona.
Rijkaard, Van Basten and Guilt to AC Milan
Cantona to Utd
Maradonna to Napoli
Platini to Juventus
Edit: Posted first then started to read the posts above and all have already been mentioned. Doh!
Pirlo to Juve might not have been the best transfer of all time, but it was a really good one at least.
They were competing with one of the best teams of all times and would never have closed the gap without Ronaldo
Some excellent posts on here of players from way back when. Probably deserving of its own thread: "Players who definied a club then and now". Iconic players. Example;
Kubala and Messi
Di Stefano and Ronaldo
Gerd Muller or Beckenbauer and ?
Best and Cantona
Dalglish and Gerrard
Eusebio and ?
Kubala and Messi
Di Stefano and Ronaldo
Gerd Muller or Beckenbauer and ?
Best and Cantona
Dalglish and Gerrard
Eusebio and ?
Arguably the most important transfer in football for the last 30 years.
If we are talking about the best transfer of all time than there is a need to demonstrate that it single-handedly made the difference which is clearly not the case when it comes to Ronaldo first because he wasn't the only top level signing that summer, it was alongside Xabi Alonso, Benzema and Kaka. Xabi Alonso and Benzema were key players in the future successes, then the following season they brought Ozil, Di Maria and Khedira who were also key players for the first Liga title during Ronaldo's tenure and then when it comes to the CL haul the additions of Modric and Bale were also key.
The point being that while the transfer of Ronaldo was a great one, it's not the single reason behind their future success, he was the main contributor because arguably the best player in the world but it was a relatively long process that involved hundreds of millions and the construction of almost an entire starting eleven and several managers. It's a different scenario to for example Cantona being the catalyst for a group of player that was already at the club.
I think there's a difference between the ready-made superstars at the top of their game who became available (C Ronaldo, Lewandowski, Di Stefano) and the players who were more of a punt and went on to transform themselves and their new clubs (Cantona the most obvious example). The first group didn't require much insight, just the ability to pay big wages and/or transfer fee and the status of a superclub. While the second were proper gambles, with some risk attached for the 'damaged goods' types (eg Maradona) and deserve some extra bonus points in my view.
This.
So, VdS became world class once he came here?
I agree with but also adds the "immediate and individual impact" points. Maradona impacts was very special, Napoli reached an other level instantaneously.
What about players who perhaps didn't set their new club on fire on the pitch but were an important cog in the machine. He's not the best transfer of all time, but what did the experience of that guy Ferguson signed in 2006/2007 or so, I can't remember his name bring to that United side and the impact on the young players there.
David Villa to Barcelona for 40 mil euros.
The guy was arguably the best Spanish striker of all time (for me) and pinged goal after goal from LW.
Loved watching him and is a slightly forgotten name in Guardiola's wonder team.
The guy was arguably the best Spanish striker of all time (for me) and pinged goal after goal from LW.
Loved watching him and is a slightly forgotten name in Guardiola's wonder team.
Diallo
Bergkamp to Arsenal?
For United I'd say Cantona, was the spark that led to finally winning the league and all the success that followed.