Time and again, UK football fans are reminded that any Premier or Champions League team is but one player away from being a champion. That is exactly why transfers play such a big role in the development of each club’s roster year after year.
Over the years, they have been transfers that resulted in a team going through the transition of a mid-level team to a team that was able to complete at the highest possible. Even more astonishing is the fact that some transfers included players who went on to become one of the best players in history.
This matters to football fans who want to see the teams they support improve by any means necessary. It also matters to sports gamblers who have managed to win a little money by recognizing the benefits a transfer brings before others do. That applies to gamblers who wager through licensed UK sportsbooks and GamStop gamblers who wager through a majority of UK non GamStop betting sites presented by Casino-Wise.com.
On topic, let’s take a look at some of the best bargain transfers of all time.
Cristiano Ronaldo – Sporting Lisbon to Manchester United in 2003
The Ronaldo transfer is a good place to start because of his standing in Premier League history. He is simply one of the greatest of all time.
When David Beckham departed from Manchester United for greener pastures in 2003, it left a huge hole in the Machester roster. It also left the team looking for a player who might someday have the same star power as Beckham. They landed on Christiano Ronaldo at the age of 18 for a bargain price of £17.1 million. The transfer paid astonishing dividends.
During his six-year run with the Red Devils, he went on to lead them to three consecutive Premier League titles (2006-2009) and a European Cup/UEFA Champions League title over the 2007-2008 season.
Thierry Henry – Juventus to Arsenal in 1999
Every once in a bright prospect turns out to be exactly what his club thought he would be. That is certainly the case with Thierry Henry. In fact, he definitely exceeded Arsenal’s expectations.
His accomplishments speak for themselves. Known as the “King of Arsenal”, Henry would eventually go on to become the club’s all-time leading scorer with 228 goals across all competitions. He was the Premier League’s top scorer on four different occasions, including that incredible 2003-04 season when he scored 39 goals while leading his club to a Premier League Championship and an undefeated season. To get a five-time Player of the Year award winner for the bargain price of £14.5 million is nothing short of robbery.
Frank Lampard – West Ham to Chelsea in 2001
When Chelsea secured Lampard’s services for £14.4 million, they did so believing he would give them a solid return on investment. What they got was a lot more than they expected. Labeled as “Super Frankie Lampard,” Lampard would go on to become the only Premier League midfielder to score 150 or more goals over their career. While known for his ability to score from anywhere on the pitch, he was also able to amass 102 assists in his 13 years with Chelsea. During his run, Chelsea did capture on Champions League title.
Sergio Aguero – Atletico Madrid to Man City in 2011
At a transfer fee of £36 million, Sergio Aguero makes this list with the highest fee. Did he provide a good return on investment? The numbers speak for themselves.
Generally considered one of the Premier League’s greatest strikers, Aguero finished his career with Manchester City as the club’s all-time leading scorer with 184 goals across all competitions. During his time with Man City, he anchored a great Manchester City club that took three Premier League titles (2017–18, 2018–19, 2020–21) and three FA Cup titles.
Patrick Vieira – AC Milan to Arsenal in 1996
For a mere transfer fee of £4.8 million, any decent return on investment is a boon for any football club. What Patrick Vieira gave in return was a solid midfielder who would eventually go on to become the club’s captain from 2002 – 2005. While his stats fail to tell the story, fans, teammates, and Arsenal ownership will certainly attest to just how indispensable he was on both sides of the pitch during his career.