The 5 Most Expensive Transfers of All-time (2011)

The European football transfer Season has begun and fight to win the signatures of the

best players is at its peak. Almost all major Clubs are looking forward to have a busy

summer to build a team that will enable them to challenge Barcelona’s might in Europe

and succeed at the domestic front. Clubs are willing to spent millions in the hope that

these dollars spent will transform into on the field success, but does it really happen? To

have more insight in this issue we shall analyse the five most expensive transfers in football.

Número uno

Player Season Selling Club Buying Club Transfer fee

Cristiano Ronaldo 2009/2010 Manchester United Real Madrid £80 million

Ronaldo made the World headlines with his record transfer from the Red Devils to the

Galacticos and has silenced some of the critics questioning his price tag with his prolific

Goal scoring.

Games Played Goals Scored Assists Goals per Game Assists per Game

89 86 22 0.96 0.24

Ronaldo has scored 86 Goals in his 89 Appearances for Real Madrid at just about a Goal

per Game, he also broke the record for most Goals in the La Liga in a single Season

previously held by Athletic Bilbao’s Telmo Zarra and Madrid legend Hugo Sánchez (38

Goals). Although Ronaldo has been breaking Goal scoring records Real have only

managed to win the Copa del Rey in their two years with Ronaldo, finishing second best

in the League behind Guardiola’s juggernauts, getting knocked out in the first knockout

round in 2009/10 and reaching the Semi-finals in 2010/11 of the Champions League.

An impact of Ronaldo transfer was the total dependence of the Galacticos on Ronaldo

for Goals and some rumours of inter player conflicts which were squashed immediately

but might just have been locked in the dressing room.

So clearly the record transfer that made headlines has certainly amazed football fans

around the world but is yet to add to the trophy cabinet, the transfer did help Madrid built

on its image not with their performance on the fields rather with the glamour off the field.

El número dos

Player Season Selling Club Buying Club Transfer fee

Zlatan Ibhrahimovic 2009/10 Internazionale Barcelona £56.5* million

Zlatan’ transfer from Inter to Barce involved Eto’o going in the opposite direction and Hleb

being loaned and was the world’s most expensive transfer but only for a few days with

Ronaldo’s transfer later stealing the spotlight.

Games Played Goals Scored Assists Goals per Game Assists per Game

42 22 9 0.52 0.21

Zlatan made 42 Appearances for the Catalans scoring 22 Goals, a Goal every two

Games. Unlike Ronaldo who had been on the scorecard almost every Match day Zlatan

didn’t have the best of time on the field as well as off it.

Barce on the other hand had a good Season winning the La Liga, UEFA & Spanish Super

Cup and reaching the Champions League Semi-finals and very less of the credit could go

to Zlatan, and by the end of the Season his relationship with Guardiola going to an extent

that Zlatan put up for sale. Zlatan who has been rated one of the Games most technically

gifted players but not having the best mentality, has commented on his uncomfortable

stay in Barcelona on numerous occasions, a move that has not been seen in World

football on many occasions and least expected from one of football’s most expensive

players.

Zlatan’ transfer represents one of world’s most expensive failed transfers, something that

has now become a recurring phenomenon with the rich Clubs.

Número tres

Player Season Selling Club Buying Club Transfer fee

Kaká 2009/10 AC Milan Real Madrid £55 million

Kaká’ transfer to Madrid got the world dreaming of the impact it would have on Spanish

football with Ronaldo to partner him, but only glimpses of the player that Kaká once was

were seen by the Madrista’ and his transfer could be termed as the best business deal

ever, no lemon had ever been sold at such an outrageous price. Kaká spent most of his

two seasons side-lined due to injury, talks of him being offloaded have already begun

and Clubs willing to spend more millions on him are rumoured to have lined up.

Games Played Goals Scored Assists Goals per Game Assists per Game

53 16 13 0.30 0.24

In his two disappointing seasons with the Galacitos, Kaká played 53 Games scoring 16

Goals and creating 13. In the two Seasons that Kaká was on the payroll, Real Madrid

managed to win the Copa Del Rey.

Kaká joins the ranks of other Brazilians like Robinho who have failed to live up to the hefty

price tag.

El número cuatro

Player Season Selling Club Buying Club Transfer fee

Fernando Torres 2010/11 Liverpool Chelsea £50 million

Fernando Torres’ transfer was the English’s leagues most expensive transfer and it also

gave hope to Chelsea fans around the World that he would step in and take a lead in

solving Chelsea’s woes with his Goal scoring ability, but Torres managed to disappoint

every single Chelsea fan.

Games Played Goals Scored Goals per Game

18 1 0.05

Torres has managed just one Goal in his 18 Appearances with the Blues, and his form

could be described as the worst for any Striker. In Torres’ defence it could be said that he

needs time to adjust to Chelsea’s style of play but for the amount of money that has been

paid to acquire his services his form is hopelessly disappointing and fans and Club owners

deserve a lot better than this.

Although Torres only was with the Blues post January he did not make any impact on

Chelsea who ended a trophy less season and are rumoured to be making moves for a lot

of players this summer. Chelsea are rumoured to be looking for a player to help Torres get

his Goal scoring ability back, meaning a potentially new record transfer and whether it

shall succeed or not remains to be seen.

El número cinco

Player Season Selling Club Buying Club Transfer fee

Zinedine Zidane 2001/02 Juventus Real Madrid £45.7 million

Zizou’ commented after his transfer to the Galacitos that Real Madrid was the club he

deserved to play for and he lived up to the transfer fee that was paid for his services. It

was the most expensive football transfer then and remained so for eight years.

Games Played Goals Scored Goals per Game

225 49 0.21

In his five Seasons with Real Madrid, Zizou made 225 Appearances scoring 49 Goals which

includes the spectacular volley hit with his weaker foot in the UEFA Champions League

finals win against Bayer Leverkusen in 2001/02 (2-1).

Zizou’ time with Madrid was also a golden period for the Galacitos, Zizou won the La Liga

in 2002/03, UEFA Champions League in 2001/02, UEFA Super Cup in 2002, Spanish Super

Cup in 2001 & 2003, the Intercontinental Cup in 2002, a total of 6 Competitions.

Of the five most expensive football transfers ever only one can be said as value for

money, the one that involved one of the Greatest Midfielders ever, but again the other

four transfers haven’t spent a long time with their new Clubs and making judgements now

could be too early and premature, for the sake of the fans and the Club owners it is

expected that players live up to the price tag they carry and make an impact on the

team immediately helping them win on the field rather than attract attention for their off

the field personas.