What is the best Premier League transfer of all time?

National World - LocalTV

Whether it be an overseas player or simply a player transferring from one Premier League club to another, the English top flight has had its fair share of footballing icons. So looking back to when they first put pen to paper, we spoke to football journalists to get their thoughts on the transfer that made the most sense and went on to make Premier League history.

Transcript

00:00 Whether it be an overseas player or simply a player moving from one Premier League club to another,

00:07 the English top flight has had their fair share of footballing icons.

00:11 So looking back to when they first put pen to paper, I spoke to football journalists to get their thoughts on the transfer

00:18 that made the most sense over time and went on to make Premier League history.

00:23 You're always looking for a bit of a bargain signing, someone signed for a pretty cheap fee who went on to be a fantastic player

00:30 and then obviously that in itself, they need to go on to be a superb player and a real talent.

00:35 So one that jumps out for me is Cristiano Ronaldo when Manchester United signed him in 2003.

00:40 I think he cost just £12m, sold on six years later for a world record price,

00:45 went on to inherit the throne of David Beckham after he departed.

00:49 I think Eric Cantona as well is maybe a close second and the impact that he had on United during his time as a player

00:56 obviously galvanised that squad, was the real experience head around the famous class of '92

01:02 and helped push the club on to repeated titles and established the foundation from which Alex Ferguson built going forward.

01:10 So I think that's one.

01:11 So many. Cristiano Ronaldo would be the name that comes to a lot of people's minds.

01:15 I'm sure it's probably been mentioned by a lot of my colleagues. But for me, Thierry Henry at Arsenal from Juventus,

01:21 £14.5m in 1999, one of the greatest ever players in the Premier League and for that kind of fee.

01:28 I know at the time that is a lot of money, but certainly not a ridiculous amount considering how much he did for the club under Arsene Wenger.

01:35 Of course, two Premier League titles as part of that invincible squad and was the best player in that season,

01:41 both creatively and scoring goals as well.

01:43 But when I go back a bit longer, I almost had to look twice. Patrick Vieira, when you go back and look how much he cost,

01:49 £3.5m he was from AC Milan. Now, obviously, I know this was a long time ago. It was 1996.

01:54 We all know about inflation. So £3.5m then, God knows what that is now.

01:58 But I mean, as a figure, £3.5m for what he did. I mean, you don't need me to go on here and say what he's done since.

02:04 You know, Arsenal never replaced him. Basically, he's been that good.

02:06 He's been one. He was, you know, the strikers are the ones that come across as I remember usually as the Premier League's best players

02:12 because they score all the goals. But him as a centre midfielder, as a CDM, like basically,

02:16 if you go for any side, like, you know, that's someone you'd want in your team.

02:20 And I mean, what a punt that was. And yeah, I think there's no obvious contenders,

02:24 but for the price they paid for him and what he went on to do, let's go for him.

02:29 There's been a collection of names that have made transfers to the Premier League and possibly you could say even overachieved.

02:36 Two of the three mentioned went on to be invincibles with Arsenal in 2003, a Premier League record that still remains 20 years later.

02:45 And the other, well, a kid from Portugal that Sir Alex put his money on, went on to be the greatest Champions League player in history,

02:53 winning multiple Ballon d'Ors and is seen as the most well-known athlete of all time.

02:58 So when these transfers do go to plan, there's not much you can argue with.

03:03 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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