#1 Eric Cantona
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Some twenty years before Manchester United signed Robin van Persie – the top striker from one of their biggest rivals – they made a similar signing in the form of Eric Cantona, who in the 1991/92 season had helped Leeds United to win the league in the final season prior to the Premier League’s introduction. Where Van Persie cost a lot of money though, Cantona somehow only set United back £1.2m.
The feeling was that Cantona – seen as an unstable maverick – was expendable, but it turned out to be one of the all-time blunders from Leeds – and one of the all-time great bargains for United. Cantona had an instant impact at Old Trafford, scoring 9 goals in his debut season as United won the inaugural Premier League title, and he more than doubled that total in 1993/94, scoring 25 in all competitions as United completed a league and FA Cup double.
A controversial suspension for assaulting a fan with a kung-fu kick marred his 1994/95 season, but the best was yet to come – returning from his suspension in 1995/96, Cantona led United – who were twelve points behind league leaders Newcastle in mid-January – to the league title by scoring an incredible 11 goals in United’s last 15 games, five of which were 1-0 victories.
By the time of his stunning retirement at the end of the 1996/97 season – his fifth title win in England in six seasons – he had become one of United’s all-time legends, up there with the likes of Best, Charlton and Law. Not bad for someone who only cost £1.2m!
