In the history of football transfers, the longest standing transfer record lasted for eight years. But, you don't know him as the man who holds this record because you know him as one of the greatest players of all time, or more recently, as the only manager to win back to back UEFA Champions League titles.
If all else fails, you definitely know him as the bald angry man who had the cojones to headbutt a 6ft 4in Italian in a FIFA World Cup final.
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I'm talking about when Zinedine Zidane became the record transfer back in 2001 when he moved from Juventus to Real Madrid and this was just one year after Los Blancos infamously signed Luis Figo from Barcelona for another record-breaking fee.
For 8 years, Real Madrid let the record be but in 2009, things had to change. Less than four hundred miles from the Spanish capital, Madrid, the Catalans had just won the treble under the genius of Pep Guardiola, plus there was also the small matter of an Argentine named Lionel Messi.
You see why I said things had to change?
What followed was something we've never seen before. On June 3rd, Real Madrid broke the transfer record by signing Kaka from AC Milan - a Ballon d'Or winner in 2007.
Things didn't end there.
Although at this point the Ballon d'Or winner for 2009 was not announced, it was clear as daylight that Messi already had one hand on the trophy and signing him from Barcelona was not an option.
If you are Florentino Perez, what do you do then? You go and buy the guy who won the award in 2008 - a guy who can give the Argentine a run for his money. So just a week after Kaka's arrival, Real Madrid broke the transfer record once again by signing Cristiano Ronaldo.
Joining the record transfers were Xabi Alonso and Karim Benzema and in the process, Real Madrid set the record for the most money spent in a transfer window – a whopping £195m!
Four years later, the Catalan juggernaut continued in full force and it forced Perez to bring out the cheques books again. Gareth Bale arrived from Spurs and thus, Real Madrid broke the transfer record for the 5th straight time.
Oh, by the way, guess which is the only other team to have broken their own world record transfer fee.
A recently relegated team by the name of Sunderland back in 1925 when they paid £6,500 and broke the world record transfer fee of £5,500 they set in 1922.
By now, you must have got the point I was trying to put across. In the modern day transfer market, records are meant to be broken and newer ones are set almost every day. This is only the first week after the transfer market officially opened and these six clubs have already broken their transfer records.
#1 Arsenal – £46.5m for Alexandre Lacazette
For the first time under Arsene Wenger, Arsenal finished outside the Top 4 and failed to qualify for the UEFA Champions League. In addition, they also finished below Spurs for the first time under Wenger.
With many fans calling for ‘Wenger Out’, Arsenal and Arsene needed to show that they mean business this season and hence they needed to make a big statement. After wrapping up a deal for Sead Kolasinac earlier this summer on a free transfer, Arsenal’s second signing was a club record one.
The Gunners signed French International, Alexandre Lacazette, for £46.5m and thus broke the transfer record held by Mesut Ozil following his move from Real Madrid in 2013 for £42.5m.
Lacazette, who scored 27, 21 & 28 goals in the last three league seasons could prove to be a title winning signing for Arsenal if he can replicate his Ligue 1 form in Premier League. Aged 26, he joins Arsenal at the peak of his career.
#2 Liverpool - £36.9m for Mohamed Salah
I am glad that Liverpool signed Mohamed Salah for £36.9m and broke their transfer record because that has finally ended Andy Carroll's six and a half year stint as Liverpool's most expensive signing ever.
By signing Salah, the Reds have not just broken their club record, but also the record for the most expensive African player of all-time. Liverpool bettered their own record (the latter one) established a year ago when they signed Sadio Mane from Southampton for £34m.
The Egyptian winger adds some more pace and directness to Liverpool's game and can be considered a smart acquisition for £36.9m. However, the two records Salah presently holds may not last very long if Liverpool sign Naby Keita as widely reported.
Keita will command a fee over £60m and will thus smash the present record.
Also Read: 5 signings that would win Liverpool the EPL title
#3 Bayern Munich - £35m for Corentin Tolisso
The retirement of Philipp Lahm and Xabi Alonso meant that Bayern would be busy in the transfer market this summer. The club have already made Kingsley Coman's transfer permanent in addition to signing Niklas Süle, Sebastian Rudy, Serge Gnabry & Corentin Tolisso.
Tolisso became Bayern's record transfer after commanding fees of £35.28m. He broke the transfer fee previously held by Javi Martinez following his £34m move from Atheltic Bilbao back in 2012.
In Tolisso, Bayern get a versatile French International. The 22-year-old is capable of playing in multiple midfield positions, as a full back or as a second striker. Considering the competition for places in Bayern, Tolisso's versatility could come in handy as it enhances his chances of becoming a regular starter for an already strong Bayern team.
#4 Everton - £30m for Jordan Pickford
Everton have been the busiest Premier League team so far. Yes, you read it right, Everton. The Toffees have signed as many as six players for nearly £100m and this can only be funded by the impending sale of Romelu Lukaku.
The club notably signed Davy Klaassen from Ajax, Michael Keane from Burnley and Sandro Ramirez from Malaga. Ronaldo Koeman also strengthened his goalkeeping department by signing Jordan Pickford from the relegated Sunderland for £30m.
This not only made him Everton's most expensive acquisition till date but also made him the most expensive uncapped English footballer of all time.
Pickford was a standout performer for Sunderland last season and aged just 23, he looks like a long-term investment from Everton and a smart one I must say.
#5 Bournemouth - £20m for Nathan Ake
The Cherries are one of the Premier League clubs who have done some smart business so far. They've added three first team players who significantly raise the quality of the first team. Interestingly, all three players have played for Bournemouth before and all three were loan deals from Premier League clubs.
The first signing was Asmir Begovic from Chelsea and the Bosnian is a big upgrade on the ageing and error prone Artur Boruc. Begovic had previously played for Bournemouth back in 2007 on loan from Portsmouth.
The second signing was Jermain Defoe on a free transfer. The England international played for the Cherries on loan from West Ham back in 2000/01 scoring 18 goals in 29 games. Bournemouth were in the third tier of English football back then.
The last one and the one that broke the club's transfer record is that of Nathan Ake's from Chelsea. Ake joined for a club record £20m fee after spending half of last season on loan at Bournemouth. With Ake's transfer, Bournemouth have broken their £16m transfer record which they set by signing Jordon Ibe from Liverpool a year ago.
#6 Borussia Monchengladbach – £15m for Matthias Ginter
Borussia Monchengladbach endured a difficult season last time around in the Bundesliga after finishing 9th in the table. Funnily though, they still finished above other Bundesliga big boys like Schalke, Bayer Leverkusen and Wolfsburg.
The German club which played in the Champions League last season is trying to make amends quickly to get back into the competition. For this reason, they have already made some signings.
They've signed highly rated 20-year-old defensive midfielder Denis Zakaria from Switzerland, the promising Reece Oxford on loan from West Ham and Italian winger Vincenzo Grifo from Bundesliga rivals Freiburg.
Their biggest signing though has been that of World Cup and Confederations Cup winning German defender Matthias Ginter from Borussia Dortmund. Ginter broke the record of compatriot Christopher Kramer when Gladbach paid £15m to Borussia Dortmund for his services.
Also Read: 5 common mistakes every big club makes in the transfer window
