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The financial ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic has not stopped clubs from splurging big money in the ongoing summer transfer window. However, money doesn’t guarantee success, and big-money signings can often go dramatically wrong for player and club.
In the past decade, the game has witnessed a massive influx of cash, which has seen exorbitant amounts of money spent in the transfer market. There have been over ten transfers that have exceeded the €100 million mark in the past five years.
That has led to fans questioning their club’s spending, as teams like Barcelona have been driven into billions of dollars of debt through exorbitant expenditures. However, big-money signings can sometimes provide a much-needed impetus and boost to a club and propel them to domestic and European glory.
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While it remains to be seen if Jack Grealish’s £105 million move to Manchester City works out as expected, the £76 million Liverpool paid for Van Dijk has certainly been money well spent.
On that note, here's a look at five players who silenced their critics after securing big-money moves.
#5 Kai Havertz
After an impressive four-season spell at Bayer Leverkusen, Kai Havertz earned a big-money €80 million move to Chelsea.
The German was directly involved in 77 goals (46 goals, 31 assists) in 150 appearances for Leverkusen as he established himself as one of the most talented prospects in the game. However, he was still an unproven quantity on the big stage, so many wondered if Chelsea had overpaid for the youngster.
There were also questions regarding Havertz’s ability to adapt to the rigours of English football. Much like Chelsea, Havertz endured a tough start to his 2020-21 campaign. But with more game time under his belt, the 22-year-old looked more at ease, and soon established himself as a regular under Thomas Tuchel.
Kai Havertz assisted the opening goal in Chelsea’s 2-0 win against Real Madrid in the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals. Havertz then got himself on the scoresheet in arguably the biggest match of his career, scoring his first Champions League goal to seal Chelsea’s second triumph in the competition.
One can surely surmise that the German has proved most of his doubters wrong.
#4 Luis Suarez
Luis Suarez was arguably the best striker in the game when Barcelona came calling in the summer of 2014.
The Uruguayan almost single-handedly propelled Liverpool to a Premier League title in the 2013-14 season, registering a direct involvement in 48 goals (31 goals, 17 assists) in 37 Premier League appearances.
While there were no doubts regarding his abilities, many expressed concerns about his temperament. Suarez's Barcelona debut was delayed by three months, as he received a suspension for biting Giorgio Chiellini at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
The 34-year-old was also involved in a biting incident in 2013 during his time at Anfield, this time it was Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic. In another shameful incident, Suarez was found guilty of racially abusing Patrice Evra during a Premier League game against Manchester United.
To his credit, though, Luis Suarez apparently cleaned up his act after making an €82.3 million move to Barcelona. He hit the ground running, and emerged as one of the most important players in a world-class Blaugrana squad.
The Uruguayan has registered a stellar tally of 195 goals and 113 assists during his time at Camp Nou. Suarez formed one-third of the feared MSN attacking trio that won the 2014-15 continental treble.
Now at Atletico Madrid, Suarez scored 21 times to propel the Rojiblancos to their first league titles in seven years last season.
#3 Harry Maguire
Harry Maguire had his fair share of doubters and critics when he made an €87 million move to Manchester United, a record transfer fee paid for a defender.
The Englishman was rated as a good centre-half during his two-year spell at Leicester City. But very few thought he was worth the amount Manchester United paid to Leicester for his services.
United fans, too, had their reservations about Maguire as the central figure in their defence. However, he managed to establish himself as one of the first names in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team sheet.
Maguire played every minute of United’s 2019-20 Premier League season, registering a total of 55 appearances across competitions in his debut campaign. The Englishman displayed immense composure with the ball at his feet, and solved a lot of United’s issues at the back with his solid and consistent performances.
Ahead of the 2020-21 season, Maguire faced criticism after being convicted for assaulting a police officer while on vacation in Greece. He had his redemption on the football pitch, though, emerging as one of the central figures for Manchester United and England in the recently-concluded Euros.
Harry Maguire is now the captain of Manchester United, which speaks volumes of his enormous impact in just two years at the club.
#2 Raheem Sterling
The Englishman has emerged as one of the finest wingers in the game during his time at the Etihad, but not many had predicted that to be the case.
Raheem Sterling made the move to Manchester City on a €63.7 million transfer from Liverpool, making him the most expensive English player at the time. It was a move that shocked many, because Sterling had become the most expensive British player at the tender age of 20.
Much like Havertz, Sterling was largely an unproven entity, especially in the biggest of stages. The 26-year-old endured a slow start to life at Manchester City, but has displayed some of his best football under Pep Guardiola's tutelage.
The Spaniard has managed to extract the best out of Sterling, employing him in a system that allows the player the freedom to showcase his exceptional talent. In 247 appearances under Pep Guardiola, Sterling has notched up 104 goals and 77 assists.
The three-time Premier League winner was pivotal in England’s run to the final of Euro 2020, where he bagged three goals and an assist.
#1 Virgil Van Dijk
No one has proved their critics and haters wrong as dramatically as Virgil Van Dijk has after joining Liverpool. The Dutchman was indispensable in Liverpool’s Premier League and Champions League triumphs in successive seasons, but the fans got to witness a Van Dijk-less Liverpool last season.
In the absence of their prolific centre-half, Liverpool spectacularly imploded before recovering to finish third in the league. That explains why Van Dijk is widely regarded as one of the finest defenders in the game at the moment.
After the Dutchman’s €84.65 million move to Liverpool, fans and pundits argued that the centre-half was not worth that much. Some Liverpool fans believed the money could have been better spent elsewhere, but Van Dijk has proved them wrong.
Van Dijk moved to Anfield in the 2018 winter transfer window and finished runner-up in the Ballon d’Or race during his second season at the club in 2019. He was also named UEFA’s Best Player in Europe, PFA Player of the Year and Liverpool’s Player of the Year that year.
Thus it would be safe to say that Van Dijk’s critics have been emphatically proved wrong.
