The Bosman Ruling: 5 of the greatest free transfers ever

#2 Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

Lewandowski has become an absolute star in the Bundesliga

Mario Gotze in 2013, Lewandowski in 2014 and Hummels in 2016. These are the three players who made their move from Dortmund to Bayern in a short space of four years.

While Dortmund received hefty fees for both Gotze and Hummels, Lewandowski made a move to the Allianz arena without costing a single penny. The man who had played a crucial role in both of Dortmund’s title triumphs had now joined their biggest rivals.

Although not as bad as the Sol Campbell transfer, Lewandowski also didn’t get a warm reception at the Signal Iduna Park. For the Polish striker, it was a decision well made as he has gone on to win the Bundesliga on four occasions, but the Champions League trophy still eludes him.

The Polish international is into his 5th season with the Bavarian giants, having scored 159 times in just 202 appearances. Lewandowski’s game has reached a new level since his move to Bayern, having won the Bundesliga top scorer award in three of his four seasons at the club.