In Football’s modern era, cash is king in the Premier League. Teams are splashing a hefty amount of dough to acquire the biggest talents in the world. A year ago, Machester City bought Raheem Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne for a combined fee of over £100 million, while city rivals Manchester United are due to sign Paul Pogba to Old Trafford for a staggering £100 million. However, there have been a few bargain transfers which have worked wonders for some clubs.
Let us take a look at five bargain transfers which worked wonders -
#5 Peter Schmeichel: Brondby IF to Manchester United for £505,000
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Considered one of the best players to have ever played in the Premier League, Danish shot-stopper Peter Schmeichel gained legendary status during his eight-year stint with English giants Manchester United. After the transfer, he was labelled by Sir Alex Ferguson as the bargain of the century. Relatively unknown outside Denmark at that time, his transfer raised a few eyebrows. However, he silenced all his critics during his stay at Old Trafford.
Peter won 15 titles with the Red Devils, which includes five EPL titles, three FA Cups, and a Champions League. During his tenure, Schmeichel made a number of crucial saves and kept 145 clean sheets in 292 appearances. Even with players like Edwin Van Der Saar and David De Gea representing United, the Danish giant will always be Manchester United’s greatest goalkeeper.
#4 Riyad Mahrez: Le Havre to Leicester for £400,000
About 800 days ago, the Algerian, Riyad Mahrez, was playing his trade for a mediocre second tier French club. A couple of months before becoming the champions of the second tier of English football, Leicester City splashed a relatively modest amount on an unknown talent.
He struggled in his first full season at Leicester. He was short on goals and confidence. After a miraculous escape, the Foxes survived the drop and continued to play in the top flight of English football.
The 2015-16 season was a career defining one for Mahrez. Leicester beat the 5000/1 odds and won the Premier League trophy, a shock to every football fan. At the heart of their title-winning performance, Riyad Mahrez played a crucial role. He scored 17 times and assisted a further 11 goals and won the PFA Player of the Year Trophy. He became the first African to earn this accolade.
His transfer value has risen from £4.5 million to over £30 million within a year. The Riyad Mahrez story is exceptional and has all the twists and turns to be a Hollywood movie one day.
#3 Kolo Toure: ASEC Mimosas to Arsenal for £150,000
Kolo Toure’s fee from Manchester City to Liverpool was a bargain, his first transfer to the Premier League with Arsenal was a lot cheaper, as the miserly Arsene Wenger bought the Ivorian defender in 2002 for a mere £150,000. The big Ivorian soon became one of the best defenders in the Premier League and formed a formidable partnership with Englishman Sol Campbell at the back.
His pace and acceleration complemented Campbell’s height and power. He was part of the Arsenal team that went on to become ‘The Invincibles’. Toure made 225 appearances for the North London club and was sold to Manchester City for £14 million, nine times the amount he was bought by Wenger. Toure was not the most powerful and skillful defender, but he always found a way to get the job done.
#2 Joe Hart: Shrewsbury Town to Manchester City for £100,000
The tall English goalkeeper has experienced a massive transition from playing for a fourth-tier team to becoming the Three Lion’s first choice keeper. Joe Hart moved to Manchester City from the third tier team in 2006 for a paltry sum of one hundred thousand pounds.
At the age of 19, Hart made an impressive debut for City against Sheffield United. After successful loan spells at Tranmere, Birmingham, and Blackpool, big Joe broke into the first team at the start of the 2010-11 season. His reputation has grown rapidly since his debut, winning the Premier League twice, FA Cup and the League Cup.
Hart has made 266 appearances for the club and is still going strong. Despite the fact that he had a dismal Euros campaign, Hart will probably remain first choice at club and national level for years to come.
#1 Seamus Coleman: Sligo Rovers to Everton for £65,000
As shocking as it sounds, Seamus Coleman, the Irish full-back ,joined the Merseyside team in 2009 as an unproven defender for a modest £65,000. David and Victoria Beckham’s kitchen, Lewis Hamilton’s monthly private jet rides, and a president’s campaign fee cost more than Coleman’s transfer.
After a short loan spell at Blackpool, where he played a vital role in the team’s promotion to the Premier League, the full-back returned to Everton and was immediately given a first team role by David Moyes.
He played at right midfield for a few games before switching to right back permanently. Coleman has made 180 appearances for Everton and averages a goal every 12.8 games, which is impressive for a defender. Coleman has thrived under Moyes and Roberto Martinez and has become one of the best full-backs in the Premier League.
