How price tags are determined - Studying football's landmark transfers

Radamel Falcao

Transfer Details

Atletico Madrid- Monaco

Year- 2013

Transfer fee- 50 million pounds

Primary considerations:

- Very good season performance

- Financial issues in club

- Third party ownership

In a league that has the two best players in the world, most others get eclipsed and are hardly spoken about. Falcao managed to buck this trend. With a killer instinct in front of goal and a commanding physique to boot, Falcao managed to be named among the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as one of the top goal scorers in the La Liga.

Who benefited the most – Falcao did. Monaco is not the biggest club in the world but Falcao has been in the spotlight at Atletico and now takes home a fat pay-cheque in France.

Luis Figo

Transfer details:

Barcelona- Real Madrid

Year: 2000

Transfer fee: 37,000,000 million pounds

Primary considerations:

- Big money sell

- Very good season performance

- Star player

It’s come to be known as “The great betrayal of 2000.” After five seasons of dazzling Barcelona fans with the efficiency of a hypnotist, Luis Figo snapped, and left for their greatest nemesis: Real Madrid. The deal was Real’s way of flexing it’s monetary muscle. Adored by those at the Bernabeu and vilified by the Catalans, Figo’s transfer remains one of the most polarizing moves in footballing history.

Who benefited the most: Real Madrid. They managed to one-up their main rivals and landed a world-class player in the bargain.

Rio Ferdinand

Transfer details:

Leeds United-Manchester United

Year: 2002

Transfer fee: 34,000,000 million pounds

Primary considerations:

- Special Talent

- Big money sell

- Domestic Rival

- Age at transfer- 24

Rio Ferdinand is the costliest defender in the English League and has been a stalwart of the modern Manchester United side.

Who benefited most: Still at Manchester United and still performing at the highest level. The buyers certainly won.

Wayne Rooney

Transfer details:

Everton- Manchester United

Year: 2004

Transfer fee: 25,600,000 million pounds

Primary considerations

- Special Talent

- Big money sell

- Domestic Rival

- Age at transfer- 18

The temperamental Rooney has matured greatly in his years at United and has become a lynchpin of their attack.

Who benefited the most: Everton did get a really good price but lost out on a really special talent.

Robin Van Persie

Transfer details:

Arsenal- Manchester United

Year: 2012

Transfer fee: 24,000,000 pounds

Primary considerations:

- Special Talent

- Years left on contract: 1

- Domestic Rival

- Bad injury record

At 29 years, Robin Van Persie was approaching the end of his career. Silencing the naysayers, the Dutchman has recreated some of his goal-scoring magic from his Arsenal days. Another transfer mired in controversy and accusations of betrayal, Van Persie has come to his own at the club and is continuing to make brilliant performances.

Who benefited most: Manchester United, without a doubt. He got them out of the hole a number of times and eventually won them the league.

Zlatan Ibrahimovich

Transfer details:

AC Milan-Paris Saint-Germain

Year: 2012

Transfer fee: 20 million pounds

Primary considerations

- Star player

- Very good season performance

- Wage bill reduction

Who benefited the most: AC Milan – They got the expensive Zlatan off their wage bill and recruited fresher faces to the team.

Santi Cazorla

Transfer details:

Malaga-Arsenal

Year: 2012

Transfer fee: 15 million pounds

Primary considerations

- Financial issues with club

- Very good season performance

- Potential – in prime

Who benefited the most: Arsenal got a lowered price on one of the world’s best because of Malaga’s financial troubles.

Diego Maradona

Transfer details:

Barcelona-S.S.C Nepoli

Year: 1984

Transfer fee: £5 million pounds

Primary considerations

- Maverick player

- Very good season performance

- Potential – in prime

A Maradona very much in the prime of his career made the move from Barcelona to Nepoli in 1984. This has largely to do with a falling out he had with the Barcelona administration. He enjoyed a glorious spell at Napoli and went down in footballing history as one of the greatest ever.

Who benefited most: Maradona did. Barring the cocaine thing, his move to Napoli turned out pretty well for him.