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#3 James Milner | Manchester City to Liverpool (2015)
Signing three-time Premier League winner James Milner in 2015 turned out to be a masterstroke for Liverpool.
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The Welshman isn't the most skilful player in world football but has the rare talent to play virtually any position when required.
Milner soon became Liverpool's Mr Reliable and one of the first names in the Liverpool team that lifted the Premier League last season and a Champions League medal the previous season.
In his time at Liverpool, Milner became the first player in Champions League history to register nine assists in a single season.
With Milner in their ranks, the club made it to consecutive Champions League finals, making Liverpool one of Europe's best once again.
In 244 appearances for the club, Milner has registered 67 goal contributions (26 goals and 41 assists).
#2 Andrea Pirlo | AC Milan to Juventus (2011)
Andrea Pirlo is one of the greatest-ever in world football, and it was no surprise when Juventus snapped up the midfield maestro on a free transfer.
Pirlo parted ways with Milan after an illustrious career spanning ten years, during which time, he won two Serie A titles, along with a Champions League medal.
Even though he was 32, it was criminal to let someone of Pirlo's calibre leave the club on a free transfer. In 164 appearances for the Bianconeri, Pirlo had 19 goals and 38 assists to his name.
Former Italy and Juventus captain, Gianluigi Buffon, summed up Pirlo's transfer perfectly:
"When Andrea told me that he was joining us, the first thing I thought was: 'God exists'. A player of his level and ability, not to mention that he was free, I think it was the signing of the century!"
#1 Robert Lewandowski | Borussia Dortmund to Bayern Munich (2014)
Robert Lewandowski's move from Borussia Dortmund to Bayern Munich in the summer of 2014 has to be one of the best free transfers of all time.
Like most other Bundesliga outfits, Dortmund gained a reputation of being a 'feeder club; for the German champions. However, no signing would go on to make an impact like Lewandowski at the Allianz Arena, that too on a free transfer.
Dortmund had lost Mario Götze just a year before and weren't willing to part ways with another top player in the same window. That led to Lewandowski running out his contract at Signal Iduna Park before moving to Munich, following a pre-contractual agreement in his last few months in Dortmund.
In 325 appearances for the Bundesliga champions, Lewandowski has scored a mammoth 288 goals, along with 64 assists.
The Polish is one of Bayern's most prolific goal-scorer, second only to Gerd Muller (564 goals). A Champions League medal and six consecutive Bundesliga titles later, Lewandowski is arguably the most remarkable bit of transfer business in world football.
