1. Angel Di Maria (from Real Madrid to Manchester United 2014/2015) – €75 million
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The Premier League’s most expensive player to date was a familiar name around the planet. For anyone who had watched Spain’s La Liga or the Portuguese Primeira Liga, Argentinian winger Angel Di Maria was one of the best throwbacks to older, far more quaint times in football.
Before the Eden Hazard-like widemen who hog the ball and dribble on the spot without really whipping in crosses. Before the Cristiano Ronaldo-like widemen who stay up front and head in corners as they run right in the middle of the park. Before the hybrid forward-side-midfielder, there was the classic No.7.
Back then, a little child who was selling coal for a living in Argentina used to spend his free time on the football pitch, dreaming of emulating his heroes to show off to his friends before he had to go back to the hard struggle that was reality. It was a little boy who his family called their angel; Angel Di Maria.
Starting out in 2005, he became a sensation at local club Rosario Central. Despite his thin, wiry frame, his breath-taking pace, and ridiculous dribbling ability were already exciting agents and scouts who had come to watch the little boy. Very soon, the young man’s wings spread as his career took flight. Where to?
Europe, where Portuguese club Benfica were gleefully awaiting one of their latest South American recruits. After all, he’d not come very cheap at roughly €7 million. Before long, he made it obvious how cheap that really was. With a left foot made of gold, the Argentinian winger reminded everyone what that word really meant.
A touchline-hugging cheetah, he sprinted past anyone before him. A bamboozling showman, he oozed class and trickery from every inch of his thin frame. The big clubs’ scouts couldn’t hold their breath lest he blew past them, leaving shirts trailing and knees crisscrossed in his wake.
Wickedly whipped in crosses curved wonderfully onto outstretched heads. Set-pieces swung in skillfully, reminding one of a younger David Beckham. Di Maria was just a youngster, but it was clear that he was destined for the big-time. In 2010, Jose Mourinho and Real Madrid could wait no longer and they launched a bid of €25 million (plus €11 million in incentives). Benfica saw the glitter in the young man’s eyes and it was accepted. He was officially a new Galactico.
His career started brilliantly. Wearing the white jersey, Di Maria became Jose Mourinho’s first-choice on the wings. With the tall, super-fast Cristiano Ronaldo up top, he could whip in crosses all day – they would be headed in. Karim Benzema enjoyed his new teammate's incredible eye and even his international teammate Gonzalo Higuain profited amazingly from Di Maria’s trademark outside-of-the-boot defence-splicing passes.
His art was getting finer by the day; he wasn’t just explosive anymore – he was like a footballing surgeon at work. When Carlo Ancelotti signed for Real Madrid, Gareth Bale was stolen from Tottenham for the world record transfer fee. Di Maria was expected to suffer, as Bale had something he didn’t – a great passing ability. That mattered not to flying winger, whose wings grew even bigger.
Readjusted by the genial Ancelotti to a midfield role, Di Maria grew even stronger, displaying some of his finest football ever. He became the man behind Ronaldo, the forward who set the pace, the guy who made the crosses and the player who controlled their expensively-assembled attack. While Bale and Ronaldo grabbed all the headlines with their goals, Di Maria won everybody’s hearts with his incredible football.
On the day of the biggest game of his club career, it was El Derbi Madrileno – with a continental twist. Atletico Madrid, the side that could halt them all in their tracks, was up against them in Europe. After a tense 110 minutes of football (salvaged by that unforgettable Sergio Ramos goal), the two sides were equal.
Atletico were pushing, as they sensed their moment coming. However, they lost the ball and were suddenly on the back foot. It was a snap moment – once in a lifetime, and Di Maria had to try. He snatched the ball away and immediately turned into the cheetah he’d grown up to be. Searing speed, tearing the pitch into shreds behind him – a single focus, the goal at the other end.
A red-and-white shirt; he bamboozled the Rojiblanco defender. At his mercy – eternal glory. He fired, and a brilliant save couldn’t stop Madrid from scoring as Gareth Bale broke the Atletico resistance. Bale & Ronaldo were the heroes, but he lifted the European Cup and the match-ball as the UEFA Champions League final man-of-the-match. Weeks later, he was moved on. Months later, Madrid regretted it & sacked their Decima-winning manager. A year later, it was United’s turn to move their manager on and regret their ludicrous transfer of the winger to PSG.
Angel Di Maria – the little boy who sold coal to survive – is the most complete winger on the planet and the Premier League’s most expensive player in history!
