Every big team invests a huge amount of money on players during the transfer window. The objective of the expenditure by clubs on players is to improve upon their team and also ensure they try and stay on top fo their respective leagues.
Some teams like Manchester City and Chelsea have been blessed with riches after billionaires decide to take over the club in an attempt to build a new force in the league. Those teams also have to invest heavily in players at the beginning to become competitive.
But not all transfers work out and some of those signings end up becoming benchwarmers. Of course every now and then a club pulls off a transfer that changes their fortunes of b and kicks off an era of success.
Here are 5 transfers that had a big impact on the European game.
5) Thiago Silva and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Paris Saint-Germain
For the last few years now, Brazilian defender Thiago Silva and their eccentric striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic have formed the core of a strong PSG side. Silva was one of the key men for AC Milan and forwards always find it difficult when playing against him.
His importance to the Brazil team was very evident when they played Germany. Silva was not available for the game and Germany tore into the hosts during that famous semi-final in the world cup of 2014.
Ibrahimovic needs no introduction. The man has been one of the best players in the world for quite some time now. Even at the age of 34, he seems to able to score goals at will and is crucial to PSG’s forward play
The club have realized the importance of the duo and have built their team around them. They have become a superpower in Europe and are always a dangerous side to face as Chelsea have found out in the last two seasons. PSG won their fourth consecutive title this year as winning the league has become a formality for them.
Zlatan is set to leave at the end of the season and he will be a big miss for the Parisians. It will be interesting to see how they replace him.
4) Sergio Aguero to Manchester City
A decade ago Manchester United were the undisputed kings of England and Manchester. The Red Devils are the still the most successful team in England. They have 20 titles to their name as they demolished sides under Sir Alex Ferguson’s leadership.
But times have changed. United are no more the force they once were and their noisy neighbors have become a lot louder than before. City have won two league titles in the least 6 years and have finished above United in three of the last four years.
Arguably the player that has probably defined their dominance is Sergio Aguero. Yes, there have been players like David Silva and Yaya Toure who have done exceptionally well for the cause but Aguero’s desire and hunger has been the difference between winning the title and finishing in the top four.
Aguero moved to City in 2011 and in his very first season he showed how important his signing was for the club. With 90 seconds to play in the last game of the season, Aguero wrote his name into Premier League history scoring the goal that not only won the title but ushered in a new era in England and European football.
3) Paul Pogba and Andrea Pirlo to Juventus
How different things would have been for Manchester United if Paul Pogba had stayed at the club. The midfielder left the Red Devils in 2012 when he was a teenager and moved to Juventus on a free transfer.
The Frenchman decided to leave despite Ferguson’s efforts as he wanted more playing time under his belt. United’s loss became Juventus’ gain and Pogba has become the heartbeat of the Turin giants.
Andrea Pirlo also decided to make the move to Juventus from Milan after they decided not to renew his contract. Everyone thought that Pirlo was past his peak at that age but he proved everyone wrong by winning 4 consecutive league titles.
Pirlo's vision combined with Pogba’s ability and Arturo Vidal's dynamism made Juve into a footballing machine as they rolled over every team in Italy. They almost won the ultimate prize in European football but were denied in the final of the UEFA Champions League by a brilliant Barcelona team.
2) Luis Suarez to Barcelona
The Pep Guardiola era was one of the most successful in Barcelona’s history. The Catalans won 13 trophies during his 4-year spell with the club, but he also helped polish the brand of football at the club which garnered praise from all corners of the footballing world.
Guardiola saw the talent that Lionel Messi possessed and decided to build his team around the Argentine. Until last season, Barca were dependent on their talisman a lot more than they would have liked but since the arrival of Luis Suarez and the emergence of Neymar things have changed.
Luis Enrique saw Suarez as the final piece of his attacking jigsaw puzzle. Initially, Suarez found it hard playing with the two but once he got into his stride the trio became an unstoppable force.
The MSN helped their side win absolutely every trophy last year. Barcelona reclaimed the La Liga title from Atletico Madrid, destroyed teams on their way to another UEFA Champions League crown and also won the Copa Del Rey.
This season Suarez has finished the season as top scorer. He seems to have taken his game to another level as Barcelona defended their La Liga title.
1) Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid
The Ronaldo-Messi rivalry is the most talked about in Europe and indeed across the globe. But that would have never happened if Ronaldo had never moved to Real Madrid after leaving Manchester United.
Yes, the rivalry would have probably still existed but the intensity and the direct nature of it would not have happened without him playing in la Liga. Along with their scoring records and trophies, the duo have dominated the individual awards as well.
The Ballon d’ Or which is the most prestigious individual award in football has been won by either of the two in the last eight years. It’s not only awards but the way they have pushed each other to achieve greatness with their teams.
Since Ronaldo moved to Spain the UEFA Champions League has been won by one of Real Madrid or Barcelona in four of the last eight years. This season Real once again have the chance to lift the trophy if they manage to defeat Atletico Madrid.
