#1. Gareth Bale; Tottenham Hotspur to Real Madrid; €101m
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Gareth Bale had joined Tottenham Hotspurs from Southampton as a left-back for a paltry sum of €12 million in 2007. Little did he know that six years later, his price would go up almost 10 times becoming the most expensive player of all time in the process.Once again, it was Real Madrid who were showing off their monetary power to the world. They notched him up for €101 million from Spurs- the first ever transfer fee which crossed the €100m mark.
Bale expressed his joy after signing for the Spanish giants: "I know many players talk of their desire to join the club of their boyhood dreams, but I can honestly say, this is my dream come true.”
The Welshman had scored 26 goals for Spurs the previous season and was named the PFA Player of the Year. He ravaged through Premier League defences, terrorising opponents and enchanting fans all over with his speed and skill.
Bale’s Madrid odyssey would not be any different in his first season with the club. His most memorable moment in a Real shirt came in the Copa Del Rey Final in 2014 when Bale outsprinted Barcelona defender Marc Bartra from the halfway line and finished neatly past goalkeeper Jose Pinto. He also scored in the 110th minute of the Champions League Final against local rivals Atletico Madrid which helped Los Blancos win La Decima crown.
