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Ever since time immemorial, transfers have played a crucial role in defining the success of any given team in a season. There have been many instances where a team that seemingly has all the tools to dominate the continent failed to do so. In such situations, one transfer would then prove to be catalytic, spurring on an era of success — the final piece of the jigsaw to help 'complete' a team.
In the context of the last few years, Virgil van Dijk's then world-record move to Liverpool is the ideal example of the scenario above. Even though questions were raised over the £75m paid, that too for a player with such little experience in Europe, it proved to be one of the most monumental transfers in the last decade.
Van Dijk was the catalyst that triggered an era of immeasurable success for the Reds, winning their first-ever Premier League title and their sixth UEFA Champions League with the Dutchman.
On the other hand, the then record acquisition of Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United fired Real Madrid to an unbelievable spell of four UCLs in a span of five years. The Portuguese icon left as the highest-ever scorer for the club, and won four Ballons d'Or during his spell in the capital.
Likewise, there have been several transfers in the past that have left a long-lasting impact, where players sparked a change of seismic proportions at their new clubs. Here, we take a look at five such transfers that changed the course of football as we know it.
#5 Neymar Jr | Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain
Neymar Jr's record-shattering transfer from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 is the latest entry onto this list. The former Blaugrana superstar forged one of the most excellent front lines in the history of the sport alongside Barcelona captain Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez. Neymar played a crucial role in the Catalans' historic second treble in 2015, becoming the first club to achieve the feat twice.
The core idea of Neymar's transfer to Paris was for him to step out of his former teammate Messi's shadow and carve out his own legacy. Additionally, he would become the most expensive player in the sport as the €222m paid for him is more than double the amount paid by Manchester United for Paul Pogba, which was the previous world record.
This move has had a remarkable impact on the transfer market as we know it. Since this transfer was completed, clubs began to demand an extortionate amount of money for their star players when elite clubs came calling for them. The best way to understand this transfer's impact on the market is to look at the moves that were completed after Neymar's unveiling in Paris.
Seven of the ten most expensive players of all time were purchased in the aftermath of this historic move — two of which were conducted by Barcelona in their attempts to replace the Brazilian (Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele).
Neymar's move, to date, remains a transfer that has terraformed the market and changed the way clubs value their players.
#4 Luis Figo | Barcelona to Real Madrid
Luis Figo's transfer to Real Madrid from arch-rivals Barcelona remains one of the most controversial transfers of all time. The Portuguese was lured to the Santiago Bernabeu by Los Blancos president Florentino Perez in 2000. After winning the Ballon d'Or in the very same year, Figo's €62m transfer marked the beginning of the era of 'Los Galacticos'.
Real Madrid then went on to sign a host of the finest superstars on the planet, including the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo Nazario, David Beckham, and many others. Having spent over five years in the capital club, the Portuguese won two LaLiga titles with Real Madrid, the same number of titles he won at Barcelona, along with an elusive UCL trophy.
However, his time at Real Madrid was also ridden with controversy after crossing the divide to join them from the Blaugrana. The El Clasicos during this period were as tense as they've ever been, with the narrative being that of Barcelona's talisman moving to their rivals. In fact, one particular Clasico saw him attacked by the fans from the stands with projectiles. Speaking on this Clasico that took place in October 2001, his former teammate Michel Salgado said;
"By the second or third corner I turned to Luís Figo and said: ‘Forget it, mate. You’re on your own’. I used to offer Luís the chance to take the short corner, drawing up close to him near the touchline, but not this time. Missiles were raining down from the stands: coins, a knife, a glass whiskey bottle. Johnnie Walker, I think. Or J&B. Best to keep away. Short corners? No thanks."
The 'Judas' of Barcelona saw Real Madrid go on to establish themselves as the best club on the land, until the Blaugrana's next generation of superstars such as Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi came along.
Also read: How Manchester City could line up if they sign Lionel Messi
#3 Ronaldinho | Paris Saint-Germain to Barcelona
Former Blaugrana president Joan Laporta was intent on bringing in one of David Beckham, Thierry Henry, or Ronaldinho to kickstart a new era at the club. While he missed out on the Englishman to Florentino Perez's Galactico project and the latter opted to stay in North London, Barcelona completed the signing of Ronaldinho a year after his 2002 World Cup heroics.
The €30m signing of the magical Brazilian brought about a radical change in Barcelona's fortunes. The Catalans failed to win even a single LaLiga title in the 2000s until he entered through the doors of the Nou Camp. Ronaldinho proved to be the catalyst for an immensely successful few years in Barcelona.
The South American played an instrumental role in Barcelona's revival in the 21st century, leading them to two straight LaLiga titles and ending their 14-year wait for a UCL title. Ronaldinho also won the Ballon d'Or after a domestic double with Barcelona in 2005. However, it wasn't just the accolades and his ability that made them so lethal.
The morale of the team was at an all-time high during his spell in Spain as Ronaldinho is an infectiously positive personality. A player of his character helped bring about a sense of joy to Barcelona's football, which ultimately played a critical role in their success. Even Lionel Messi, who was mentored by the Ballon d'Or winner, was in awe of Ronaldinho. Speaking on his former teammate, Messi expressed;
"Ronaldinho was responsible for the change in Barca. It was a bad time and the change that came about with his arrival was amazing. In the first year, he didn’t win anything but people fell in love with him. Then the trophies started coming and he made all those people happy. Barca should always be grateful for everything he did."
Ronaldinho eventually left for AC Milan ahead of Pep Guardiola assuming his role as the manager of Barcelona. The Brazilian's spell at the Nou Camp is widely regarded as one of the turning points of their recent history.
#2 Eric Cantona | Leeds United to Manchester United
In 1992, Leeds United initiated contact with Manchester United over the availability of Denis Irwin, a former Leeds player. Sir Alex Ferguson rejected the possibility of Irwin's sale, but that phone call eventually led to the Red Devils signing Eric Cantona for a record fee of £1.2m. Little did the world know, however, that it would go on to be a transfer that would send shockwaves through the football world.
The French legend came to Old Trafford and helped United to their first league title in just under 30 years, sparking an era of undisputed dominance. Sir Alex's men went on to win a total of four Premier League titles and two FA Cups in his five years at the club. Cantona scored a total of 64 goals in 143 league appearances for United, but it was not solely his prolific scoring that made him different.
Cantona was always someone who looked to achieve the spectacular. He was flamboyant and was someone who could change the course of a game with one moment of breathtaking magic. The impact that he had at a club that was in need of inspiration at the time is immeasurable as Cantona was their maverick who was capable of the extraordinary.
His arrogance, flair, and perception of football made him an exceptional player in every regard. It is important to note that he also was at the heart of several controversies, but what he did on the pitch (except jump-kick a spectator) was simply sensational. The man from Marseille came to Old Trafford as a flamboyant and talented striker and left as the man fondly referred to as 'The King'.
#1 Alfredo Di Stefano | Millonarios to Real Madrid
Real Madrid are widely regarded as the biggest club on the planet due to their immense success on both domestic and continental fronts. Los Merengues have the record tally for both, having amassed 34 LaLiga titles and 13 Champions Leagues. A considerable part of such an illustrious history was achieved in the 20th century, with one signing triggering arguably the club's greatest-ever era.
The controversial signing of Alfredo Di Stefano from Colombian club Millonarios in 1953 will forever remain one of the most extraordinary pieces of business ever conducted by Los Blancos. Real Madrid snatched the Argentine-born striker from Barcelona's grasp after it was revealed that his club never approved the transfer to the Nou Camp.
Di Stefano quickly struck up a partnership with another man who would go on to become a legend of the game, Ferenc Puskas, in the capital. Real Madrid would go on to win a staggering eight league titles and five consecutive European Cups with Di Stefano at the tip of their attack.
He won two Ballons d'Or while at Madrid, and spent an unbelievably successful 11 years with Los Blancos. The Buenos Aries native also racked up over a stunning 300 goals for Real Madrid.
His legacy lives on to this day, with several accolades such as Marca's annual Alfredo Di Stefano award dedicated to the late Real Madrid legend. The club also named their La Fabrica stadium in his honour. Di Stefano lives on not only as Los Blancos' greatest player in their fabled history, but also as one of the most complete attackers of all time.
Also read: 10 Greatest free-kick takers of all time
