Full-Backs: Lilian Thuram (£22m) and Luke Shaw (£28m)
At the same time Juventus bought Buffon, they also raided Parma for Lilian Thuram. Capable of playing as a centre-back or a full-back. Thuram was a very versatile Frenchman who had just won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 with the all-conquering France side.
When he arrived in Turin, Marcello Lippi played him as a right-back with a defensive line that had the likes of Gianluca Zambrotta, Gianluca Pessotto and Ciro Ferrara. But years later, he would switch to central defence under Fabio Capello and he was partnered with Fabio Cannavaro. Thuram spent five seasons with the Turin club and won the Serie A four times but two were revoked after the Calciopoli scandal after which he moved to Barcelona.
The left-back slot goes to Manchester United’s Luke Shaw who cost the Red Devils £28m to sign from Southampton. Shaw had been with the Saints since he was eight years old and even made his professional debut at 16. His final season with the club from the south coast of England saw him nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year award and also selected to the PFA Team of the Year.
It was enough to attract the interest of United who had lost a stalwart in Patrice Evra to Juventus and needed an able replacement. He became the most expensive teenager at the time but is yet to live up to expectations and his leg injury last season did not help his progress.
