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The involvement of money in football has always been a captivating aspect of the game. It is fair to say that the game enjoys an enormous audience across the globe that feels excited about the proceedings partly due to the financial side of it. Over the years, football has grown as a brand in itself, with the monetization factor being upped from time to time.
Those involved with the sport at the professional level, in particular, have lofty bank balances at club level in Europe. As it is with any business, football clubs need to keep investing in various aspects to keep the club afloat and their trophy cabinets full.
A major chunk of that budget is devoted to maintaining a competent squad that can fight in various domestic and continental competitions. Professional footballers are among the highest earning athletes on this planet and keeping their pockets satisfied, well that is not an easy task.
Sure, their talent and artistry on the pitch is quite unparalleled in itself but the more spectacular they are on the field, the more money their transfers involve. In football, a 'shrewd piece of business' is a phrase that is often thrown around. But how shrewder can things get, how shrewder have they gotten in the past decade?
Here are the five best bargain signings of the last decade in world football.
Note: Free Transfers are not included in this list.
#5 Jordi Alba to Barcelona
One of the most senior figures now at Barcelona, Jordi Alba, has been a great servant to the Spanish giants for the last decade. Signed for a fee of €14m from Valencia in 2012, the veteran left-back made his 400th apperance for the club recently. In those 10 years of service, he has given blood, sweat and tears to Barcelona on the field.
He has worked hard on the left-flank. He always took care of his defensive duties and bombing forward at the first opportunity to help in the final-third. He has been involved in various controversial incidents on the field, but Alba continues to put the club first at all times.
Since moving from Valencia, he has won 15 major honors with Blaugrana and has made significant contributions in all of those. The Spain international has netted 22 goals for the club and provided 86 assists in all competitions.
Now at 32-years-old, Alba is going through a dip in form. But regardless, he remains a passionate leader who is great to have in the dressing room. He has never created any nonsense or trouble for the club and will continue to serve them selflessly.
#4 Jadon Sancho to Borussia Dortmund
Whether Manchester City really regret the fact that, once nurtured by their academy, Jadon Sancho now represents their arch rivals Manchester United is a difficult guess. The Etihad side have had an embarrassment of riches over the past few years. Hence, one cannot say that the absence of a winger has hurt them in any manner.
However, Borussia Dortmund were keen to pounce on another young signing, as they always are. They brought home Sancho for a mere €7.84m in 2017. Little did they know that they were getting a figure who would soon start tormenting Bundesliga defenses and become a lynchpin in their side.
In his four seasons at Signal Iduna Park, the English international became a beloved figure of the fanbase. Sancho went on to make 137 appearances for Dortmund before departing for Manchester United. He scored 50 times and assisted with a further 67 goals.
The 21-year-old was a menace when he ran at defenses on the left-wing and was always a menace even when deployed on the right. He produced a match-winning performance in the Dfl-Super Cup against Bayern Munich in a 2-0 victory in 2019. Sancho was also the leading assist maker in the Bundesliga in the 2018-19 season with 18. He was only second to Thomas Muller in the 2019-20 season.
And then Dortmund got the real reward of this bargain deal when they sold him to the Red Devils for a massive €85m last summer.
#3 Erling Haaland to Borussia Dortmund
We can't remember the last time a 21-year-old leaving the club would have hurt them as much as Erling Haaland's departure will from Borussia Dortmund. It is inevitable, because the Norwegian has the sky as his ceiling and he is success bound.
For many, buying a 20-year-old striker for €20m is not the ideal definition of a bargain. But Haaland, who joined from RB Salzburg in 2019, is no ordinary striker and he has proved it time and again. Renowned for his lightning pace and deadly finishing, he is now considered a true candidate for the Ballon d'Or in future.
The Norwegian became only the second player to net a Bundesliga hat-trick on his debut, one that he scored after coming on from the bench. The record for scoring more than once in four consecutive Champions League games is also to his name. Notably, he is also the youngest player to reach 20 goals in UCL.
So basically, for €20m spent in December 2019, Dortmund brought themselves a striker who scored 76 goals himself in 76 appearances and provided 21 assists. Now when the biggest of clubs are looking to sign the star striker, Dortmund will at least be getting €75m as per his release clause.
#2 Joshua Kimmich to Bayern Munich
One of the most intense figures of the game today, Joshua Kimmich, has been an absolute bargain for Bayern Munich. The versatile player joined the German giants from Stuttgart for €8.5m in 2015 and since then has been a mainstay. The 26-year-old has played as a defensive midfielder and as a right-back and nailed both those roles.
The German's reading of the game and his decision-making is so on point that he has never looked as if playing out of position. Be it hurling in pinpoint crosses from the flanks or carrying the ball forward through the central area, Kimmich can do it all.
He's always looked comfortable with the ball at his feet and without it, he's aggressive and hard-working. The Germany international has made 280 appearances for the club and has contributed with 33 goals and 75 assists. He's is only 26 right now with a great part of his career still in front of him.
Bayern have already had a great bargain deal with him and the longer he stays at the club, the more fruitful this signing becomes.
#1 Riyad Mahrez to Leicester City
Calling Leicester City's Premier League triumph of 2016 'special', would be the biggest understatement. The truth bomb, however, is that Riyad Mahrez is easily the most lucrative and majestic player to ever put on a Leicester shirt. The Algerian was a driving force for their title triumph and remained special throughout the course of his stay.
There is no doubt that for the cheap €500,000 that the Foxes paid French club AC Le have in 2014, they pulled a daylight robbery. Mahrez's arrival brought with itself a stroke of luck as Leicester City earned themselves promotion to the Premier League after 10 years.
Mahrez soon became acquainted with the the action and intensity of the English top-flight. After surviving their first season upon promotion, the Foxes prepared themselves for the unthinkable. In their Premier League triumph, the Algeria international saved them a couple of times from losing position in a game.
He finished the season with 17 goals and 10 assists to his name in the league and was named the PFA Player of the Year for the 2015-16 season. In 2018, Mahrez unceremoniously forced a move to Manchester City, which generated a humungous profit as he was sold for €67.8m.
In his last season at the King Power he was quite scintillating as well, having scored 12 goals himself and laid assists for 11 in the league.
