There have been previous instances when players have made sensational returns to their old clubs. Didier Drogba returned to Chelsea in 2014 and helped his side lift the Premier League trophy. Following disappointing spells at Chelsea and AC Milan, Fernando Torres returned to Vicente Calderon in 2015 and rescued his career with impressive performances.
After a lot of speculation, Manchester United have finally announced the return of Paul Pogba from Juventus for a record transfer fee of €105m plus add-ons. The current transfer window has also witnessed the return of some other big names to their old clubs.
Let us take a look at 5 players who have re-signed for their previous club this transfer window.
#5 Denis Suarez
After being awarded Manchester City’s Youth Player of the Year by the fans in 2012, Barcelona signed Denis Suarez on a four-year contract. He represented Barcelona B during the initial stages, before being loaned to Sevilla for two seasons as the deal which saw Ivan Rakitic move to Barcelona.
Suarez finally made his competitive debut in 2014. He made a total of 31 appearances in the league, scoring 2 goals in the process. The subsequent year, he completed a transfer to Villareal for a four-year deal that included a buy-back clause.
Noticing the technical progress of the attacking midfielder, Barcelona exercised the buy-back clause and announced the return of Suarez.
#4 Alvaro Morata
In 2014, Juventus announced the signing of Alvaro Morata on a five-year deal with Real Madrid having the option to buy him back in the future. Although he was mostly used as a super-substitute in the initial stages, he developed in a short time and pitched in with invaluable performances.
Morata scored a total of 27 goals in 93 appearances for the ‘Old Lady’. A majority of these goals came in crucial fixtures, the notable ones being against Real Madrid in both home and away fixtures of the 2015 Champions League semi-final.
During his stint with Juventus, he helped Juventus to two Serie A titles and two Coppa Italia titles. He played a huge role in the Juventus’ runner-up finish in the 2015 Champions League. His impressive performances led to his inclusion in the UEFA Champions League Team of the Season 2014-15
Following his performances in Serie A and Euro 2016, Real Madrid activated a buy-back clause to gain the services of the Spanish forward.
#3 Mario Gotze
A product of Dortmund’s youth academy, Mario Gotze was considered to be one of the best talents Germany has ever produced. He played for Borussia Dortmund between 2009 and 2013, during which he helped the team win the Bundesliga title twice and the DFB-Pokal once.
In 2013, German giants Bayern Munich triggered a release clause in Gotze’s contract and acquired the services of the midfielder. Bayern Munich boasts of a huge talent pool as a result of which Gotze failed to establish himself in the first team.
Gotze managed to make just 14 league appearances last season. Failing to settle in his three seasons at Allianz Arena, Gotze returned to Dortmund on a four-year contract this summer. Gotze will face Bayern Munich in the German Super Cup on August 14 for his first return appearance.
#2 Mats Hummels
Mats Hummels joined the Bayern Munich’s youth academy at an early age of 6. In 2008, he joined Borussia Dortmund on loan in search of first-team football. Following his solid performances at the back, he was permanently signed by the club for a fee of €4 million.
He tasted his first glory in the 2010-11 season where he played a key role in Dortmund’s league title success. He partnered Neven Subotic in defence and helped the team to the best defensive record in Bundesliga, which was broken by Bayern Munich in the subsequent year. His positioning, tackling prowess and composure on the ball attracted praises from pundits.
Dortmund’s successful run continued as they went on to win the league and the DFB-Pokal in the subsequent year. Meanwhile, Mats Hummels became one of the best defenders in Europe and was regularly linked with offers from the big clubs around the world.
His consistent performances were awarded with the armband in 2014 and a contract extension till 2017. However, by the end of the last season, Hummels made a decision to return to the club where he started his career after spending over eight years at Dortmund.
#1 Paul Pogba
The French midfielder left Old Trafford for Juventus at the end of his contract in 2012. Pogba was subsequently praised for his performances in his first stint in Italy and was later named 2013’s Golden Boy, an honour awarded for the best young player in Europe.
He was a mainstay in the team during his four-year stay and won four Serie A titles, two Coppa Italia titles, two Supercoppa Italiana titles and was runner-up in the 2015 Champions League. He was also named in the Serie A Team of the Year twice and was the top assist provider in Serie A 2015-16.
Manchester United announced the return of Pogba a few days back on a five-year contract. This transfer has set an all-time record for the highest football transfer fee, surpassing the former record holder Gareth Bale.
