The 16 Best Premier League Signings of the 2000s

Bargain teenagers, record-fee defenders and one shock free transfer across enemy lines — the deals that reshaped a decade of English football. Which one paid off most?

1

Cristiano Ronaldo

Signed by Manchester United from Sporting in 2003 for £12m and became a Ballon d'Or winner at Old Trafford.

1000pts

2

Didier Drogba

Chelsea's 2004 signing from Marseille who scored in four FA Cup finals and delivered the 2012 Champions League.

680pts

3

Michael Essien

Chelsea's club-record 2005 signing from Lyon, a box-to-box force in two title-winning sides.

647pts

4

Rio Ferdinand

Manchester United's British-record £30m defender from Leeds in 2002, a six-time league champion.

560pts

5

Frank Lampard

An £11m move from West Ham in 2001 that produced Chelsea's all-time top scorer.

485pts

6

Nemanja Vidić

A £7m January 2006 arrival from Spartak Moscow who became a title-winning Manchester United captain.

485pts

7

Edwin van der Sar

Joined Manchester United from Fulham in 2005 and kept goal for four titles and a Champions League.

485pts

8

Fernando Torres

Liverpool's 2007 signing from Atlético Madrid who scored 65 goals in his first three seasons.

485pts

9

Luka Modrić

Tottenham's £16.5m capture from Dinamo Zagreb in 2008 who ran their midfield before a record sale to Real Madrid.

397pts

10

Petr Čech

Joined Chelsea from Rennes in 2004 and set the Premier League clean-sheet record.

397pts

11

Gareth Bale

Tottenham's 2007 teenage buy from Southampton who grew into a world-record sale.

397pts

12

Xabi Alonso

Liverpool's 2004 signing from Real Sociedad whose passing anchored the Istanbul Champions League win.

291pts

13

Sol Campbell

Arsenal's shock free transfer from rivals Tottenham in 2001 who anchored the Invincibles.

291pts

14

Vincent Kompany

Manchester City's £6m 2008 signing from Hamburg who captained four title wins.

291pts

15

Patrice Evra

Signed from Monaco in 2006, he won five league titles and the Champions League as United's left-back.

162pts

16

Carlos Tevez

The 2006 West Ham gamble whose goals kept them up before title-winning spells at both Manchester clubs.

162pts