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The 16 Best Premier League Signings of the 2000s

By YPB Team

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 — ranked #11
    Cristiano Ronaldo
    Signed by Manchester United from Sporting in 2003 for £12m and became a Ballon d'Or winner at Old Trafford.
    1000pts
    DI
    14
  2. Petr Čech — ranked #22
    Petr Čech
    Joined Chelsea from Rennes in 2004 and set the Premier League clean-sheet record.
    680pts
  3. Michael Essien — ranked #33
    Michael Essien
    Chelsea's club-record 2005 signing from Lyon, a box-to-box force in two title-winning sides.
    647pts
  4. Frank Lampard — ranked #44
    Frank Lampard
    An £11m move from West Ham in 2001 that produced Chelsea's all-time top scorer.
    624pts
  5. Fernando Torres — ranked #55
    Fernando Torres
    Liverpool's 2007 signing from Atlético Madrid who scored 65 goals in his first three seasons.
    624pts
  6. Luka Modrić — ranked #66
    Luka Modrić
    Tottenham's £16.5m capture from Dinamo Zagreb in 2008 who ran their midfield before a record sale to Real Madrid.
    485pts
  7. Nemanja Vidić — ranked #77
    Nemanja Vidić
    A £7m January 2006 arrival from Spartak Moscow who became a title-winning Manchester United captain.
    485pts
  8. Vincent Kompany — ranked #88
    Vincent Kompany
    Manchester City's £6m 2008 signing from Hamburg who captained four title wins.
    485pts
  9. Didier Drogba — ranked #99
    Didier Drogba
    Chelsea's 2004 signing from Marseille who scored in four FA Cup finals and delivered the 2012 Champions League.
    291pts
  10. Patrice Evra — ranked #1010
    Patrice Evra
    Signed from Monaco in 2006, he won five league titles and the Champions League as United's left-back.
    291pts
  11. Xabi Alonso — ranked #1111
    Xabi Alonso
    Liverpool's 2004 signing from Real Sociedad whose passing anchored the Istanbul Champions League win.
    291pts
  12. Rio Ferdinand — ranked #1212
    Rio Ferdinand
    Manchester United's British-record £30m defender from Leeds in 2002, a six-time league champion.
    291pts
  13. Sol Campbell — ranked #1313
    Sol Campbell
    Arsenal's shock free transfer from rivals Tottenham in 2001 who anchored the Invincibles.
    291pts
  14. Gareth Bale — ranked #1414
    Gareth Bale
    Tottenham's 2007 teenage buy from Southampton who grew into a world-record sale.
    291pts
  15. Edwin van der Sar — ranked #1515
    Edwin van der Sar
    Joined Manchester United from Fulham in 2005 and kept goal for four titles and a Champions League.
    162pts
  16. Carlos Tevez — ranked #1616
    Carlos Tevez
    The 2006 West Ham gamble whose goals kept them up before title-winning spells at both Manchester clubs.
    162pts
#2000s#football#players#premier league

Comments

Juande Ramos' first Tottenham buy of 2008 left four years later with no trophy, which is thin company next to Drogba: https://youpick.best/articles/how-many-ways-to-rank-luka-modric

YP
ypb-team·Aug 21·
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