There’s no art to buying top footballers when your coffers are full, and you don’t know what to do with the money. A clever and experienced manager can sometimes get a quality player for free. The following chapters feature ten big-name players who didn’t cost their new employers a penny on the transfer market. From Paul Pogba to Ruud Gullit and Sol Campbell, the following are the 11 best footballers who moved to a new club for free!
Going into the 2006 World Cup, the midfielder Andrea Pirlo was an AC Milan player, where he had spent the longest part of his career. He was at the San Siro since 2001 and left ten years later when he headed to Juventus for free. He was in his prime footballing age at the tournament in Germany – he was just twenty-six years old and experienced enough to be one of the world’s most creative midfielders and best direct kick executors.
The world title he helped win at the time is the greatest but by no means the only notable achievement in the charismatic player’s football career. Already in 2000, he played a part in the Italian national team’s triumph at the European Under-21 Championships. Four years later, he was instrumental in the Olympic bronze medals.
At the 2012 Euros, he led Squadra Azzurra to the final. He has six Italian titles in his collection (twice with AC Milan and four times with Juventus), winning the Champions League twice (with AC Milan) and the Copa Italia (with Juventus). He triumphed in the 2007 Club World Cup with AC Milan. He ended his career in the American MLS with New York City.
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