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!
He was an offensive midfielder and great playmaker who played most of his career in a Liverpool jersey. He managed more than 360 games, scoring 66 goals. Steve McManaman was instrumental in winning the League Cup in 1995. He was supposed to leave for Barcelona in 1997 for £12.5 million. Still, he stayed at Liverpool for two more seasons and then headed to Real Madrid for free, spending four years there.
McManaman didn’t come to Madrid at the best of times. At the time, however, Madrid was going through a debt crisis. Indeed, White Ballet legend Raúl said: ‘This dressing room is a cesspit of lies, betrayal and slander. I pity new players like Steve McManaman for heading here. If he thinks he is transferring to one of the biggest clubs in the world, he’s making a big mistake.”
Madrid managers had to sell Predrag Mijatovic, Davor Šuker and Christian Panucci because of debts. Clarence Seedorf was sold shortly after McManaman arrived. However, the England legend eventually established himself as a precious player and helped reboot the club. By the time he left after four years, he had won two championship titles, two UEFA Champions League triumphs and a UEFA Super Cup win.
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