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!
The predecessor to current Swedish superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic was his compatriot Henrik Larsson at the turn of the millennium. A native of Helsingborg, he left there in 1993 to join Feyenoord Rotterdam, with which he won the Dutch KNVB Cup twice, before moving to Celtic Glasgow after four seasons. He won the Scottish league four times with the Scottish club, won the national cup competitions four times and played in the UEFA Cup final in 2003.
The Scandinavian striker earned a good reputation in Europe that the richest clubs sought his services. Barcelona was probably the most promising, transferring him for free before the 2004/05 season and signing a one-year contract with an option for another year.
However, his first year at the Catalan club was marked by a serious injury to the anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in his left knee. Even though he played only sixteen games and scored four goals that season, Barca exercised his option for another season. He managed 28 league games where he scored ten goals and added five more in cup duels.
Camp Nou did well to give Larsson a chance after his recovery, as he became the hero of the 2005/06 Champions League final at the end of the season. There, FC Barcelona beat Arsenal 2-1 at the Stade de France and the Swedish forward assisted both goals.
“People always talk about Ronaldinho, Eto’o or Giulio, but I saw only one player on the pitch – Henrik Larsson. He changed the game’s rules from when he came on the pitch in the 61st minute and decided Barcelona’s victory. That was his night.” Larsson then left Spain with two La Liga titles, a Super Cup triumph and a Champions League win, to return to his native Helsingborg.
Discussion about this post