The 15 best bargain transfers in Premier League history, ft. Azpilicueta and Cantona | OneFootball

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Chelsea might be the big spenders in the transfer market today and have not been afraid to splash the cash since the turn of the century, but that does not make them exempt from a bargain now and then. A statement which can be backed up by the signing of Cesar Azpilicueta.

It has been exactly 11 years since the Spaniard walked through the doors at Stamford Bridge to start his Premier League career. And what an excellent bit of business that turned out to be.

The defender became a key player for Chelsea over the next decade, playing across the backline. Given that the Blues only paid a measly £6.5m for his services, his achievements and years of service certainly place him in the Premier League bargain category.

But who else earns a spot in that camp? Well, GIVEMESPORT thought we would take a trip down memory lane and remember 15 of the biggest ever bargains since the Premier League’s creation.

15 Cesar Azpilicueta - £6.5m - Marseille to Chelsea

It makes sense to kick things off with the man who’s responsible for us writing about bargains in the first place. Azpilicueta was a fine servant for Chelsea, making a total of 508 appearances for the club, the sixth most in their history.

He would step up as a leader as time went on and was made captain, going on to guide the west London side to multiple trophies, most famously the Champions League in 2021. He only left the club this summer for Atletico Madrid, after giving supporters countless memories which made him a legend in their eyes.

14 Phillipe Coutinho - £8.5m - Inter Milan to Liverpool

The most expensive Premier League outgoing in history had to be included on the list considering the mark-up Liverpool eventually made on the midfielder. Coutinho lit up the Premier League with his incredible long-range goals and breathtaking ability on the ball.

After five years at Anfield, the Brazilian swapped England for Spain by joining Barcelona for a reported £146m. Things did not work out for him at the Camp Nou, though, and he now finds himself back in England with Aston Villa. Not that that move has worked out well either mind you…

13 Nicolas Anelka - £500k - Paris St Germain to Arsenal

After impressing briefly for Paris St Germain, Anelka moved to Highbury to join Arsene Wenger's project for just half a million quid. The then 18-year-old grabbed 12 goal contributions in 26 games during his debut campaign in which Arsenal won the Premier League title. He followed up with 17 league goals in the following season, setting the Premier League alight before securing a move to Real Madrid in the 1999/2000 campaign.

12 Sami Hyypia - £2.6m - Willem II to Liverpool

Hyypia isn’t a name that gets brought up as often as it should when talking about some of the best Premier League defenders. A case certainly could be made that he is underrated by many, especially when you factor in what he brought to Liverpool during his decade at the club.

Making 464 appearances for the Reds since his debut in 1999, the Finnish international won the Champions League in 2005 against AC Milan, as well as a Europa League, UEFA Supercup and multiple domestic cups too. A bargain in every sense of the word.

11 Jurgen Klinsmann - £2m - Monaco to Tottenham

Spurs signing a World Cup winner was a brilliant bit of business, especially when you consider how much he cost. He wouldn’t bring silverware to White Hart Lane, but he would bring goals - 38 of them to be exact. Not the biggest total, but impressive when you consider that he played just 66 games for Tottenham.

Klinsmann was so impressive that he was named in the PFA Team of the Year in the 1994/95 season after scoring 20 times and providing an additional 11 assists. That outstanding year also saw him named the FWA Footballer of the Year too. The only thing missing from his time in north London was a club trophy to go along with the individual honours.

10 Seamus Coleman - £60k - Sligo Rovers to Everton

He might not be the biggest name on this list, but we just had to include Coleman because of how insanely cheap he was. The full-back is the quintessential Premier League bargain, with Everton paying a tiny fee for numerous years of service.

The Irishman formed one-half of one of the best full-back partnerships in the league along with Leighton Baines and has gone on to captain the Toffees. He has made a total of 409 appearances to date, and the 34-year-old could add a few more before his time at Goodison Park comes to an end.

9 Edwin Van der Sar - £2m - Fulham to Manchester United

After Peter Schmeichel's departure from the Red Devils, Sir Alex Ferguson's side struggled to find a replacement for the Danish shot-stopper. That was until the 2005/06 season when they opted to sign Dutch international Van der Sar after an impressive spell for Fulham.

Looking back on his Old Trafford career, that £2m fee is an incredible deal. While at United career, he kept 135 clean sheets in 266 games and was a four-time Premier League winner and a Champions League winner too. He is still regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the league’s history.

8 Jay Jay Okocha - Free - Paris St Germain to Bolton

Eighth on our list is a man so good that they named him twice. The 2002/03 season saw a truly bizarre transfer as Okocha moved from PSG to join Sam Allardyce's Bolton Wanderers. In the four years he spent in England, he captivated the Reebok Stadium with his incredible skill and ability on the ball. The winger helped Wanderers reach the 2003/04 League Cup final and qualify for European football.

7 Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - £1.5m - Molde to Manchester United

What a steal this turned out to be for United. Solskjaer, or “the Baby-faced Assassin,” was lethal when called upon by Sir Alex Ferguson. Not that he cost the Red Devils that much in the first place, but he became completely worth the fee when he bagged that famous goal against Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final.

In his 11-year stay at Old Trafford, the Norwegian scored 126 goals in 366 games, and helped the famous club add six more Premier League titles to their trophy cabinet. He even returned after retiring to manage United, although that was a little less successful than his playing career…

6 Nemanja Vidic - £7m - Spartak Moscow to Manchester United

Vidic is one of the greatest defenders to play for Manchester United. Hell, the Serbian was half of one of the greatest centre-back partnerships in Premier League history.

The only Premier League defender to be awarded Premier League Player Of The Year on two separate occasions, his no-fear attitude on the pitch made it a nightmare for forwards to infiltrate United's defence, and he helped them to win five Premier League titles in eight years.

5 Vincent Kompany - £6m - Hamburg to Manchester City

The definition of a club legend, Kompany is one of the greatest signings in Man City’s history. The Cityzens got him on the cheap in 2008, and looking back on the price tag now, City fans will be laughing.

The Belgian laid the groundwork for the English club’s success in the 2010s and was a constant presence in the team. He marshalled them to four Premier League titles, leaving in 2019 for a season back at boyhood club Anderlecht before retiring. Fantastic stuff, “Captain Marvel.”

4 Patrick Vieira - £3.5m - AC Milan to Arsenal

Vieira arrived in London in 1996 to strengthen the midfield. His glory days at Arsenal came under Wenger, becoming the general in their engine room under the French manager.

The Frenchman won an array of trophies with the Gunners, captaining them to three Premier League titles and four FA Cups. Still thought of as one of the best midfielders ever to play in England, he was named in the PFA Team of the Year for six consecutive years between 1999 and 2004. Not a bad CV for someone so cheap.

3 N'Golo Kante - £5.6m - Caen to Leicester City

Kante's spell at Leicester City was brief but effective, as he was the heart of Claudio Ranieri's Foxes side that won the Premier League. The Frenchman's only season at the King Power Stadium is arguably the best debut campaign of any player in Premier League history.

Following his time at Leicester, Chelsea snapped up Kante for £30m, becoming Premier League champions that season with him in the middle of the pitch. One of the best midfielders the league has seen in recent years, the Frenchman also won a Champions League, Europa League, Super Cup, and FA Cup before moving to Al-Ittihad this summer.

2 Eric Cantona - £1.2m - Leeds to Manchester United

Many would put this man top of the bargain list, and rightly so. One of the most iconic players in Premier League history, Cantona showcased his class at Old Trafford and instantly became a legend at the club. He was influential in Manchester United winning four Premier League titles.

Cantona played 181 times, scoring 81 goals and grabbing 62 assists. His unique personality made him a fan favourite and a true United icon. Not bad for £1.2m.

1 Sol Campbell - Free - Tottenham to Arsenal

The biggest steal in English top-flight history. And from Arsenal’s biggest rival too.

Campbell’s short move across north London came as a shock to many, but Tottenham’s loss was a massive gain for the Gunners. A solid presence and a leader for five years under Wenger, the centre-back guided his side to two more league titles, before leaving in 2006 for Portsmouth. No fee plus multiple achievements certainly make Campbell the biggest bargain in Premier League history, unfortunately for Spurs fans.