Manchester United legends, N’Golo Kante, and an Arsenal Invincible – the biggest Premier League bargains ever
Spending in the Premier League has continued to astonish, disgust and amaze in equal measure in recent years.
This is all likely to change due to the financial devastation caused by the coronavirus.
The deadly disease has wreaked financial havoc on hundreds of clubs across the country and big-money fees that we have seen in the top flight in recent years will almost certainly be less frequent.
Now more than ever, clubs will be on the hunt for players who are available on the cheap when they look to bolster their squads.
There have been some incredible bargain buys in the past, and we at talkSPORT.com have trawled through the archives and compiled a list of the best value-for-money transfers in the Premier League over the last 20 years...
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Kolo Toure (ASEC Mimosas to Arsenal, 2002) – £150,000
The Ivory Coast international became a mainstay in the Gunners defence and helped the club to several pieces of silverware before departing for Manchester City in a big-money move.
His greatest claim to fame has to be the fact he is an Invincible in both England and Scotland, after being part of teams – Arsenal and Celtic – that went an entire season unbeaten.
Tim Cahill (Millwall to Everton, 2004) – £1.5m
Before the Toffees spent money like it was going out of fashion, the club were known for their frugal ways.
The signing of Millwall midfielder Cahill in the summer of 2004 was seen as a shrewd piece of business – especially as he had just led the Championship side to the FA Cup final.
By the time he left for New York Red Bulls in 2012, his 56 goals in 226 league games had helped cement his status as a Goodison Park legend.
Ashley Cole (Arsenal to Chelsea, 2006) – £5m
After being left ‘trembling with anger’ at Arsenal’s apparently derisory offer of a £55,000-a-week contract, it seemed inevitable Cole would leave the Gunners in 2006.
Shortly before the switch from Highbury to the Emirates, Arsene Wenger sanctioned a controversial move to Chelsea for the left-back.
Cole established himself as one of the best defenders in the world at Stamford Bridge and clinched the Champions League in 2012, scoring a penalty in the shootout win.
Nemanja Vidic (Spartak Moscow to Manchester United, 2005) - £7m
If there was ever proof that brilliant players can be bought in January - this is it.
Vidic made his name as one of the Premier League’s greatest ever defenders in his eight year stint at Old Trafford.
Forming an incredible partnership with Rio Ferdinand at the back, the Serbian won five Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2008.
He arrived in the same window as another player who would also become a pillar of Alex Ferguson’s last great United side...
Patrice Evra (Monaco to Manchester United, 2006) - £5.5m
Although Cole pips the Frenchman to the award of best left-back in Premier League history, Evra is undoubtedly one of the all-time greats in his position.
United signed him from Monaco for just £5.5m in another brilliant piece of transfer business by Sir Alex, who had a knack of spotting gems and signing them for a nominal fee.
The Frenchman won six league titles and the Champions League in his time at the club.
Seamus Coleman (Sligo Rovers to Everton, 2009) – £60,000
One of the most remarkable transfers in Premier League history - and Sligo Rovers must be kicking themselves now.
The Irish side could not have foreseen in 2009 just how incredible the right-back would become of course, but the size of the fee really is incredible.
Although he is yet to show the same sort of marauding form he did before a horrible leg break in 2017, Coleman is still a fantastic defender.
Vincent Kompany (Hamburg to Manchester City, 2008) – £6m
One of the last signings before Abu Dhabi money took hold of the Citizens in 2008.
Kompany was 22 when he joined Mark Hughes' side and one can only imagine how expensive the Belgian would be in his prime.
Fitness issues dogged Kompany in the tail-end of his City years, but he was a serial winner and a leader at the heart of the defence for Pep Guardiola.
A true Premier League great, for sure.
Pablo Zabaleta (Espanyol to Manchester City, 2008) - £6.45m
The Argentine full-back is deservedly a hero in the eyes of City fans after his hugely successful time at the club.
Having signed one day before Robinho and for a fifth of the price, Zabaleta became an immediate fan favourite for his tireless work rate and consistency for the best part of a decade.
He played a key role in two Premier League title triumphs, while his grace and generosity off the pitch made him a true City legend.
Gary Cahill (Bolton to Chelsea, 2012) - £7m
With the Blues often looking overseas to bring talent in, many eyebrows were raised when they beat the likes of Arsenal to snap up Cahill from Bolton - and the move proved to be a brilliantly shrewd piece of business.
After impressing for the Premier League strugglers in the 2011/12 season, Stamford Bridge chiefs swooped in to sign Cahill in January and he remarkably went on to win the Champions League in his first six months at the club.
The former England international went on to win two Premier League titles, an FA Cup, a League Cup and a Europa League at Stamford Bridge before joining Crystal Palace in the summer of 2019.
Hugo Lloris (Lyon to Tottenham, 2012) - £11.9m
The Frenchman has been one of the best goalkeepers in the top flight since his deadline day move from Lyon in 2012.
Although in recent seasons he has been prone to an error or two, he has been a fantastic acquisition for Spurs, having made 316 appearances in his eight years at the club.
The World Cup winner also ended Brad Friedel’s insane record of 310 consecutive Premier League games and still looks like he has a good few seasons left between the sticks in north London.
Cesar Azpilicueta (Marseille to Chelsea, 2012) – £7m
Signed from from the French side in 2012, the defender was seen as a prospect for the future. However, his versatility and reliability saw him immediately become a regular in the team and the club lifted the Europa League at the end of the campaign.
A model of consistency, Azpilicueta has been superb for the Blues for eight years and has won two Premier League titles, as well as another Europa League trophy, an FA Cup, and a League Cup.
He is now the captain and a hero among the Stamford Bridge faithful, with supporters preferring to call him ‘Dave’ rather than his actual name.
Dele Alli (MK Dons to Tottenham Hotspur, 2015) – £5m
Say what you want about the midfielder, but he is extremely effective and always seems to grab important goals for his side.
The former MK Dons star was close to joining Liverpool six months before completing his move to Spurs but he is more than at home in north London now.
Still just 24, he has plenty of time to develop his game.
N’Golo Kante (Caen to Leicester City, 2015) – £5.6m
One of the nicest men in football, Kante’s rise from Ligue 2 to World Cup winner was nothing short of miraculous.
Signed by Claudio Ranieri to break up opposition attacks, the diminutive midfielder seemed to be absolutely everywhere for the Foxes as they claimed a spectacular Premier League title win in 2016.
His heroic performances were never likely to go under the radar, and a £32m move to Chelsea saw Leicester slip back into mid-table, while he had a similar effect at Chelsea and won his second consecutive title at Stamford Bridge.
He has since been a crucial figure for the Blues, winning the FA Cup and Europa League in the last two seasons, respectively.
Andrew Robertson (Hull City to Liverpool, 2017) – £8m
Even though he's one of the biggest spenders in the Premier League these days, Jurgen Klopp proved he can still pick out a bargain when he snapped up Robertson from Hull.
With the Tigers facing life in the Championship, the German moved quickly to bring the Scot to Merseyside.
And he has had an incredible effect on Merseyside, helping the Reds to a Champions League and Club World Cup triumph.