The document analyzes the five most expensive transfers in football history. It discusses Cristiano Ronaldo's then-record £80 million transfer from Manchester United to Real Madrid in 2009, which helped grow Real Madrid's brand but yielded limited trophies. It also examines Zlatan Ibrahimovic's £56.5 million move from Inter Milan to Barcelona, which was an expensive failed transfer as Zlatan struggled to fit in. The document also briefly summarizes the expensive but underwhelming transfers of Kaká (£55m from AC Milan to Real Madrid), Fernando Torres (£50m from Liverpool to Chelsea), and Zinedine Zidane's (£45.7m from Juventus to Real Madrid)

1. The 5 Most Expensive Transfers of All-time (2011)
The European football transfer Season has begun and fight to win the signatures of the
best players is at its peak. Almost all major Clubs are looking forward to have a busy
summer to build a team that will enable them to challenge Barcelona’s might in Europe
and succeed at the domestic front. Clubs are willing to spent millions in the hope that
these dollars spent will transform into on the field success, but does it really happen? To
have more insight in this issue we shall analyse the five most expensive transfers in football.
Número uno
Player Season Selling Club Buying Club Transfer fee
Cristiano Ronaldo 2009/2010 Manchester United Real Madrid £80 million
Ronaldo made the World headlines with his record transfer from the Red Devils to the
Galacticos and has silenced some of the critics questioning his price tag with his prolific
Goal scoring.
Games Played Goals Scored Assists Goals per Game Assists per Game
89 86 22 0.96 0.24
Ronaldo has scored 86 Goals in his 89 Appearances for Real Madrid at just about a Goal
per Game, he also broke the record for most Goals in the La Liga in a single Season
previously held by Athletic Bilbao’s Telmo Zarra and Madrid legend Hugo Sánchez (38
Goals). Although Ronaldo has been breaking Goal scoring records Real have only
managed to win the Copa del Rey in their two years with Ronaldo, finishing second best
in the League behind Guardiola’s juggernauts, getting knocked out in the first knockout
round in 2009/10 and reaching the Semi-finals in 2010/11 of the Champions League.
An impact of Ronaldo transfer was the total dependence of the Galacticos on Ronaldo
for Goals and some rumours of inter player conflicts which were squashed immediately
but might just have been locked in the dressing room.
So clearly the record transfer that made headlines has certainly amazed football fans
around the world but is yet to add to the trophy cabinet, the transfer did help Madrid built
on its image not with their performance on the fields rather with the glamour off the field.

2. El número dos
Player Season Selling Club Buying Club Transfer fee
Zlatan Ibhrahimovic 2009/10 Internazionale Barcelona £56.5* million
Zlatan’ transfer from Inter to Barce involved Eto’o going in the opposite direction and Hleb
being loaned and was the world’s most expensive transfer but only for a few days with
Ronaldo’s transfer later stealing the spotlight.
Games Played Goals Scored Assists Goals per Game Assists per Game
42 22 9 0.52 0.21
Zlatan made 42 Appearances for the Catalans scoring 22 Goals, a Goal every two
Games. Unlike Ronaldo who had been on the scorecard almost every Match day Zlatan
didn’t have the best of time on the field as well as off it.
Barce on the other hand had a good Season winning the La Liga, UEFA & Spanish Super
Cup and reaching the Champions League Semi-finals and very less of the credit could go
to Zlatan, and by the end of the Season his relationship with Guardiola going to an extent
that Zlatan put up for sale. Zlatan who has been rated one of the Games most technically
gifted players but not having the best mentality, has commented on his uncomfortable
stay in Barcelona on numerous occasions, a move that has not been seen in World
football on many occasions and least expected from one of football’s most expensive
players.
Zlatan’ transfer represents one of world’s most expensive failed transfers, something that
has now become a recurring phenomenon with the rich Clubs.
Número tres
Player Season Selling Club Buying Club Transfer fee
Kaká 2009/10 AC Milan Real Madrid £55 million
Kaká’ transfer to Madrid got the world dreaming of the impact it would have on Spanish
football with Ronaldo to partner him, but only glimpses of the player that Kaká once was
were seen by the Madrista’ and his transfer could be termed as the best business deal
ever, no lemon had ever been sold at such an outrageous price. Kaká spent most of his
two seasons side-lined due to injury, talks of him being offloaded have already begun
and Clubs willing to spend more millions on him are rumoured to have lined up.
Games Played Goals Scored Assists Goals per Game Assists per Game
53 16 13 0.30 0.24
In his two disappointing seasons with the Galacitos, Kaká played 53 Games scoring 16
Goals and creating 13. In the two Seasons that Kaká was on the payroll, Real Madrid
managed to win the Copa Del Rey.

3. Kaká joins the ranks of other Brazilians like Robinho who have failed to live up to the hefty
price tag.
El número cuatro
Player Season Selling Club Buying Club Transfer fee
Fernando Torres 2010/11 Liverpool Chelsea £50 million
Fernando Torres’ transfer was the English’s leagues most expensive transfer and it also
gave hope to Chelsea fans around the World that he would step in and take a lead in
solving Chelsea’s woes with his Goal scoring ability, but Torres managed to disappoint
every single Chelsea fan.
Games Played Goals Scored Goals per Game
18 1 0.05
Torres has managed just one Goal in his 18 Appearances with the Blues, and his form
could be described as the worst for any Striker. In Torres’ defence it could be said that he
needs time to adjust to Chelsea’s style of play but for the amount of money that has been
paid to acquire his services his form is hopelessly disappointing and fans and Club owners
deserve a lot better than this.
Although Torres only was with the Blues post January he did not make any impact on
Chelsea who ended a trophy less season and are rumoured to be making moves for a lot
of players this summer. Chelsea are rumoured to be looking for a player to help Torres get
his Goal scoring ability back, meaning a potentially new record transfer and whether it
shall succeed or not remains to be seen.
El número cinco
Player Season Selling Club Buying Club Transfer fee
Zinedine Zidane 2001/02 Juventus Real Madrid £45.7 million
Zizou’ commented after his transfer to the Galacitos that Real Madrid was the club he
deserved to play for and he lived up to the transfer fee that was paid for his services. It
was the most expensive football transfer then and remained so for eight years.
Games Played Goals Scored Goals per Game
225 49 0.21
In his five Seasons with Real Madrid, Zizou made 225 Appearances scoring 49 Goals which
includes the spectacular volley hit with his weaker foot in the UEFA Champions League
finals win against Bayer Leverkusen in 2001/02 (2-1).
Zizou’ time with Madrid was also a golden period for the Galacitos, Zizou won the La Liga
in 2002/03, UEFA Champions League in 2001/02, UEFA Super Cup in 2002, Spanish Super
Cup in 2001 & 2003, the Intercontinental Cup in 2002, a total of 6 Competitions.

4. Of the five most expensive football transfers ever only one can be said as value for
money, the one that involved one of the Greatest Midfielders ever, but again the other
four transfers haven’t spent a long time with their new Clubs and making judgements now
could be too early and premature, for the sake of the fans and the Club owners it is
expected that players live up to the price tag they carry and make an impact on the
team immediately helping them win on the field rather than attract attention for their off
the field personas.