There are some players who spend their whole careers drifting in and out of the wrong clubs.
But it’s not journeymen we’re here to talk about. It’s the guys who found the right club. The footballers who made the right move.
Not all these moves are to league winning sides. However, these moves all represent transfers where the player was embraced and went on to become a club legend.
Here’s 5 transfers that defined careers.
Tim Cahill – Milwall to Everton (£1.5m)
In 2004 Tim Cahill became a Milwall legend by helping the London side reach the FA Cup final. It was an epic achievement for the Championship side.
Cahill would be forgiven for thinking that’s as good as it was going to get. But that’s not the story.
He moved to Everton for the relatively paltry sum of £1.5m and became arguably the best Everton player of that generation.
A blue legend.
Eric Cantona – Leeds to Manchester United (£1.2m)
While at Leeds, Cantona had a reputation as a natural talent who didn’t always reach the heights he was capable of. At United, he earned the reputation as a legend.
United fans knew a genius when they saw one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7RMfj4WRRw
Thierry Henry – Juventus to Arsenal (£10.5m)
Henry was largely ineffective as winger during his time at Juventus, so this transfer fee was seen as a massive gamble by Arsene Wenger.
Henry went on to become probably the greatest Arsenal player of all time.
Simply wonderful.
Ian Rush – Chester to Liverpool (£200,000)
If ever there was a case of a player just suiting the club, this was it.
The Welsh wizard had two separate spells at Liverpool, but his initial move from Chester as a relative unknown is the one that sticks out.
He was a sublime footballer and his name is engrained in Liverpool football club.
Alan Shearer – Blackburn to Newcastle, £15m
This move shook the world of football. England’s hottest property wasn’t moving to Manchester United or Liverpool.
He was going home to Newcastle. Shearer was a Magpie and it was where he belonged.
While at Newcastle he scored goals for fun. He was a Geordie through and through and it’s an absolutely travesty that the only thing he ever won while at Newcastle was the now defunct Inter-toto cup.
So there you have it, 5 players who got the move that suited them.
Get the move that suits you: go to Waterford Institute of Technology. The CAO change of mind deadline is on July 1st.
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