In brief
Alan Shearer and Micah Richards were asked to list the ten best deals they had found in the Premier League.
A list of players was provided to the BBC commentators, who were then asked to order them according to their value for money.
It was difficult to choose between players like Jamie Vardy, Peter Schmeichel, and Eric Cantona for the combination.
Even though the Premier League spends a lot of money, the most successful deals are sometimes the more economical ones. Even while the most successful English football teams frequently spend millions on players, there is no assurance that the investment will be worthwhile years from now. Romelu Lukaku’s return to Chelsea and Antony’s transfer to Manchester United are just two recent instances that demonstrate this.
On the other hand, a low-cost addition entails less risk and, if they prove to be a valuable asset to the team, even more reward. Better yet, turn into a player who totally changes a football team’s fortunes.
Both Premier League champions Alan Shearer and Micah Richards were asked who they thought were the greatest deals in Premier League history during an interview with the Match of the Day: Top 10 podcast in 2021. With so many names to pick from, the two were able to create two intriguing lists that differed yet kept the same top three players in somewhat different positions.
Micah Richards’ Favourite Ten Deals
Two Arsenal offers were among the top five, according to the defender.
The Top 10 Premier League Deals by Micah Richards
Rank
The player
Move
The year
Fee
1.
Cantona, Eric
Manchester United to Leeds
1992
£1.2 million
2.
Vardy, Jamie
Leicester City to Fleetwood
2012
£1 million
3.
Schmeichel, Peter
Manchester United to Brondby
1991
£500,000
4.
Toure Kolo
Arsenal’s ASEC Mimosas
2002
£150,000
5.
Persie, Robin
Arsenal to Feyenoord
2004
£2.75 million
6.
Mahrez Riyad
Leicester City to Le Havre
2014
£400,000
7.
Di Canio, Paolo
West Ham to Sheffield Wednesday
1999
£1.5 million
8.
Radebe, Lucas
Leeds will host Kaizer Chiefs.
1994
£250,000
9.
Coleman, Seamus
Everton to Sligo Rovers
2009
£60,000
10.
Robertson, Andy
Liverpool to Hull City
2017
£8 million
Richards acknowledged that he thought United great Eric Cantona should have won first place even though he had won a Premier League winners medal for Manchester City. The Frenchman was acquired by the Red Devils from Leeds in 1992 for a mere £1.2 million, and during his five seasons there, he scored 82 goals and won four Premier League titles.
After Leicester only spent £1 million on the non-league striker, Jamie Vardy is in second place. After 198 goals and one Premier League championship, it turned out to be a fantastic investment on a player who has only become better with age.
Another United player completes the top three, with Peter Schmeichel’s 1991 £500,000 transfer to Old Trafford coming in third. Manager Alex Ferguson referred to the deal as the “bargain of the century.” Two players from Arsenal round out the top five. Kolo Toure joined the team in 2002 after a trial for £150,000. In 2004, Robin van Persie joined the team for a mere £2.75 million. In one of the most contentious moves in recent history, the Dutchman left North London for Manchester after spending eight seasons at the Emirates, where he scored 132 goals.
The transfers of Paolo Di Canio to West Ham, where he would later become a legendary figure, and Riyad Mahrez to the King Power Stadium are in the bottom half of the list. Lucas Radebe came in at number eight, with full-backs Andy Robertson and Seamus Coleman rounding out the top ten.
Alan Shearer’s Favourite Ten Deals
Coleman, an Everton defender, has received more affection from the striker.
The Top 10 Premier League Deals by Alan Shearer
Rank
The player
Move
The year
Fee
1.
Vardy, Jamie
Leicester City to Fleetwood
2012
£1 million
2.
Cantona, Eric
Manchester United to Leeds
1992
£1.2 million
3.
Schmeichel, Peter
Manchester United to Brondby
1991
£500,000
4.
Coleman, Seamus
Everton to Sligo Rovers
2009
£60,000
5.
Toure Kolo
Arsenal’s ASEC Mimosas
2002
£150,000
6.
Persie, Robin
Arsenal to Feyenoord
2004
£2.75 million
7.
Mahrez Riyad
Leicester City to Le Havre
2014
£400,000
8.
Radebe, Lucas
Leeds will host Kaizer Chiefs.
1994
£250,000
9.
Robertson, Andy
Liverpool to Hull City
2017
£8 million
10.
Di Canio, Paolo
West Ham to Sheffield Wednesday
1999
£1.5 million
Though there are a few significant differences, Shearer’s and Richards’ lists are essentially the same. The Leicester legend was ranked above Eric Cantona after the Englishman chose to give his countryman Vardy the nod at the top. Seamus Coleman also makes a significant leap up the rankings, placing inside Shearer’s top four:
“Sixty grand sums everything up. How many games has he played? He has also sustained a significant injury. He has recovered from his injuries, and Everton supporters adore him for good reason.
Di Canio, who falls to 10th place as a result of Coleman’s surge to the top of the chart, is the only other significant casualty from the Newcastle and Blackburn star’s list.
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