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Is this the greatest Bargain Premier League XI of all time?

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Centre-midfielder: Gary McAllister

Another free transfer, McAllister was 35 when he joined Liverpool from Coventry. Doubts were raised about whether a 35 year-old could still play at the top level, but McAllister answered those doubts. He scored a memorable last-minute free-kick at Everton in the league, as well as assisting Michael Owen’s first goal in the FA Cup final. His greatest moment came in the 2001 UEFA Cup final though. Not only did he score once, he had a hand in three other goals as the Reds beat Alaves 5-4 via a golden goal. He is a Liverpool legend despite only spending two years at the club.

Centre-midfielder: Tim Cahill

Cahill joined Everton from Millwall in 2004 for a fee of £1.5m, and as soon as he joined, nailed down a starting position for the next eight years at Goodison. He had a reputation for being a goal-scoring midfielder from his time at Millwall, and that continued at Everton; he is Everton’s second highest goal-scorer in history of the Premier League with 56 goals. Surprisingly, despite being only 5ft10, he had a knack of scoring goals via headers. He has since left Goodison to play in MLS for the New York Red Bulls, with a transfer fee of £1m. Like David Moyes’ Everton career, the only thing missing for Cahill is a trophy.

Forward: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Signed from Molde for £1.5m in 1996, very few had heard of Solskjaer before his transfer to Old Trafford. He was expected to be a back-up striker for Man United behind Eric Cantona and Andy Cole, but his goal-scoring exploits helped him become a first choice for United. He was known as “super-sub” for his unusual knack of scoring goals from the bench; 28 in total as a substitute, including four in just 12 minutes against Nottingham Forest in 1999. His greatest moment in a Man United shirt was undoubtedly scoring the winner in the 1999 Champions League final against Bayern Munich in the last minute; this completed United’s treble of the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League. Unfortunately, his playing career came to an end in 2007 due to injury.

Forward: Michu

Despite spending only one year in the Premier League, Michu has already laid claim to being the bargain of the decade, after scoring 18 league goals in his debut season for Swansea. His £2m transfer fee is rarely seen at the top-flight these days, especially for a key player, as Michu has turned out to be. His goals helped Swansea secure their Premier League status for a third season, as well as helping them win their first trophy, as the club won the League Cup too this year. He hasn’t quite yet done enough to be selected for the Spanish national side, but a call-up shouldn’t be too far away if he continues to score like he has done this past season.

Forward: Eric Cantona

The most charismatic player in Premier League history, Cantona joined Man United from Leeds in November 1992 for a fee of £1.2m. He had already scored six Premier League goals in 13 matches for Leeds that season, and immediately started scoring for United. His goals helped United win the inaugural Premier League title in 1993, as well as in the 1993/1994 season. However, in January 1995, he was banned for eight months for assaulting a Crystal Palace fan; United failed to retain the league that year, losing the title to Blackburn on the final day. In the following two seasons – his final two as a player – United won the Premier League, culminating in four league titles with United for Cantona, as well as two FA Cups. He is a Premier League legend, for his goal-scoring, press conferences and personality.

In total, this squad would have cost £22.8m (just for the transfers I have focussed on), which is one Luis Suarez, half a Zinedine Zidane and not even a third of a Cristiano Ronaldo. There may be cheaper players (particularly with the full-backs), but the chosen players have contributed significantly to their clubs over a period of time, paying back the fee paid for them.

If you think I have missed a player out or made a mistake, please comment below or tweet me.

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0 comments

  • Thatguy says:

    Ahhh,where’s vidic?

  • Falastur says:

    Joe Hart cost £500,000 and is the better goalkeeper…

  • oyedapo tosin says:

    it is no enough so many play more dan dis like thiery henry

  • Mat says:

    Hart better then vds?
    Are you drunk or only the biggest idiot on the planet?

  • NWBlueMan says:

    It actually started with somebody (who has never been identified) pumping large sums of money into Manchester United in the late 80s and early 90s.

  • Hammed Basheer. says:

    joe hart should have been there instead of vds. Hart in 2009 would have cost more.

  • simon says:

    Vidic? Hart? Ronaldo was probably the best bargain ever due to the massive profit on his sale…

  • Baldblue says:

    Veron,Ferdinand,Berbatov and Rooney all £30mplus players.Carrick,Hargreaves and Van Nistelrooy all £20m plus player I also remember big money being payed for Yorker in the late 90’s aswell yet it’s only City,Chelsea and Blackburn that have thrown big money into the transfer market!!!

  • Joes says:

    Think the guy writing this is a Man U fan by any chance?

  • Chris says:

    Peter Schmaichel is best Keeper of all time and he cost 500k

  • Jim bob says:

    What about fabregas u fool

    • Ryan Hodge says:

      He was poached from Barcelona as Spanish clubs can only offer pro contracts to 18+ year olds. Arsenal got him pro (for free) at 16. I didn’t want to add “youth” players, despite technically Fabregas not being an Arsenal trainee.

  • James Clarke says:

    Kompany for £4m

  • Stanley c says:

    A nice article, Continue!!!.

  • Dan says:

    Dont understand why vds is ahead of schmaichel to be honest. Probably the biggest bargain of the premier league era ever.

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