The summer transfer window of the 2023-24 season is over and the clubs have spent billions of dollars in their last bid to strengthen their squads for the upcoming season.
Over the years, the last day of the summer window has a number of important deals, be it Dimitar Berbatov from Tottenham Hotspur to Manchester United or Zlatan Ibrahimovic from Ajax to Juventus.
Sporstar lists its top five deadline-day transfers in the summer transfer window:
Wayne Rooney: Everton to Man Utd, €39m (2004)
Manchester United staved off interest from Chelsea to sign who might have looked like a promising youngster and also, to some, a gamble by manager Alex Ferguson.
Ferguson had compared him to Eric Cantona back then. “I think we have got the best young player this country has seen in the past 30 years,” said the legendary United boss. “I can see Wayne having the same impact as Eric.”
In hindsight, he was spot on. In 13 years at the club, Rooney won five Premier League titles, one FA Cup, three League Cups, the Champions League in 2008, the Europa League and a Club World Cup and remains the club’s highest goal scorer with 253 goals.
Sergio Ramos: Sevilla to Real Madrid, €27m (2005)
Real Madrid fans of the 21st century would know only one King of Madrid – Sergio Ramos. The Spanish FIFA World Cup winner joined Madrid as the then-most expensive Spanish defender and has become an absolute legend at the club.
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He became one of the most decorated players of all time at the club, winning 22 major trophies, four Club World Cups, four Champions League titles and five La Liga titles.
Sergio Ramos, the captain of Real Madrid celebrates with the UEFA Champions League Trophy after beating Liverpool in the final in 2018. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
With 671 appearances, he remains the player with the fourth-highest number of appearances for the club.
Mesut Ozil: Real Madrid to Arsenal, €50m (2013)
From one player joining Real Madrid to one leaving it – Mesut Ozil joined Arsenal for a then-club-record sum, becoming the most expensive German plater at that time.
He won over the Gunners’ fans with his inventiveness and vision, and won the FA Cup in his first season – Arsenal’s first trophy in nine years.
The following season, Ozil won the FA Cup again, becoming the attacking pivot of Arsene Wenger’s side. He scored 44 goals and assisted as many in 254 appearances for the London-based club.
Ozil was voted Arsenal’s player of the season in 2015–16 after producing 19 assists in a single season, just one shy of the Premier League record presently shared by Thierry Henry and Kevin de Bruyne.
Gareth Bale: Tottenham to Real Madrid, €101m (2013)
Gareth Bale’s dramatic run along the flanks, embarrassing the Inter Milan defence will forever be one of the best runs ever in football. Real Madrid dug deep into its pocket to secure the Welshman’s signature who was already making strides at Tottenham Hotspur.
Over nine years at the club, however, Bale struggled with several injuries. But his exploits in the final third saw the Welshman score over a century of goals for Real Madrid, including the stellar overhead kick against Liverpool in the Champions League final.
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He left the club last year with five Champions League titles, four Club World Cups, three UEFA Super Cups, La Liga titles and as many Spanish Super Cups.
Ronaldo: Inter to Real Madrid, €46m (2002)
The ‘Phenomenon’ had been making headlines since his days at PSV Eindhoven, where he had scored 52 goals in 56 games for the Eredivisie side. As the Brazilian won the World Cup in 2002, he became the top priority for Real Madrid, which was looking to create a batch of galacticos.
Ronaldo in action for Real Madrid against Malaga in the La Liga in the 2003-04 season. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
Ronaldo had a fallout with the manager at Inter after the club lost 4-2 to Lazio on the final day of the Serie A. The club decided to stick with its manager as the Brazilian left for Madrid. He scored 104 goals in 177 games at the Spanish capital, winning two La Liga titles, one Intercontinental Cup and one Super Cup.
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