Transfer deadline day: From Wayne Rooney to Gareth Bale, a look at top ten last-minute signings

Transfer deadline day is here! It’s that time of the year again when super agents of the football earn their bread, an perhaps a bit more. It’s that time of the year when football fans are taken through a varying degrees of emotions within a space of twenty four hours. It’s that time when millions are spent and records are broken. The transfer deadline day brings with it its own frenzy. Looking back, each one is remembered for the one big transfer that happened that year. The 2017 summer window climax is expected to be one of the most exciting ones in recent times with deals for Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez, Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho in the offing. As the clock ticks towards midnight in the UK, here’s a look at the top ten transfers made on deadline day in the past. Claude Makalele (£16.8 million, Real Madrid to Chelsea, August 2003) In summer of 2003, Claude Makalele joined Chelsea from Real Madrid for a fee of £16.8 million on deadline day. Then Chelsea manager, Claudio Ranieri said he will be the battery of the team. Madrid signed David Beckham in the same window that led to that infamous comment from Zinedine Zidane. “Why put another layer of gold paint on the Bentley when you are losing the entire engine?” asked the Frenchman. Makalele went on to be a huge success at Stamford Bridge winning two Premier League titles, two League Cups and one FA Cup in his five-year stint with the club. His exploits in the central defensive midfield role led to that role being called as ‘The Makalele position’. Wayne Rooney (£25.6 million, Everton to Manchester United, August 2004) [caption id=“attachment_3994263” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Wayne Rooney’s late signing rpved to be one of the most fruitful in Manchester United’s history. AFP[/caption] Manchester United stunned the football world when they spent £25.6 million on a teenager from Everton. Rooney put pen to paper to a deal on final day of the summer transfer window in August 2004. On his debut against Fenerbahce in the Champions League, the striker scored a hat-trick. 13 years later Rooney went on to become Manchester United’s all-time leading goalscorer beating Sir Bobby Charlton’s record. Rooney won five Premier Leagues, one Champions League, one FA Cup and three League Cup titles in Manchester. Sergio Ramos (****€27 million, Sevilla to Real Madrid, August 2005) Sergio Ramos joined Real Madrid as an exciting 19-year-old from Sevilla for a fee of €27 million in the final hours of summer transfer window of 2005. The Spaniard played at various positions in his career that included center back, right back and even central midfield at times. Ramos has developed into a legend at Madrid and has been captaining the side since the departure of legendary goalkeeper Iker Casillas. He scored the all-important injury-time equaliser in the 2014 Champions League final against Atletico Madrid that Real went on to win 4-1. Ramos has won four La Liga titles, three Champions League crowns and two Copa del Reys with Real Madrid. Ashley Cole (£5 million + William Gallas, Arsenal to Chelsea, August 2006) After a big transfer saga, Ashley Cole swapped Arsenal for Chelsea on the final day of the 2006 transfer window for £5 million. William Gallas went the other way as a part of the deal. Cole decided to leave Arsenal after he was unhappy with the salary offered to him by the Gunners. The left-back though was a huge success in West London, winning one Premier League, one Champions League and one League Cup crowns along with four FA Cups. Carlos Tevez (Undisclosed fee, Corinthians to West ham United, August 2006) West Ham United surprised everyone by completing the signing of Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascerano on deadline day in the summer of 2006. After a fine performance in the 2006 World Cup, Tevez was expected to set the league on fire, but the Argentine struggled for the initial part of his time in London. However, with change in management, Tevez was back in the scheme of things with the Hammers and played a crucial part in the club’s great escape from relegation that season. Tevez also scored the winner in West ham united’s win at Old Trafford that preserved their Premier League status. He moved to Manchester United in 2007. Dimitar Berbatov (£30.75 million, Tottenham Hotspur to Manchester United, August 2008) Dimitar Berbatov joined Manchester United from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2008 for a fee of £30.75 million. The Bulgarian was all set to join Manchester City after Tottenham had accepted a bid from them. But United hijacked the deal after Berbatov arrived in Manchester to complete the move. However, the striker claimed after signing for United that he “would not even have thought about Manchester City”. His time at Old Trafford wasn’t as successful compared to White Hart Lane, but he will be remembered for scoring a hat-trick in a 3-2 win over Liverpool at Old Trafford in 2010. He won two Premier League titles with United before moving to Fulham in 2012. Gareth Bale (£85.3 million, Tottenham Hotspur to Real Madrid, September 2013) [caption id=“attachment_3994257” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Gareth Bale became the most expensive footballer when he signed for real Madrid in 2013. AFP[/caption] Gareth Bale signed for Real Madrid for world record transfer fee of £85.3 million in September, 2013. He replaced Cristiano Ronaldo as the world’s most expensive footballer back then. Bale had a decent debut season at the Santiago Bernabeau. However his biggest moment came in the 2014 Champions League final when he scored against Atletico Madrid in the final to put Real Madrid in front for the first time on the night. The Los Blancos went on to win the final 4-1. Bale has won three Champions League titles and one La Liga title with Real Madrid so far. Mesut Ozil (£42.5 million, Real Madrid to Arsenal, September 2013) Mesut Ozil joined Arsenal from Real Madrid for then club record transfer fee of £42.5 million. The German international had a blistering start to his Arsenal career, but after a month faded away as the season progressed. Since then he has blown hot and cold at north London and finds his future uncertain. Ozil will go into the new season with just a year left on his contract. He has won three FA Cups with Arsenal in his time at the Emirates stadium. Anthony Martial (£36 million, AS Monaco to Manchester United, September, 2015) Anthony Martial, a relatively unknown name signed for Manchester United from AS Monaco for a fee of £36 million in the summer of 2015. however he announced himself to the Old Trafford faithfuls with a sublime goal in a 3-1 win over Liverpool. The young Frenchman had a good first season at Old Trafford, but has since struggled to find regular game time under Jose Mourinho. The Frenchman has won a FA Cup, a League Cup and an Europa League with the Red Devils. David Luiz (£34 million, Paris Saint-Germain to Chelsea, August 2016) Chelsea first signed David Luiz on deadline day of the 2011 winter transfer window before selling him to PSG in 2015. However, out of the blue, on deadline day of the 2016 summer transfer window, Chelsea re-signed Luiz for £34 million. The move raised many eyebrows as his first spell at Stamford Bridge wasn’t rated very highly by many. However Luiz proved his critics wrong by putting in series of stellar performance at the heart of the Blues defense and helped them to a Premier League title.