PREMIER LEAGUE: TOP 5 DEADLINE DAY DEALS EVER!

Featured Image Credit: The Independent

Deadline day is always a much anticipated day in the footballing calendar, with panic buys and last-minute steals, anything can and has happened. But on more than one occasion, deadline day deals have led to greatness. Here are five of the best deals made by Premier League sides on deadline day.

Ashley Cole – Arsenal to Chelsea (£5m + William Gallas)

In one of the Premier League’s most controversial transfers, Ashley Cole and William Gallas swapped clubs in 2006. Ashley Cole’s time at Arsenal was a successful one but his legacy in the eyes of Arsenal fans will always be of ‘Cashley Cole’, a nickname spawned by this saga. After Cole was not happy with his contract at the Emirates, Cole was frozen out by Arsene Wenger and on the 31st August 2006, they agreed a deal with Chelsea of £5m and the services of centre back William Gallas. Ashley Cole’s established himself as nothing short of a Chelsea legend during his time at Stamford Bridge, making 229 Premier League appearances and winning multiple trophies, making himself arguably the best Premier League left-back of all time. 

Wayne Rooney – Everton to Manchester United (£24m)

When Manchester United splashed £24m on Everton wonderkid Wayne Rooney, expectations were certainly high, who could have forgot his last-minute winner to end Arsenal’s 30 game unbeaten run. He was also 2002’s BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year so he was certainly coming in with a lot of pressure on his shoulders. Rooney was also facing the wrath of the Everton fans, who sprayed offensive graffiti near his old school. 

Yet after 13 years, five Premier League titles and a Champions League trophy to his name, it is no doubt that Wayne Rooney lived up to the hype and then some. Becoming one of the biggest names in world football and one of the greatest Premier League footballers of all time. £24m seems like a bargain. 

Luis Suarez – Ajax to Liverpool (£22.8m)

The enigmatic Uruguayan arrived at Liverpool in 2011, perhaps overshadowed by another deadline day arrival at Anfield. However, unlike his ponytailed Geordie counterpart, Luis Suarez proved himself to be one of the finest forwards to ever play for the Reds. Suarez had arrived in England with a reputation for unsportsmanlike conduct, something that he has not done much to shake throughout his career, but that did not stop him cementing a legacy at Liverpool. 

Suarez was the catalyst behind Liverpool’s 2013/14 title challenge and even though Liverpool could not get their hands on the title, there was no doubt that Suarez was one of the best players in the Premier League. After 110 Premier League appearances and 69 goals, Suarez set off to Barcelona where he would play his part alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar in arguably the greatest front three of all time. 

Sadio Mane – RB Salzburg to Southampton (£10m)

Southampton had a quietly impressive 2014 summer window deadline day, after securing the services of centre back Toby Alderweireld on a season-long loan, they paid £10m for Senegalese winger Sadio Mane from Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg. The 22-year-old had scored 45 goals in 87 games during his time in Austria and excited then Saints boss Ronald Koeman, who believed Mane would thrive in the Premier League. 

Koeman was right. Mane made that left wing position his own at the St Mary’s stadium, even breaking the record for the quickest hat trick, putting 3 past Aston Villa in two minutes and 56 seconds. After finishing 2015/16 as Southampton’s top goal scorer, Jurgen Klopp set his sights on Mane and the rest is history. Mane earnt Southampton £34m and has since gone on to be an integral part of the current Premier League champion’s attack. 

Hugo Lloris – Lyon to Tottenham Hotspur (£8m)

Andre Villas Boas spell at Tottenham was certainly mixed but a piece of business that goes under the radar was the signing of Hugo Lloris on the 2012 deadline day. At the time, Brad Friedel was the man in between the sticks at White Hart Lane and was on his way to making 310 consecutive appearances in the Premier League for a multitude of clubs. It was always going to take a great goalkeeper to end that streak and that’s exactly what Spurs got. 

Lloris is now the captain at Tottenham, having made 263 Premier League appearances and made himself a Spurs legend with some of his match-winning performances. He is also the France No.1 and has proven to be worth every penny of that £8m.