Top 11 Weirdest Premier League Transfers

In this day and age, football clubs still make regrettable decisions when signing footballers who aren’t what the club thought they were.  

Can you think of any weird Premier League transfers?

If you can’t, then this is the article for you, because it will rank the top 11 weirdest Premier League transfers. 

Matías Vuoso

From Independiente to Manchester City for £3.5 million (2002)

Matías Vuoso was Manchester City’s second most expensive signing during that transfer window, yet he didn’t even play a single minute in the Premier League. 

Marco Boogers

From Sparta Rotterdam to West Ham United for £1 million (1995)

Harry Redknapp signed some fascinating personas during his time at West Ham United.

Paulo Futre comes to mind because the Portuguese international refused to play for Redknapp unless his assigned number (16) was changed to number 10.

Florin Răducioiu is another one, as he once decided to go shopping instead of playing for West Ham.

But Marco Boogers is the most fascinating of all.

After being sent off for basically assaulting Gary Neville, Boogers went on leave, and it was rumoured that he was living in a caravan.

The media had sourced from West Ham PA announcer Bill Prosser:

"

Marco was depressed after being sent off in his second appearance for West Ham at Old Trafford and disappeared for a few days. If he has gone back to Holland, he's probably gone by car again.

"

A journalist inaccurately quoted Prosser as stating that Boogers had gone to his caravan.

Now, it would be odd that a professional Premier League footballer would be living in a caravan.

Given the mystery surrounding Boogers, the uncouth look he had, and his red card—the media just ran with the story. 

David Bellion

From Sunderland to Manchester United for £2 million (2003)

Sunderland had just accumulated 19 points from 38 Premier League games and David Bellion had only scored one goal.

He wasn’t even a regular considering he had made 15 substitute appearances.

Manchester United shouldn’t have been surprised that Bellion did not impress during his time at Old Trafford. 

Sean Dundee

From Karlsruher to Liverpool for £2 million (1998)

Three goals in 24 games, and Liverpool thought they had discovered a diamond in the rough by signing Sean Dundee.

What’s worse was the fact that Dundee’s poor form contributed to Karlsruher being relegated.

Liverpool should have signed the naturalised German prior to that season, as Dundee had scored 17 goals in 29 Bundesliga games. 

Julien Faubert

From West Ham United to Real Madrid on loan (2009)

Juande Ramos saw something in Julien Faubert that the world didn’t see.

Unfortunately for Faubert, the only thing he is remembered for at Real Madrid is falling asleep on the bench. 

Per Krøldrup

From Udinese to Everton for £5 million (2005)

No wonder Everton don’t want David Moyes to spend big.

Per Krøldrup was hampered by injuries and it’s interesting that someone standing at 6’4” couldn’t handle the physicality of the Premier League:

"

It was very difficult to settle and fit in at Everton. I did not feel as a part of the team because I did not play. I had big problems in adapting to the playing style in England and also the hard play.

"

Dong Fangzhuo

From Dalian Shide to Manchester United for £500,000 (2004)

Dong Fangzhuo scored two goals in 22 games (14 of which were in the second division) and somehow his mediocrity was rewarded with a prestigious Manchester United contract.

Li Jinyu had scored 20 more goals than Fangzhuo during the same period, yet Sir Alex Ferguson inexplicably chose to sign Fangzhuo.

When Fangzhuo returned to China, he went on a 23 game goalless drought, and then somehow wound up playing for Legia Warsaw in the Polish Ekstraklasa.

Fangzhuo must have a crafty agent. 

Mauro Zárate

From Al-Sadd to Birmingham City on loan (2008)

My question is: Why would a Birmingham City scout be watching the Qatari league?

Hulk took a detour into Japan whereas Mauro Zárate took a detour into Qatar.

Once Zárate found that life in Qatar was pretty dull, he was offered an escape route by Birmingham, and he showed the world how technically gifted he was.

Since life in West Midlands, Zárate has played for Lazio and Inter Milan.  

Carlos Tévez and Javier Mascherano

From Corinthians to West Ham United for a combined £25.6 million (2006)             

Transfermarkt.co.uk states that Carlos Tévez and Javier Mascherano each cost West Ham United £12.8 million.

I don’t believe West Ham paid much, if any, for the Argentine duo because the club was fined £5.5 million for withholding important documentation regarding the ownership of the two players. 

West Ham played along because they received two of the world’s best young players for next to nothing.

Bébé

From Vitória de Guimarães to Manchester United for £7.4 million (2010)

To think that Manchester United included Bébé in their UEFA Champions League squad whereas Chelsea omitted Romelu Lukaku.

Manchester United could have signed Bébé for £125,000 from Estrela da Amadora.

Instead, Vitória de Guimarães signed Bébé for free, so why didn’t Manchester United sign him before Vitória?

£7.4 million for someone that Sir Alex Ferguson hadn’t seen or heard of sounds like kamikaze spending to me.  

Ali Dia

Ali Dia took advantage of gullible Graeme Souness by imitating George Weah and recommending his “cousin.”

Not only did Souness allow Dia to train with Southampton, but he even gave the former Blyth Spartans player his Premier League debut.

Incidentally, Dia was the first Senegalese to ever play in the Premier League. 

Nine years later, Alessandro Zarelli attempted to do a 'Ali Dia' but was found out. 

Please watch the Most Embarrassing Football Goals Ever Allowed. 

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