[Soulfinger]

After a conversation with some friends I want to know who you guys think has been the Premierships greatest value for money, pound for pound player. The criteria are basically the player must have been bought during the Premiership years or played most of their career in the premiership. So no free transfers, loans, academy/youth players or 1980’s players etc. Please include the cost of the player and he doesn't still have to be player for your team.

Being a Man Utd fan I’ll start with a few Utd players but I’m sure other fans will be fast to add their own team’s nominees.

Peter Schmeichel £500,000 from Bronby. Arguably the greatest goalkeeper ever.

Ole Solskjaer £1.5m from Molde - one of the best natural finishers to have played in the Premiership with a goal tally that’s even more impressive as most have come as a sub.

Eric Cantona - £1m from Leeds – His first season impact gave Utd their first title in 26 years and behind Henry many peoples choice as greatest foreign player to have played in the Premiership

[DJT75]

I suppose you could go Anelka £500,000 Arsenal but then it's only good for 1 year service & the huge profit they made, so I won't


Sami Hyypia, £3m from Willem II - 394 games later he would walk into my all-time Premiership side anyday.

[starman0147]

Originally Posted by Soulfinger

Being a Man Utd fan I’ll start with a few Utd players but I’m sure other fans will be fast to add their own team’s nominees.

If you’re a Man u fan how can you forget Roy Keane, signed for a British record at the time of 3.75m but is arguably the most influential and important Manchester United player ever!

[zmoosa1]

When I read the title I instantly thought of Cantona. For me he is still the best foreign player to come to the Premiership.

....and no I'm not a Utd fan

[DJT75]

Originally Posted by zmoosa1

When I read the title I instantly thought of Cantona. For me he is still the best foreign player to come to the Premiership.

....and no I'm not a Utd fan

I really don't see it with Cantona, a good player but probably not even in my Top 10 Prem Foreign players. Granted he was cheap but that was coming from another top flight team & not a "find" as such...Wasn't it just taking advantage of a clause in his Leeds contract?

[thfccambs]

Originally Posted by DJT75

...Wasn't it just taking advantage of a clause in his Leeds contract?

More to do with rumping lee chapman's wife wasn't it.

[DrPepper]

enjoyed watching Gianfranco Zola

[hottstuff]

Has to be Henry IMO.
Bought for £11M in 1999 , became top scorer of all time @ the club and 5 years later had upped his value 5 times , going by the £50M offers from spanish clubs.

[Steven]

Ian Wright, bargain for £2m. Can't argue with Cantona and Schmeichel

[thfccambs]

Originally Posted by hottstuff

Has to be Henry IMO.
Bought for £11M in 1999 , became top scorer of all time @ the club and 5 years later had upped his value 5 times , going by the £50M offers from spanish clubs.

Paper talk,thats all.

[hottstuff]

Originally Posted by hunts1uk

Paper talk,thats all.

sure

[rio1981]

Given that value for money is in the title, in recent history that will rule out any British players...

I'd agree about Schmeichel and Cantona, however, I seem to remember that Roy Keane went from Forest to Man Utd for around the £3.5m mark? Given how important he was, that's got to be considered a bargain...

I guess we've all got a personal viewpoint with the clubs that we support, so Paolo Di Canio would be high up on my list, got him for next to nothing as old 'arry was the only one that wanted to take a punt on him (I would have paid ten times what we did given the way he mugged Barthez in that FA Cup game )

I would also say Gianfranco Zola, who was an absolute little genius.

And in terms of making a profit - Michael Carrick from West Ham to Tottenham

As for Henry, £11m in 1999 was a truckload of money - no doubting his importance or ability, but I think the OP was really after some proper bargains...

[thfccambs]

Originally Posted by rio1981

but I think the OP was really after some proper bargains...

Steffan Freund £750,000

I'll get my coat.

[rio1981]

Originally Posted by hunts1uk

Steffan Freund £750,000

I'll get my coat.

Was that a Christian Gross purchase?! That image of Cross clutching that Travelcard will stay with me for a long while - shame you can't buy open returns on the Tube isn't it?

[mrtbag]

He's not there yet, but I'm sure Arron Lennon will prove to be a steal at 1m.

[ScriptDaddy]

Marcel Desailly, Zola or Carlo Cudicini for me.

Ben

[hottstuff]

Thread is greatest value for money , not steal of the century.lol.

[DJT75]

Hate to say it but Vieira & Petit, also thought Pires was exceptional for £6m - alot of money but money very well spent..Pires is right up there in my all-time Prem players BTW

[DJT75]

Oh & I'd have to say: Eric Djemba-Djemba, although he has just joined Burnley!!

[Miyazaki]

Andrei Shevchenko.

Being a Villan, I would have to say Paul McGrath. Not sure how much we bought him from Man Utd for, but he must surely be one of the greatest natural footballing talents of all time.

[po_man]

Originally Posted by DJT75

Hate to say it but Vieira & Petit, also thought Pires was exceptional for £6m - alot of money but money very well spent..Pires is right up there in my all-time Prem players BTW

Pires and particularly Vieira (c £3.5m?) were incredible value. Agree with the Pires comment - before his cruciate injury, he was probably one of the best wingers in World football. Absolutely love that guy!

[CFC1]

Originally Posted by Games Guru

Andrei Shevchenko.

..Just give him time, ...that's all he needs!

[gatty-jr-jr]

as a United fan i would say either.

Dennis Irwin 600k
Peter Schmiechel 550k
Eric Cantona 1.2m
Steve Bruce 800k
Solskjaer 1.5m

[CFC1]

Peter Schmeichel
Eric Cantona (to United)
Franco Zola

[starman0147]

Originally Posted by gatty-jr-jr

as a United fan i would say either.

Dennis Irwin 600k
Peter Schmiechel 550k
Eric Cantona 1.2m
Steve Bruce 800k
Solskjaer 1.5m

Again wheres Roy Keane won 7 league title 4 FA cups & the Champion league.

I will agress Dennis Irwin was a great bargain but he was bought before the Premierships was created same with Schmeichel.

As for Arsenal i would say Dennis Bergkamp was pretty good value for money. For chelsea no question about it was Zola. And for Liverpool there have not been many but Sami Hyypiä and John Arne Riise (4mil) have been good buys.

[madcyril]

I will agress Dennis Irwin was a great bargain but he was bought before the Premierships was created same with Schmeichel

A bit picky mate.

Cant disagree with Zola and any of the Utd players mentioned.

If value for money is equal to profit then there can be only one Utd player-

John Obi Mikel.
All he cost was the shirt with his name on when he happily signed his Utd contract.Months later £12m in the bank,cheers Mr Kenyon

[Woodywizz]

Schmeichel all the way for me

[ash]

Toughie!
It really depends. The Roy Keane was a British Record, so that is the equivalent now of £30million?

[NWhiteley]

Jussi Jaaskelainen, cost us peanuts a few years ago. Now one of the best keepers around

[elliothand]

Viera for around £2m was amazing, offers of more than £30m at his peak and years of service as one of best two midfielders in leagues along with Roy Keene.

Anelka for £500k then sold for £30m also incredible. Both provided exceptional value for their investment! Cesc fabregas was only £200k from barcellona too and looks like £25m interest from spain will be comming in the summer.

Wonder how much any of those players would have cost Arsenal if they'd be English... he he...