Premier League 2026-27

[Baile Brigín 2]

Ken Early, for once, makes a good point in today's Irish Times.

If Barcola does go to Liverpool it will be the only established star from a top club to move to England in this window. 14 of the most expensive 20 signings this window involve English clubs but mostly within England. He argues that mega stars aren't interested in England and clubs tend not to risk money on players who haven't proven themselves in the EPL.

Started me thinking. For all it's money very few genuine stars move to England at their peak.

I can really only think of a handful of players who did.

Veron.
Haaland.
Torres.

Then it's the maybes. Zola? Juninhio?

Anyone else?

Pogba's return to United?

Return to being the point.

But fair enough.

It's a harder game than you would think.

[gallsman]

Torres was a star who moved at 23 from a then struggling club. He wasn't a global superstar on the move at the absolute peak of his powers such as, say, Mbappé, when he went to Madrid. He'd have been in a very similar position to Aguero, although by that stage Atléti were starting to come good.

Juninho is a really bizarre one to highlight. He was in no way a star.

Veron would be the main one at a time when it was quite unusual. He'd been one of the best players in the world for several years when he moved.

Pogba was one of the best and most sought after midfielders in the world when he moved back. Don't think the fact it was a return changes anything about it.

Some of the Chelsea ones when the Abramovich money first flowed in probably qualify. Crespo in particular was one of the most deadly strikers on the planet who had previously broken the world transfer record.

Barcola is interesting, but somewhat similarly to Di Maria, he's probably a bit surplus to requirements at PSG following Doug's emergence.

[Baile Brigín 2]

I take your point on Torres, but my point is that type of player always goes to Real or Barca and he made a conscious decision to try something new.

Juninhio was the Brazilian playmaker. Him moving to Middlesbrough was a jaw dropper, especially since he went to Athletico Madrid after. No player had made that move before and was the first inkling that small EPL clubs had big money.

Crespo is a shout, although he was on the wind down. But I think the point is even Cheksea and City in terms of moneybags never really attracted the elite from overseas. Players, like Drogba, became elite there, but they never raided Barcelona.

[nrico2006]

Juninho and Torres weren't superstars at their peak when moving to England, neither was Zola. Ravanelli was a big one though, and so was Klinsmann.

Bergkamp was seen as a bit of a flop after his time at Inter but things did change when Chelsea started buying the like of Shevchenko, Crespo and Ballack etc.

[oakleafgael]

Andriy Shevchenko was arguably still at the top of his game when he moved to Chelsea.

Di Maria to United? Morientes to Liverpool? Not to many succeed after leaving Madrid in fairness. Varane was crocked when he left them.

[Baile Brigín 2]

Torres was a massive signing.

Kinsman was 30. Probably the first megastar to move to England but past his peak.

Was Ravenelli elite? Never a regular international.

Ballack and Shevchenko were 30. Peak gone.

[gallsman]

I take your point on Torres, but my point is that type of player always goes to Real or Barca and he made a conscious decision to try something new.

Juninho was the Brazilian playmaker. Him moving to Middlesbrough was a jaw dropper, especially since he went to Athletico Madrid after. No player had made that move before and was the first inkling that small EPL clubs had big money.

Crespo is a shout, although he was on the wind down. But I think the point is even Cheksea and City in terms of moneybags never really attracted the elite from overseas. Players, like Drogba, became elite there, but they never raided Barcelona.

Crespo was 28 when he moved and was still elite two years later playing for Milan.

I'm fully aware who the Juninho referred to is. He was a wtf signing because Brazilians didn't move to England to play in 1995 and became he cult hero. But he wasn't a superstar, before or after the transfer. Which is the point of the article you're referring to.

[thewobbler]

On cold reflection the only highest rank (Ballon D'Or territory) player who joined an EPL team whilst hitting his peak years was Dennis Bergkamp.

[Baile Brigín 2]

On cold reflection the only highest rank (Ballon D'Or territory) player who joined an EPL team whilst hitting his peak years was Dennis Bergkamp.

Who flopped at Inter and they wanted rid of him. Arsenal didn't swoop.

He *became* a world class player, but he moved as a damaged goods/rebuild his career player. Same with Henry from Juventus

[gallsman]

Morientes to Liverpool?

Morientes had already been jettisoned by Madrid at that stage. He'd spent the season on loan at Monaco when they dumped Madrid out of the CL 

I was always a fan but he was second fiddle to Raul and never would have troubled any discussions of a World XI for example.

[oakleaflad]

Ken Early, for once, makes a good point in today's Irish Times.

If Barcola does go to Liverpool it will be the only established star from a top club to move to England in this window. 14 of the most expensive 20 signings this window involve English clubs but mostly within England. He argues that mega stars aren't interested in England and clubs tend not to risk money on players who haven't proven themselves in the EPL.

Started me thinking. For all it's money very few genuine stars move to England at their peak.

I can really only think of a handful of players who did.

Veron.
Haaland.
Torres.

Then it's the maybes. Zola? Juninhio?

Anyone else?

Debatable that Barcola is even an established star.
A lot of money being passed around within the Premier League this window.

[Baile Brigín 2]

Ken Early, for once, makes a good point in today's Irish Times.

If Barcola does go to Liverpool it will be the only established star from a top club to move to England in this window. 14 of the most expensive 20 signings this window involve English clubs but mostly within England. He argues that mega stars aren't interested in England and clubs tend not to risk money on players who haven't proven themselves in the EPL.

Started me thinking. For all it's money very few genuine stars move to England at their peak.

I can really only think of a handful of players who did.

Veron.
Haaland.
Torres.

Then it's the maybes. Zola? Juninhio?

Anyone else?

Debatable that Barcola is even an established star.
A lot of money being passed around within the Premier League this window.

He will definitely be the biggest player to move to England since Haaland

[Mourne Red]

On cold reflection the only highest rank (Ballon D'Or territory) player who joined an EPL team whilst hitting his peak years was Dennis Bergkamp.

Who flopped at Inter and they wanted rid of him. Arsenal didn't swoop.

He *became* a world class player, but he moved as a damaged goods/rebuild his career player. Same with Henry from Juventus

Not that he flopped at PSG but same could be said of Barcola PSG want rid of him because he's unhappy he can't break into their starting 11.

Barcola isn't an established star either. He's turns 24 in a couple of days and has 30 less goals than Martinelli (25)

[oakleaflad]

Ken Early, for once, makes a good point in today's Irish Times.

If Barcola does go to Liverpool it will be the only established star from a top club to move to England in this window. 14 of the most expensive 20 signings this window involve English clubs but mostly within England. He argues that mega stars aren't interested in England and clubs tend not to risk money on players who haven't proven themselves in the EPL.

Started me thinking. For all it's money very few genuine stars move to England at their peak.

I can really only think of a handful of players who did.

Veron.
Haaland.
Torres.

Then it's the maybes. Zola? Juninhio?

Anyone else?

Debatable that Barcola is even an established star.
A lot of money being passed around within the Premier League this window.

He will definitely be the biggest player to move to England since Haaland

Don't know. Any bigger than Wirtz or Enzo Fernandez were? Happened to play for a big team yes, but it's a bit of a risk at that money.

[thewobbler]

On cold reflection the only highest rank (Ballon D'Or territory) player who joined an EPL team whilst hitting his peak years was Dennis Bergkamp.

Who flopped at Inter and they wanted rid of him. Arsenal didn't swoop.

He *became* a world class player, but he moved as a damaged goods/rebuild his career player. Same with Henry from Juventus

Bergkamp:

1992: 3rd in Ballon D'Or when at Ajax

1993: 2nd in Ballon D'Or when at Inter

1995: joined Arsenal and spent a decade there, finishing 4th and 8th in the Ballon D'or awards.

I'm sure of course you'll have your own criteria for world class. Or you could just admit you got this one wrong.