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AIPROPX ReportYahoo Sports · 1h ago
The biggest statement signings in Premier League history as Arsenal eye Vinicius Junior
Arsenal are interested in signing Vinicius Junior from Real Madrid this summer, as the Premier League champions look to make a statement signing.
The Premier League is often hailed as the best league in world football, but it's a division where superstars are often made rather than signed.
Just twice has a Premier League club broken the world transfer record, and there's an argument that the arrival of Vinicius in North London would be a rare case of a genuinely elite talent arriving in England in their prime.
The deal would certainly be a signal of intent from Arsenal, and we've remembered some of the biggest statement signings in Premier League history.
Alan Shearer - Blackburn Rovers to Newcastle United (1996)
Newcastle United broke the world transfer record to bring Alan Shearer home in 1996. Despite competition from Premier League champions Manchester United , the Magpies made a bold bid to lure the Gosforth-born goalscorer back to the North East.
Shearer had scored 112 goals in 138 league games for Blackburn Rovers , securing consecutive Golden Boots and lifting the Premier League in 1995. Viewed as the missing piece of the puzzle, he added a third Golden Boot in his debut season at Newcastle, though Kevin Keegan's side ended a second straight season as runners-up.
Shearer scored a club record 206 goals across a decade at St James' Park but never got his hands on silverware.
Andriy Shevchenko - AC Milan to Chelsea (2006)
Fresh from winning back-to-back Premier League titles under Jose Mourinho, Chelsea landed two significant signings in a bid to build a dynasty. Germany captain Michael Ballack arrived on a free transfer from Bayern Munich, before Chelsea broke the bank for Andriy Shevchenko .
The Ballon d'Or winner signed for a British record £30.8m from AC Milan, having scored 173 goals in 296 games for the Italian side.
Shevchenko struggled to make the desired impact at Stamford Bridge, with 22 goals in 77 appearances a modest return for a player who had been one of Europe's most feared forwards in Milan.
Robinho - Real Madrid to Manchester City (2008)
The sheer speed at which Manchester City became an overnight force remains one of the most memorable tales of the Premier League era. Just hours after it was announced that an Abu Dhabi-led consortium had purchased the club, City shattered the British transfer record to land Robinho.
The Cityzens beat Chelsea to the signing of the Brazilian forward from Real Madrid for a fee of around £32.5m.
"I liked the project, and when City made the offer to Real Madrid, I decided to come here. I liked the plans that Manchester City have, and I want to succeed with them," Robinho said at his unveiling.
The South American scored 15 goals in his first season before falling from favour, and never quite hit the heights expected. However, his arrival was the watershed moment in City joining the big time.
Angel Di Maria - Real Madrid to Manchester United (2014)
Manchester United made a statement in 2014 after signing Angel Di Maria for a record fee. The Red Devils had botched their Alex Ferguson succession plan, with David Moyes sacked and Louis van Gaal brought in. United backed the Dutchman with some heavy investment, including a £59.7m British record fee for Di Maria.
The Argentine had been an instrumental part of Real Madrid's Champions League success the previous season, before moving to Manchester as the club's new marquee man.
However, he struggled to settle in England and departed for Paris Saint-Germain only 12 months later.
Paul Pogba - Juventus to Manchester United (2016)
One of only two world-record transfers during the Premier League era, Manchester United saw off competition from Europe's elite to land Paul Pogba in 2016.
United parted with £89m to re-sign the midfielder, who had been allowed to leave Old Trafford on a free transfer four years earlier. Pogba had built a reputation as one of Europe's top talents in Turin, where he won four successive Serie A titles.
The Frenchman lifted the Europa League and League Cup during his debut season at Manchester United, but never truly justified the record outlay across six seasons.
Cristiano Ronaldo - Juventus to Manchester United (2021)
Cristiano Ronaldo might have been 36 years old when he returned to Manchester United in 2021, but rarely, if ever, has a Premier League transfer generated such hype.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner and former favourite returned to Old Trafford, 13 years on from his world-record exit for Real Madrid. Ronaldo had scored 551 goals for Real Madrid and Juventus before his second stint in Manchester, and made an immediate impact, with 24 goals across all competitions.
Things soon turned sour, however, as dissatisfaction with the club's project and a fall-out with Erik ten Hag led to his exit for the Saudi Pro League.
Premier LeagueArsenalVinicius JuniorReal MadridThe Premier LeagueJustViniciusNorth LondonEnglandBlackburn RoversNewcastle UnitedAlan Shearer
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