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Eberechi Eze is a name that’s been circulating in the Tottenham Hotspur fanbase over the last few weeks.

The reason for this is due to the Crystal Palace star being linked with a move to Spurs recently, and given his quality, it’s no surprise the Lilywhites faithful are excited.

Palace’s number ten was absolutely instrumental in the Premier League, scoring 11 goals and providing four assists.

A big price tag may well be needed to prise him away from Selhurst Park, although it's not more than one of their current star men.

What Spurs paid for Cristian Romero

Prior to the start of the 2021/22 campaign, Tottenham reinforced their backline with Cristian Romero from Atalanta.

The Argentine moved to Spurs off the back of an impressive Champions League and Serie A campaign in Bergamo, picking up three goals and five assists in 42 appearances across all competitions.

Romero originally joined on a season-long loan, starting 22 league games in his debut Premier League season and becoming an important player.

Therefore, upon the expiration of his loan, Spurs triggered his option to buy for £41m without hesitation, with Daniel Levy viewing him as a player who could develop into a world-class defender at Tottenham.

However, Romero’s signature wasn’t exactly cheap, as they also had to meet his salary demands, and he eventually signed a £165k per week deal until 2027.

Romero’s transfer value in 2024

His first season as a permanent Spurs player featured plenty of ups and downs, including picking up two red cards.

However, under Ange Postecoglou, the World Cup winner has progressed brilliantly, starting 33 times in the Premier League last season.

The centre-back ended the campaign as Spurs’ fourth-highest goalscorer with five, while also boasting the most passes completed, interceptions, and clearances in the squad.

Tottenham’s “perfect” defender, as dubbed by football scout Jacek Kulig, has truly become irreplaceable, acting as a true leader at the heart of the backline, but what is he exactly worth today?

Well, as you can see from the table above, Romero is now estimated to be worth an incredible £51m, as per Transfermarkt.

This makes the 26-year-old the fourth-most valuable centre-back in the entire Premier League, only behind the Arsenal duo and Ruben Dias, which just proves how important he truly is.

On top of that, he’s currently the second-highest valued player in the entire Spurs squad, only behind James Maddison, who’s worth £59m.

Interestingly, despite the season that Eze just had, Romero is also worth more than the attacking midfielder, who’s currently valued at £47m. The Palace sensation was a true hit last term and would be a fantastic signing for Tottenham.

Fans may even get a look at him in action at Euro 2024 with the winger earning a well-deserved call-up to Gareth Southgate's England squad for the tournament.

Nevertheless, as impressive as Eze has been, it’s also quite clear that Romero is one of the finest in England, with his £51m market value reflecting that perfectly.

Despite costing £41m originally, Spurs have truly hit the jackpot on the number 17, and if he continues to perform as he did last season, he’ll only be viewed as an even bigger bargain.

After a mixed first season under Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham Hotspur are looking to add further firepower going forward and are now reportedly willing to make their first summer bid in pursuit of that.

Tottenham transfer news

The Lilywhites paid the price for their form at the back end of the Premier League season as they failed to qualify for the Champions League and were forced to settle for a fifth-place finish in Postecoglou's first season in charge. That first campaign did at least highlight just where the Australian must look to improve his side, with transfer rumours already starting.

One player at the centre of such rumours has been Eberechi Eze, whose full focus will undoubtedly be on his first major tournament with England, before he potentially has a decision to make over his Crystal Palace future. The attacking midfielder enjoyed another excellent campaign at Selhurst Park to more than earn a spot in England's Euro 2024 squad this summer.

The England international isn't the only name to be linked with a move to North London, however. According to Mundo Deportivo via Sport Witness, Tottenham are now willing to make an offer to sign Takefusa Kubo from Real Sociedad ahead of both Liverpool and Manchester United this summer after being in contact with the La Liga side. The winger reportedly has a €60m (£51m) release clause, but it remains to be seen whether Spurs choose to trigger that option in the coming months.

Still just 23 years old and a former Barcelona youth player and Real Madrid prospect, Kubo represents ideal competition for the likes of Dejan Kulusevski, who struggled at times last season. Though, with Liverpool and Man United also interested, the Lilywhites may need to act fast.

"Fantastic" Kubo can compete with Kulusevski

After ending last season with eight goals and three assists, it could be argued that Kulusevski is a point of weakness in Spurs' frontline and someone who could quickly fall victim to competition in the form of Kubo. The young transfer target has shown plenty of potential in Spain and a move to the Premier League could only accelerate his rise even further.

What is most impressive about both is that they managed to remain clinical in front of goal when they did get an opportunity last season. Now, however, whether it is Kubo or Kulusevski in Spurs' frontline, they must present them with more chances to show off that ruthless streak.

Kubo is certainly someone who's earned plenty of fans after his work in Spain too, with Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig among those. He praised the winger's "fantastic" start to the campaign in September.

As the transfer window progresses, the Japan international looks set to be one to watch, as Spurs potentially make their move.

Tottenham are looking at a £50 million potential replacement for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg from the Premier League, with the Dane widely tipped to quit Spurs this summer.

Hojbjerg set to leave Spurs with successor targeted

Hojbjerg was a mainstay player under previous Spurs head coaches - José Mourinho, Nuno Espírito Santo and Antonio Conte - but the midfielder was relegated to the bench more often than not during Ange Postecoglou's first full season in charge.

Hojbjerg actually featured 39 times in all competitions under Postecoglou last term, but only eight out of his 36 league appearances came as full starts. The 28-year-old is therefore looking for more opportunities, and it was reported this week that Hojbjerg is keen to follow Tanguy Ndombele out the Spurs exit door.

The former Southampton star, who Tottenham signed for around £20 million in 2020, has gone on to make 184 appearances for the club in total - chipping in with 10 goals and 16 assists during his four-year stay in north London.

However, it appears this summer may well be Hojbjerg's last in a Lilywhites jersey, as the Spurs recruitment team reportedly look at replacements for him. Tottenham are rumoured to eyeing a central midfielder as one of their main transfer priorities with the window now open, and are still in the mix to sign Chelsea star Conor Gallagher.

Postecoglou is a big fan of Gallagher, but much will depend on whether the Chelsea favourite is willing to swap Stamford Bridge for a rival club - or whether two clubs would be willing to do business.

It is perhaps wise to have alternatives to the England international, and one is apparently Everton's Amadou Onana.

Tottenham looking at signing Amadou Onana from Everton

As per journalist Ignazio Genuardi, Tottenham are looking at signing Onana from Everton, with the Toffees setting a price tag of around £50 million.

The 20-year-old made 30 league appearances as a mainstay of Sean Dyche's midfield, and has been praised as one of Europe's brightest talents in the past.

"He's a really exciting footballer. I know sometimes when we speak about players it's very difficult to measure potential," said former Belgium manager Roberto Martinez on Onana to Sky Sports.

"We're talking about a 20-year-old boy that is probably one of the most talented young players at that age in European football. That's how excited we are in Belgium. He's already played in two major leagues in Germany and France, he joined Lille for a big fee and nothing is going to faze him to go into a new project after a big transfer fee.

"He has the physicality and the presence of a player Everton fans know very well - a Marouane Fellaini type. I can understand the excitement around Everton, this is one of the most exciting prospects in European football at this time."

The transfer window officially opened yesterday, and while it's still early days, Premier League clubs will be hard at work looking to bring in the best players they can and ship out those deemed surplus to requirements, and Tottenham Hotspur will be no different.

The Lilywhites enjoyed a relatively successful first season under Ange Postecoglou, as the Australian managed to steer them to Europa League qualification, although their inability to hold onto a Champions League place was disappointing.

So, it's unsurprising that the latest player touted for a move to N17 could add the attacking impetus the side need and form a brilliant partnership with James Maddison in the process - and he's been compared to Arsenal's free-scoring Leandro Trossard as well.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

On the latest Sky Sports Transfer Talk Podcast episode, journalist Pete Graves revealed that Tottenham are one of several teams interested in signing Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze this summer.

Alongside the Lilywhites, Graves names Manchester United, Arsenal, Newcastle United and Manchester City as teams keen on landing the Englishman in the coming weeks.

While the sheer level of interest in the talented international is far from ideal, Daniel Levy and Co are at least aware of how much the Eagles want for the starman, as a report from BBC Sport in April revealed he has a £60m price tag on his head.

It would be a costly and complicated deal to complete, but if Spurs want to progress under Postecoglou next season, then bringing in a player like Eze would be a great way to start, and he could form a brilliant partnership with Maddison.

Why Eze would be a great teammate for Maddison

Now, before getting into why Eze would be a great teammate for Maddison, let's address the comparisons to Trossard, which stem mainly from FBref.

They look at Europe's top five leagues and list the ten most similar players for every player in them. For the Palace ace, they have ranked the Belgian as the seventh most similar attacking midfielder and winger.

Their similarities are best seen through several underlying metrics, such as their non-penalty expected goal and assist figures, actual goals and assists, progressive passes, shots, attempted passes, tackles, goal-creating actions and even the number of times they are dispossessed, all per 90.

However, something else the Englishman shares with the Arsenal man is one of the reasons he could form a great partnership with the former Leicester City ace in N17: his versatility.

Like the Gunners star, the Greenwich-born gem can start in several positions, including either wing, left-midfield, attacking midfield, central midfield, and even centre-forward. His ability to thrive in multiple areas of the pitch could see him become the perfect facilitator for Maddison, sometimes finishing his chances and sometimes providing them himself.

This brings us to the second reason he'd make a great teammate: his output.

In just 31 games this season, the 25-year-old "superstar", as data analyst Ben Mattinson dubbed him, has scored 11 goals and provided six assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.8 games for the Eagles.

This impressive return is actually better than what the Spurs man achieved, as he scored four goals and provided nine assists in 30 games, which equates to a goal involvement on average every 2.3 games.

Ultimately, Levy and Co should be doing all they can to sign Eze this summer as his versatility and output could be the difference maker for Tottenham next season, and if he can have a season similar to Trossard, then Champions League qualification might be the bare minimum for Postecoglou's North Londoners.

They might have just missed out on Champions League football at the end, but considering Tottenham Hotspur were playing their first season without Harry Kane in the side and had a new manager at the helm, finishing fifth and qualifying for the Europa League has to be seen as a success.

In just one season, Ange Postecoglou has shown that he can get the Lilywhites to play tremendously exciting football and that he can get the most out of several players.

However, the last ten months also highlighted a number of players who just aren't good enough to be part of the team going forward, with Yves Bissouma one of them.

So, it's unsurprising that the latest player touted for a move to N17 could be the perfect man to replace the Mali international.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from journalist Ignazio Genuardi, Tottenham are one of several clubs interested in Everton's star midfielder Amadou Onana this summer.

Alongside the Lilywhites, Genuardi has revealed that Arsenal are keen to sign the Belgian as well.

The Belgian is also attracting interest from clubs in Spain and would cost around €60m to get out of Goodison Park, which is around £51m.

This competition from the Gunners and continental sides is far from ideal, but with Spurs in need of midfield reinforcements and the price seemingly relatively reasonable, this is a deal Daniel Levy and Co cannot afford to miss out on, even at the expense of Bissouma.

How Onana compares to Bissouma

Like Bissouma, while Onana can play in both a central and defensive midfield role, he has spent more time playing as the latter in his career, and so were he to sign for Spurs this summer, he'd likely be doing so under the pretence of playing there, which would put him in direct competition with the former Brighton & Hove ace.

So, how do the pair stack up with one another?

When looking at their underlying numbers, it quickly becomes clear that the "perfect" Everton star, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, is the superior player.

For example, while he does come out a close second in some metrics like progressive passes and carries as well as tackles and blocks, he comes out ahead in almost every other relevant metric, including non-penalty expected goals and assists, shots and shots on target, goals per shot and goals per shot on target, aerial duels won, ball recoveries, miscontrols, errors, blocked shots, and shot-creating actions, all per 90.

Furthermore, standing at an impressive 6 foot 4, the Belgian "warrior", as aptly described by data analyst Ben Mattinson, would bring a more imposing physical presence to Tottenham's midfield than the current 6 foot Malian, and the fact he's half a decade younger means he could have a team built around him in North London.

Tottenham could smash their £63 million transfer record, which was spent on ex-flop Tanguy Ndombele, in a "huge" bid to sign a top flight rival's star striker.

Spurs set sights on Harry Kane replacement as summer window opens

The Lilywhites have set their sights on a replacement for club-record scorer Harry Kane this summer, coming nearly 12 months after he completed his multi-million pound move to Bayern Munich.

Ange Postecoglou utilised Son Heung-min in a central striker role early-on last season, and the South Korean worked wonders before being moved back out wide. Richarlison also chipped in during his purple patch midway through the campaign, but the consensus is Tottenham will be bringing in a prolific new front man.

Spurs are lacking that standout 20-plus-goals-per-season presence up front right now, and that is something which chairman Daniel Levy and the wider recruitment team are looking to rectify as the window officially opens for business.

Doubts have surrounded Richarlison's ability to lead the line for quite a while, despite some excellent performances last season, with a few interesting names on Postecoglou's radar.

Sevilla star Youssef En-Nesyri has been heavily linked with Spurs in the last 10 days, as have both Brentford striker Ivan Toney and Roma's Tammy Abraham, with pundit Alan Hutton urging the club to bring in a proven striker to take them to the "next level".

“I said at the start of the season that I thought Richarlison could be the main Tottenham striker,” Hutton told Tottenham News.

“When Kane left, it opened up an opportunity for Richarlison but it wasn’t quite happening for him. Son has taken that mantle but I like him out wide, if I’m honest. I think even if Richarlison is firing on all cylinders like he was against Newcastle, I still believe Spurs need someone else.

“If Tottenham are going to go to the next level, they need to get a striker who you know is going to get them 20-plus goals a season. It’s something they still will be looking at.”

An ambitious target, according to Football Insider, is Newcastle United star Alexander Isak.

Tottenham could smash Ndombele record in "huge" Isak bid

The Swede bagged 25 goals for Newcastle in all competitions last term, alerting Lilywhites chiefs to a potential Kane heir.

Eddie Howe's side are likely to demand a premium, if they even consider an approach from any club. As per FI, Tottenham could smash their £63 million transfer record on a new striker, and there are whispers that Levy is planning a "huge" bid for Isak.

"His runs are superb. If you just watch how clever he is when he doesn't get the first pass played in, he then goes behind a defender to come back in and bend his run to make sure that he is onside, then he can make a really clever finish," said Newcastle legend Alan Shearer on Isak.

"He can also come deep and drop deep, so he is asking different questions of the defenders by saying: 'Are you going to come with me or are you going to drop off?' If you drop off, he has got the ability to hurt you there.

"He is just a constant threat all the time. His finishing is excellent and his penalty taking is as good as they come."

The transfer window has now officially opened, and after a season of ups and downs, Tottenham Hotspur look set for a busy few months of incomings and outgoings.

Despite the disappointment of missing out on Champions League qualification, the fact the team secured Europa League football without Harry Kane in the side is a testament to their resilience and a clear sign that Ange Postecoglou can lead this club forward.

Moreover, based on recent reports, Daniel Levy and Co look set to seriously back the Australian in the market as the latest striker touted for a move to N17 has been compared to the club's former captain, Harry Kane - although his arrival would spell the end for Richarlison in the starting lineup.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from Football Insider, Tottenham have made plans to 'spend big' on a 'marquee' signing this summer and could target Newcastle United's star striker, Alexander Isak.

The report claims that the North Londoners could smash their current transfer record, the £63m spent on Tanguy Ndombele, and stump up the cash needed to lure the Swedish poacher down south, which, according to reports over the last few months could be anything from £100m all the way up to £200m.

Football Insider has also claimed that while the Toon are aware of their FFP struggles, they do not want to sell the former Real Sociedad star this summer.

It would be a costly and challenging deal to complete, but with Deloitte ranking Spurs as the wealthiest club in London earlier this year, their desire to sign a marquee player and the comparisons to Kane, Levy, and Co could shock the league and pursue the Magpies star this summer - to the detriment of Richarlison.

How Isak compares to Kane and Richarlison

Now, before we explain all the reasons Isak would be the far superior striker over Richarlison, let's first look at these comparisons to Kane, which mainly stem from FBref.

They look at every player in Europe's top five leagues and create a list of the ten most similar players in their position, and they rank the former Spurs captain as the sixth most similar striker to the Newcastle ace.

Aside from the fact that both players are fantastic at putting the ball in the back of the net, they have come to this conclusion based on how close they are in several key underlying metrics.

For example, both produce a similar expected goal figure and similar shot and goal-creating actions, score around as many goals as each other per shot and shot on target, complete a similar number of progressive passes, and receive about as many progressive passes as well, all per 90.

All of this isn't to say that the 24-year-old would move to N17 and suddenly put in performances at the same level the England captain did last season, but it suggests that he isn't too far off that level and that should excite the Lilywhites faithful, although it certainly won't excite their current striker.

The former Everton ace enjoyed a better season in the capital this year, racking up 12 goals and four assists in 31 appearances, but since he joined the side in 2022, it would be hard to describe his tenure as anything other than disappointing.

In his 66 games overall, he has scored 15 goals and provided eight assists, meaning he's averaged a goal involvement every 2.8 games.

In contrast, the "magnificent" Toon marksman, as talent scout Jacek Kulig has dubbed him, has racked up a seriously impressive 36 goals and five assists in 69 games, which equates to a goal involvement every 1.6 matches on average.

Ultimately, the Brazilian international might be a talented player, but with Spurs looking to progress back up the table under Postecoglou and hopefully challenge for major honours again, he simply isn't good enough. Therefore, Levy and Co should be doing all they can to bring Isak to N17 this summer, even if his fee smashes the club's previous transfer record.

Tottenham are now tempted to bid for a £28 million forward who Harry Kane said "trains hard" behind-the-scenes, as manager Ange Postecoglou and co look to add more firepower.

Spurs looking to sign a new striker this summer

The transfer window is now officially open, and one of Spurs' key goals over the next few months is bringing in a prolific new striker who can take Kane's mantle.

The north Londoners coped well in Postecoglou's debut season without Kane. The majority of their goals came from Son Heung-min, who was deployed both as a central striker and wide player over the 2023/2024 season, and Brazil international Richarlison.

The attacking duo racked up 29 goals between them in all competitions last term, replicating the kind of return which is standard for Kane, but it is believed that Postecoglou doesn't wish to rely on Richarlison and Son for Tottenham's output again next season.

Spurs are apparently open to offers for Richarlison, with the ex-Everton star attracting interest in Saudi Arabia, while Son is on the wrong side of 30 and has entered the final 12 months of his contract at N17.

Tottenham are believed to have been targeting a host of forward options in the last fortnight alone. Sevilla star Youssef En-Nesyri is apparently on Spurs' radar, coming after he scored 20 goals in all competitions for the La Liga side last campaign.

Meanwhile, closer to home, the likes of Brentford striker Ivan Toney have been linked as well. Football Transfers claimed last week that Spurs are prepared to bid £40 million for Toney, and are also readying a personal terms package for the Englishman.

Tottenham now tempted to bid for Tammy Abraham

It is still very early days in the window, though, so the Lilywhites will be doing their due-diligence on a number of targets.

One name to have emerged on their shortlist, according to The Boot Room, is former Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham. The Roma forward could depart for just under £30 million, as the Serie A side set a £28 million price tag.

Lorenzo Pellegrini has called him "vital" for the group at Roma, and he scored 17 goals in all competitions during his best season there in 21/22. Tottenham are apparently tempted to bid for Toney after hearing he's valued at £28m, with Kane also being a huge fan of the 26-year-old.

“I think that Tammy is a great player,” said Kane on Abraham's quality in 2022. “He’s had a fantastic season at club level, he’s still learning and has experience to gain but every time he comes here he works hard and trains hard.

“He wants to impress the manager, he wants to score goals and of course it’s great to have competition in every position and in the Premier League we have some great English strikers who are scoring goals on a regular basis.

“Tammy is doing that for Roma as well so he’s a great player and I’m sure he’ll want to keep improving, keep working hard and that’s what he’ll try and do in this camp and going back to club level as well.”

Tottenham Hotspur have a big summer ahead of them as they look to build upon Ange Postecoglou's impressive first season with the club.

The Australian may have missed out on a Champions League place, but qualifying for the Europa League in the club's first campaign without Harry Kane is undoubtedly positive.

However, to make that step up next year, he will need to find more goals from somewhere.

So it's unsurprising that the latest player touted for a move to N5 had a fantastic campaign this year and could form a brilliant partnership with club captain Son Heung-min.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from Italy, Tottenham are interested in signing Genoa's star attacker, Albert Gudmundsson.

Alongside the Lilywhites, Inter Milan and Juventus are said to be keen on the Icelandic international, but the North Londoners are best placed to pay Genoa's €30m fee, which converts to around £25m.

He might not be the big name some fans are hoping for, but Gudmundsson has been in fine form this season, so Daniel Levy and Co must do what they can to take advantage of their position as favourites and bring the attacker to the capital this summer.

Why Gudmundsson would be a great teammate for Son

Now, the first reason as to why Gudmundsson would be an excellent teammate for Son is pretty straightforward: he's a goal threat and creator.

In 38 games last season, he returned 15 goals and assists in 38 games before improving this season and managing a seriously impressive haul of 21 goals and assists in 37 appearances, meaning that in the last two years he has averaged a goal involvement every 2.08 matches.

In comparison, two of the Lilywhites' best attackers, Richarlison and Dejan Kulusevski, have averaged a goal involvement every 2.8 games and 3.6 games, respectively, while the South Korean international has averaged one every 1.7 matches.

This discrepancy between the captain's and his fellow forwards' output has held the North Londoners' attack back following Kane's departure in the summer. So, bringing in the "devastating" Genoa ace, as teammate Kevin Strootman dubbed him, could help improve the team's overall output.

The second reason the 26-year-old would be a fantastic teammate to the former Bayer Leverkusen star is his positional versatility. In his 310 career appearances to date, the Reykjavík-born dynamo has played on both wings, in central and attacking midfield and as both a striker and second striker.

This ability to play essentially anywhere in a front five would allow Postecoglou to rest his captain in certain matches, which, as he turns 32 this year, is something he'll have to be increasingly aware of if he wants to extend the longevity of the winger's career.

Ultimately, Gudmundsson's impressive and consistent output, combined with his versatility and relatively modest price tag, make him an incredibly attractive prospect this summer.

As such, Levy and Co should do all they can to get this deal done - Son would surely appreciate it as well.

The transfer window is just a couple of days away, and after a season full of ups and downs, Tottenham Hotspur have the chance to strengthen their squad.

Ange Postecoglou has shown a lot of promise in his first Premier League season as the Lilywhites boss, and with links to players such as Santiago Gimenez and Youssef En-Nesyri, he could have the player required to push into the Champions League places next year.

However, while he may be handed some new stars, he could also lose some, and, based on recent reports, he may well be about to lose one of his most important starters in a move reminiscent of Luka Modric's over a decade ago.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from ESPN Argentina, Real Madrid are interested in signing Tottenham defender Cristian Romero this summer and have the player in their 'sights.'

The report does not mention a potential price, but the CIES Football Observatory currently values the defender at €60m, which converts to around £51m.

In good news for the North Londoners, the 6 foot 1 Argentine signed a four-year £165k-per-week deal in August 2022, which should give them the opportunity to demand a higher fee for their talismanic centre-back.

However, the allure of Real is undeniable, and if Romero pushes for a move, then the Lilywhites may be forced to sell one of their key men to the Spanish giants in a situation akin to Modric's sale in 2012.

Romero's parallels to Modric

Romero joined Spurs for a whopping £42m from Serie A side Atalanta in August 2021, and since then, he's been an indispensable part of the club's lineup.

He's made 98 appearances in all competitions and has scored seven goals and assisted seven times.

Described as an "incredible" talent by journalist Alasdair Gold, the World Cup winner has had moments here and there for Spurs in which he's lost his head and been sent off - four times to be exact - but his ferocity and hardworking nature has also worked in his favour as he was named vice-captain alongside James Maddison at the start of this season.

In all, the 26-year-old titan, whom Lionel Messi described as "the best defender in the world" - and he probably knows a thing or two - is an essential member of Postecoglou's squad, and losing him to Real this summer would be reminiscent of Modric's move in 2012.

At the time, the Croatian superstar had been playing at White Hart Lane for four seasons, in which he scored 17 goals and provided 24 assists in 160 games.

He moved to the Bernabeu for £30m, but struggled in his first campaign, scoring four goals and providing six assists in 53 games and being labelled as La Liga's worst signing.

However, as we all know, he soon kicked on and is now one of the most beloved players in the club's modern history, with 534 appearances, 39 goals and 86 assists to his name, although most importantly, he has a trophy cabinet that could rival any player in history.

During his time in the Spanish capital, he has won six Champions Leagues, four La Liga titles, two Spanish Cups, five Spanish Super Cups, four UEFA Super Cups, four Club World Cups, one UEFA Best Player in Europe Award, one Best Fifa Men's Player award, and one Ballon d'Or - not bad for the league's worst signing.