Diego Maradona (1982) Boca Juniors – Barcelona: £3m
The whole world was already talking about the incredible 21 year old Argentine when Barcelona swooped to bring him to Europe on the eve of the 1982 World Cup finals.
With Boca Juniors struggling to pay the bills, they were in little position to keep hold of the world’s greatest talent. Not only that, the majority of any fee would be collected by Maradona’s first club, Argentinos Juniors, due to a previous transfer agreement between the two sides.
Barcelona, who hadn’t won La Liga in eight seasons, hoped his arrival would lead them to victory; however, his sending off on the eve of his transfer, during that summer’s World Cup – held in Spain – would be an omen of things to come in his new country…
