We are approaching the end of the 2024 summer transfer window and there is still a lot of business to be conducted.
In the modern era of football, money does the majority of the talking but occasionally, a club snaps up a world-class player on a free.
This summer, Kylian Mbappe joined Real Madrid in this manner following the expiration of his Paris Saint-Germain contract.
He could very well go on to be the greatest free transfer in history, but that story is still to be told.
With that in mind, NetBet takes a look at five of the best transfers in this category from the modern era and remember, this is all a matter of opinion!
Robert Lewandowski to Bayern Munich
Our pick for the current holder of the ‘Greatest Free Transfer in History’ award.
In the summer of 2014, Lewandowski left Borussia Dortmund and joined their great Bundesliga rivals Bayern.
The Polish striker had already enjoyed success in Dortmund but took his game to another level in Bavaria.
Lewandowski finished his eight-year stint at Bayern with 344 goals in 375 games, 16 domestic trophies and a Champions League title.
He is behind only Gerd Muller in terms of Bayern’s greatest ever strikers and praise does not come much higher than that.
Lionel Messi to Paris Saint-Germain
While Messi was unable to guide PSG to Champions League glory, his transfer was a watershed moment for the French club.
The Argentine superstar’s dramatic Barcelona exit gripped the entire world and the fact PSG were able to swoop in and bring him to Paris on a free was quite the statement.
On top of all the financial gains made through advertisements and sponsorships, the Ligue 1 side benefited from some Messi magic in his two-year spell at the club.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner scored 32 goals and registered 35 assists in 75 games across all competitions.
His relationship with PSG fans may have deteriorated to the point where he was actively booed by them in 2023, but there is still no denying the seismic impact of Messi’s move to the French capital.
Sol Campbell to Arsenal
One of the most controversial moves in Premier League history just so happens to be one of the greatest free transfers in history as well.
In the summer of 2001, Campbell shocked the world by walking out with Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger at a press conference after previously committing his future to the Gunners’ rivals Tottenham.
Arguably Spurs’ best player at the time joined the club their fans hate the most in a surprise free transfer, it really was like something out of a movie and Spurs fans still hold a grudge to this very day.
Campbell went on to cement his legacy as an Arsenal legend and was a key figure in the famous Invincibles season of 2003-04, when the North London side went an entire Premier League campaign unbeaten.
He won five trophies overall with the Gunners and also scored in the 2006 Champions League final defeat to Barcelona.
Luis Enrique to Barcelona
Another hugely controversial free transfer between two fierce rivals.
After feeling undervalued at Real Madrid, Enrique saw out his contract and joined El Clasico rivals Barcelona.
Initially, Barca fans did not warm to the new signing but he quickly won them over with goals and brilliant performances from his more advanced position.
Enrique scored 108 times in 300 matches for the Catalan side and won seven trophies, including back-to-back La Liga titles in the late 1990s.
He even returned to manage Barca and was the architect of their Treble-winning season in 2014-15. The definition of a ‘club legend’, right?
Andrea Pirlo to Juventus
Many thought Pirlo was past his best when he joined Juventus on a free from AC Milan – but how they were all proved wrong!
After a trophy-filled stint at the San Siro, where he evolved into one of the world’s elite deep-lying playmakers, Pirlo arguably enjoyed the best spell of his career in the black and white of Juve.
His four-year spell in Turin was littered with midfield magic, to the point where he was named in the Serie A Team of the Season in all four of those years between 2011 and 2015.
Pirlo was also named Serie A Footballer of the Year in 2012, 2013 and 2014, which makes it all the more remarkable that he was allowed to leave Milan on a free.
Ironically, another key figure in Juve’s midfield at the time was Paul Pogba, who was also signed on a free transfer.
The Frenchman just misses out on a spot on this list, as we just feel Pirlo had even more of an impact.
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