Ranking 5 best bargain signings of the last decade in world football

Some top clubs have bought great players for a cheap price tag

The involvement of money in football has always been a captivating aspect of the game. It is fair to say that the game enjoys an enormous audience across the globe that feels excited about the proceedings partly due to the financial side of it. Over the years, football has grown as a brand in itself, with the monetization factor being upped from time to time.

Those involved with the sport at the professional level, in particular, have lofty bank balances at club level in Europe. As it is with any business, football clubs need to keep investing in various aspects to keep the club afloat and their trophy cabinets full.

A major chunk of that budget is devoted to maintaining a competent squad that can fight in various domestic and continental competitions. Professional footballers are among the highest earning athletes on this planet and keeping their pockets satisfied, well that is not an easy task.

Sure, their talent and artistry on the pitch is quite unparalleled in itself but the more spectacular they are on the field, the more money their transfers involve. In football, a 'shrewd piece of business' is a phrase that is often thrown around. But how shrewder can things get, how shrewder have they gotten in the past decade?

Here are the five best bargain signings of the last decade in world football.

Note: Free Transfers are not included in this list.

#5 Jordi Alba to Barcelona

FC Barcelona v FC Internazionale - UEFA Champions League Group B

One of the most senior figures now at Barcelona, Jordi Alba, has been a great servant to the Spanish giants for the last decade. Signed for a fee of €14m from Valencia in 2012, the veteran left-back made his 400th apperance for the club recently. In those 10 years of service, he has given blood, sweat and tears to Barcelona on the field.

He has worked hard on the left-flank. He always took care of his defensive duties and bombing forward at the first opportunity to help in the final-third. He has been involved in various controversial incidents on the field, but Alba continues to put the club first at all times.

🎯 Most successful final third passes in Europe's top 5 leagues this season

🥇 Lionel Messi - 851
🥈 Bruno Fernandes - 666
🥉 Jordi Alba - 659 https://t.co/Xw4NSQbEOa

Since moving from Valencia, he has won 15 major honors with Blaugrana and has made significant contributions in all of those. The Spain international has netted 22 goals for the club and provided 86 assists in all competitions.

Now at 32-years-old, Alba is going through a dip in form. But regardless, he remains a passionate leader who is great to have in the dressing room. He has never created any nonsense or trouble for the club and will continue to serve them selflessly.

#4 Jadon Sancho to Borussia Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund v SC Paderborn 07 - DFB Cup: Round Of Sixteen

Whether Manchester City really regret the fact that, once nurtured by their academy, Jadon Sancho now represents their arch rivals Manchester United is a difficult guess. The Etihad side have had an embarrassment of riches over the past few years. Hence, one cannot say that the absence of a winger has hurt them in any manner.

However, Borussia Dortmund were keen to pounce on another young signing, as they always are. They brought home Sancho for a mere €7.84m in 2017. Little did they know that they were getting a figure who would soon start tormenting Bundesliga defenses and become a lynchpin in their side.

"To have the Man Utd fans by my side is a great feeling" ❤️️

Jadon Sancho explains why he made the move to Man United from Borussia Dortmund 🔊🔛

https://t.co/ud131KYAdh

In his four seasons at Signal Iduna Park, the English international became a beloved figure of the fanbase. Sancho went on to make 137 appearances for Dortmund before departing for Manchester United. He scored 50 times and assisted with a further 67 goals.

The 21-year-old was a menace when he ran at defenses on the left-wing and was always a menace even when deployed on the right. He produced a match-winning performance in the Dfl-Super Cup against Bayern Munich in a 2-0 victory in 2019. Sancho was also the leading assist maker in the Bundesliga in the 2018-19 season with 18. He was only second to Thomas Muller in the 2019-20 season.

And then Dortmund got the real reward of this bargain deal when they sold him to the Red Devils for a massive €85m last summer.