Paul Pogba’s contract with Manchester United finally expired this summer, after years of a potential departure being rumoured.
Six years after the Red Devils paid a staggering price for a midfielder they saw leave for free as a teenager, the Frenchman will now make a dramatic return to Juventus once again.
Pogba’s transfer to and from Manchester United will go down as one of the biggest disasters, but it certainly isn’t the only one.
On numerous occasions, clubs have made the mistake of selling their players for next to nothing before they regret their decision when they become much better than expected.
The clubs have to put their pride aside and snap up their former player on a much more expensive transfer fee than what they sold them for - and sometimes it works out, while sometimes it doesn’t at all.
Here are seven footballers that re-joined their former clubs for higher fees than what they were sold for.
Pogba’s transfer to and from Manchester United will go down as one of the biggest disasters, but it certainly isn’t the only one.
5. Nicolas Anelka - PSG
Anelka joined PSG’s academy in 1995, but only managed to make a handful of appearances before he was sold to Arsenal for £500k at 17 years old. The forward impressed at the Emirates Stadium and helped them win the Premier League. Three years after he left, PSG appeared to regret his departure and snapped him up for £22m from Real Madrid. Anelka scored 19 goals in 69 appearances for the French club before they suffered another transfer mistake as they sold him for only £13m two years later.
6. Romelu Lukaku - Chelsea
After initially signing an 18-year-old Romelu Lukaku for an initial £10m in 2011, the striker failed to score for Chelsea and was soon sold to Everton for £28m. Lukaku had an up and down career following his departure until he earned a move back to Chelsea after impressing for Inter Milan. Thomas Tuchel’s side paid a staggering £97.5m for the Belgian and it is safe to say he has disappointed since his return. Lukaku has now signed for Inter on loan ahead of next season.
7. Paul Pogba - Manchester United
Easily the most shocking of these players is Paul Pogba, whose transfer to Juventus is imminent. After only making a few appearances for Man United as a youngster, the Frenchman joined Juve for free in 2012. After winning four league titles in Turin, the Red Devils brought Pogba back to Old Trafford for a whopping £89.3m. What makes it even worse is that the 29-year-old is now set to leave United for free once again this summer.
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