From Carvajal to Matic: Five of football's costliest returns

Sport360 staff 08:52 30/07/2016
Which was the best resigning?

Paul Pogba is reportedly on the verge of returning to Manchester United from Juventus for a world-record fee – four years after leaving Old Trafford for nothing.

Here, Sport360 take a look at five other players who cost a lot more the second time around.

NEMANJA MATIC (CHELSEA)

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Initially cost Chelsea £1.5 million (Dh7m) from MFK Kosice, and was then swapped for mop-topped maverick Benfica defender David Luiz two years later.

The Blues saw the error of their ways in 2014 when they shelled out £21m (Dh102m) to bring the Serbian midfielder back to Stamford Bridge.

GRAEME LE SAUX (CHELSEA)

Sold by Chelsea to Blackburn for just £700,000 (Dh3.4m) after throwing his shirt at manager Ian Porterfield in protest at being substituted. Le Saux became the most expensive defender in England when the Blues forked out £5m (Dh24m) to bring him back.

DANI CARVAJAL (REAL MADRID)

The right-back had not made a single first-team appearance for Real Madrid when they sold him to Bayer Leverkusen for €5m (Dh20m).

However, the canny Spaniards inserted a buy-back clause just in case he turned out to be any good. Which he did. Carvajal returned a season later for €6.5m (Dh26m).

BOBBY ZAMORA (WEST HAM)

Joined West Ham as an apprentice but was released at 17 along with Paul Konchesky. Five years later the relegated Hammers brought Zamora back as part of a deal which saw Jermain Defoe sold to Tottenham.

Played in the 2006 FA Cup final – alongside Konchesky, who cost £1.5m (Dh7m) from Charlton.

ALAN SHEARER (NEWCASTLE UNITED)

Newcastle had a young Shearer growing up on their doorstep and offered him a trial. However, the story goes that they put him in goal. Southampton had the foresight to play Shearer up front and signed the future England captain.

When Newcastle finally got their man it cost a then world-record £15m (Dh72m).

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