In the football market of today, it’s difficult to find a good player for anything less than 20-30 million and that’s the minimum we are talking about.
All the superstars of today won’t settle for a penny less, and if they are worth the money, clubs will make the investment regardless of how much they must pay.
Call it inflation, modernization, or the sheer power of commercialization the football market is a costly affair and it will only get more expensive in the future.
However, all of this is applicable and frankly affordable for the biggest clubs in Europe. The clubs who find themselves in top-flight football more often than not.
For football clubs that are a little lower in the food chain, things can work a whole lot differently when it comes to transfers.
Not every player is worth the money, some are worth 2 barrels of beer or 75 Kg of shrimp!
It might not happen in the Premier League or Serie A at present time! But a little bit of digging in the humble past will reveal a plethora of surprises.
Here is a list of football players who were bought for not money but food!
Hugh McLenahan to Manchester United – Two freezers full of ice cream
Stockport had been hit by financial difficulties, forcing them to organize a fundraiser.
After learning about Stockport’s plight, United assistant manager Louis Rocca, who owned an ice cream shop, donated two freezers full of ice cream to the fundraising event.
The ice cream was a sweetener to close the deal, and McLenahan was a United player.
He went on to play 116 games for Manchester United, scoring 12 goals and captaining the team on several occasions.
Ernie Blenkinsop to Hull City – A barrel of beer
Blenkinsop was spotted by Second Division Hull City while playing for local village side Cudworth United Methodists in 1921 and quickly signed.
It was shortly after the First World War, and Hull, Yorkshire, were understandably hesitant to part with a large sum of money for their potential future star.
Finally, they agreed on a meager £100 in addition to a barrel of beer to be shared among Blenkinsop’s former teammates. Surely that must have gone down well with the boys!
Ion Radu to Chimia Ramnicu Valcea – Two tonnes of meat
CS Jiul Petrosani was in financial trouble after being relegated from Romania’s top division in 1998.
After struggling to sell players from the club’s large squad, Petrosani’s Chairman found a buyer for Ion Radu in the form of Valcea of Romania’s Fourth Division.
Radu was eventually sold for two tonnes of beef and pork after what must have been some interesting negotiations.
The Chairman stated that the meat could then be sold to fund the rest of the squad’s wages.
Kenneth Kristensen to Vindbjart – His weight in shrimp
Vindbjart, a Norwegian third-tier club, got creative when it came to acquiring striker Kenneth Kristensen in 2002.
Kristensen was playing for their divisional rivals Flekkeroy at the time, so luring him to Vindbjart would require a sizable offer.
The Norwegian minnows compensated for their financial shortfall by offering the player’s weight in shrimp.
The final agreement reached between the two parties was 75kg of shrimp – what a catch!