In the wake of Inter and Barcelona’s monumental swap deal involving Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Samuel Eto’o, Sport.co.uk looks back at some other memorable part exchanges of recent times, uncovering some disconcerting omens for Inter in the process…
Clinton Morrison/Andy Johnson
In 2002, Birmingham bought Morrison from Crystal Palace in a £3.5m deal which included a £750,000-rated Johnson. The latter went on to score the goals that not only fired the Eagles to the top flight and very almost kept them there, but also earned him 8 England caps and two subsequent transfers totalling nearly £20m. As for Morrison? *Sigh*
Ashley Cole/William Gallas
Chelsea signed England left-back Cole from Arsenal for £5m plus Gallas in 2006. Both players courted controversy – Cole for his very public expression of disdain for the Gunners’ offer of £50,000 per week, and Gallas for threatening to score an own goal unless Chelsea let him leave. After an iffy start, Cole has found his feet at Stamford Bridge, whereas Gallas is now making noises about running out his contract at the Emirates. The gravelly-voiced nutter.
Andy Cole/Keith Gillespie
Having scored over 40 goals for Newcastle during the previous season, Cole joined rivals Man United in January 1995 for £6m plus young Northern Ireland winger Keith Gillespie, in what was a then record transfer. Cole eventually justified his hefty price tag, forming the dynamic strike partnership with Dwight Yorke that fired the Red Devils to the treble in 1999. Gillespie looked vaguely threatening for a while before petering out amidst reported off-field problems. He now plies his trade for League 2 side Bradford City.
Kevin Davies/James Beattie
It’s hard to believe now, but Kevin Davies was once a highly-rated young hotshot. A stunning solo strike against Everton went some way towards persuading Blackburn to lash £6m plus another then young striker, James Beattie, on him. Davies scored just once in 24 appearances at Ewood Park, while Beattie went on to become a prolific Premiership scorer, scoring 40 goals for the Saints between 2002 and 2004 before Everton paid £6m for his services. Davies eventually returned to prominence with Bolton and, after bombing at Goodison Park, so did Beattie last season with Stoke.
Fernando Torres/Luis Garcia
Although the transfers were officially conducted separately, Garcia moved from Liverpool to Atletico for £4m at the same time as Torres came the other way for over £20m. Torres, of course, has proved to be a huge success in the Premiership, and is indisputably now one of the world’s top strikers. Garcia, on the other hand, has fallen out of favour in Spain and, at 31, it looks as if his best days are behind him.
Cesc Fabregas/Giovanni van Bronckhorst
Another deal that was officially conducted separately, but occurred contemporaneously. Van Bronckhorst enjoyed a solid spell at Barcelona before moving on to Feyenoord in 2007. Fabregas, of course, has been a major success at Arsenal, leading to perhaps inevitable talk of him returning to the Nou Camp. A typically shrewd bit of Wenger business.
Andrea Pirlo/Andres Guglielminpietro
€2.8m plus the Argentine ‘Guly’ took Pirlo across the Fashion Capital from Inter to Milan in 2001. It’s fair to say that this one worked out in Milan’s favour.
Francesco Coco/Clarence Seedorf
Milan win again, with this 2002 swap deal that took the injury-prone, Hollywood-aspiring Coco to Inter in exchange for Seedorf who, alongside Pirlo, went on to play a part in one of the greatest midfield units in recent times.
Ivan Zamorano/Roberto Carlos
Inter again, eh? Giving the best young left-back in the world to Real Madrid in return for a 30 year-old? This 1996 dealing provides further ominous precedent to the club’s acquisition of Eto’o in return for Ibrahimovic.
Fabian Carini/Fabio Cannavaro
But this one takes the biscuit. In 2004, Inter straight swapped Cannavaro – who would go on to be a legend for Italy and Juventus – for goalkeeper Carini, who played 4 games in 3 years before leaving for Real Murcia. It is believed that Luciano Moggi’s tactic of bigging up Carini in the press was a major factor behind Inter offering the world class, if injury-prone at the time, centre-back Cannavaro in exchange. And what an incredible howler that turned out to be.