Clubs who counted the cost to re-sign former players

29 July 2016 16:53

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, Press Association Sport looks at five other players who cost a lot more the second time around.

NEMANJA MATIC

Initially cost Chelsea £1.5million 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 to bring the Serbian midfielder back to Stamford Bridge.

GRAEME LE SAUX

Sold by Chelsea to Blackburn for just £700,000 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 to bring him back.

DANI CARVAJAL

The right-back had not made a single first-team appearance for Real Madrid when they sold him to Bayer Leverkusen for 5m euros. 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 euros and is now a regular among the Galacticos.

BOBBY ZAMORA

Joined West Ham as an apprentice but was released as a 17-year-old along with a group of players including Paul Konchesky. Five years later the relegated Hammers brought Zamora back as part of a big-money deal which saw Jermain Defoe sold to Tottenham. Played in the 2006 FA Cup final - alongside Konchesky, who cost £1.5m from Charlton.

ALAN SHEARER

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 promptly signed the future England captain. When Newcastle finally got their man it cost them a then world-record £15m.

Source: PA