Ranking the most successful world record transfers of the past 50 years
Shearer - after three successive seasons scoring more than 30 Premier League goals and a Euro 96 Golden Boot - had his pick of Manchester United or Real Madrid. Instead he chose a £15m homecoming, looking to propel Kevin Keegan's Toon outfit from runners-up to title winners. The goals flowed even if the silverware didn't - 206 in total, the England striker charged around St James', arm aloft, to become Newcastle and the Premier League's all-time top scorer.
Netting the most satisfying volley in Champions League final history is perhaps worth the £46. 6m Real Madrid paid Juventus for Zinedine Zidane alone. Real purchased peak Zizou and got an immediate delivery on their dough that season.
The Frenchman joins this list at six as, despite that being his only European triumph as a player, Zidane's affiliation with the club saw him return to lead Madrid to three successive crowns from the dugout. Barca fans threw objects, including a pig's head, at former star Luis Figo every time he took a corner during the Clasico in November 2002 - such was the volume of objects thrown that play was suspended at the Nou Camp for almost 20 minutes in the second half The transfer that altered the course of Real Madrid's modern history, though, was snagging Luis Figo from bitter rivals Barcelona in 2000, heralding the dawn of Florentino Perez's presidency and the club's Galactico era, breaking the transfer record five times in a row over the next 13 years. Perez, bidding to be elected, bet all his chips on bringing Figo to Madrid as the Portugal star's contract talks at the Nou Camp stalled.
Figo unwittingly found himself embroiled in a soap opera of a transfer saga - power in the hands of those who wanted a slice of his talent and crazed by the cash that came with it. Figo looked dazed and bewildered at his unveiling but showed his class once he hit the Bernabeu turf. Winning the Ballon d'Or months after arriving in Madrid, in part for his form at Barcelona, was further salt in the Catalan club's wounds.
Roberto Baggio scored 115 goals in 200 games at Juventus during an Italian era characterised by frugal defending. Baggio won the Uefa Cup and Serie A title, as well as landing the Ballon d'Or while in Turin The story goes Fiorentina president Flavio Pontello had to barricade himself inside Stadio Artemio Franchi as a rioting mob of angry La Viola fans protested the sale of star Roberto Baggio to rivals Juventus for a world record £8m in May 1990. The same wrath greeted Baggio on his return to Florence even as 'The Divine Ponytail', who converted to Buddhism after a career-threatening injury, refused to take a spot-kick against his old club and then wrapped one of the purple scarves thrown towards him around his neck.