The English Premier League (EPL) is commonly referred to as the best and most competitive soccer league in the world, and as a result it attracts the best talent. This Thursday evening will bring around yet another transfer deadline day and no doubt we will witness some exciting last-minute moves.
players whose decision to join a certain club completely changed the course of EPL history
If we take a look back through EPL history, there are a few players whose transfers stand out as the best of all time. While no Premier League player has surpassed Ryan Giggs’ total trophy count, all of which he won at Manchester United, there are other players whose decision to join a certain club completely changed the course of EPL history.
VegasSlotsOnline News has combined stats on transfer fees, trophies won, goals, assists, and clean sheets to determine the best Premier League transfers of all time.
Best Premier League transfers
Professional sports are a results-driven business. While many players made huge impacts at different clubs, we’re concerned with who delivered in the biggest moments and helped their club win trophies.
Eight of the 10 are either on top or high on the list of the most-winning Premier League players ever, while the other two are inarguably one of the two best players in their club’s history and carried their team to greatness with individual brilliance.
Here are the top 10 transfers in Premier League history based on our VSO News research (note: this is only for the Premier League era and doesn’t count the First Division).
| Player | Club | Selling Club | Trophies Won | Goals (Assists) | Transfer Fee |
| Kevin De Bruyne | Manchester City | VFL Wolfsburg | 13 | 97 (155) | £55m ($69.9m) |
| Wayne Rooney | Manchester United | Everton | 12 | 253 (145) | £27m ($34.3m) |
| Sergio Aguero | Manchester City | Atletico Madrid | 12 | 260 (73) | £35m ($44.5m) |
| Mohamed Salah | Liverpool | AS Roma | 6 | 204 (88) | £36.5m ($46.4m) |
| Nemanja Vidic | Manchester United | Spartak Moscow | 10 | 21 (4) | £9.5m ($12.1m) |
| Roy Keane | Manchester United | Nottingham Forest | 13 | 51 (38) | £3.75m ($4.8m) |
| Eden Hazard | Chelsea | LOSC Lille | 6 | 110 (92) | £32m ($40.7m) |
| Rio Ferdinand | Manchester United | Leeds United | 10 | 8 (9) | £18m ($22.9m) |
| Kyle Walker | Manchester City | Tottenham | 14 | 21 (27) | £50m ($63.5m) |
| Fernandinho | Manchester City | Shakhtar Donetsk | 12 | 26 (33) | £34m ($43.2m) |
#5: Nemanja Vidic
Vidic became the first defender to ever claim the Premier League Player of the Year award when he won in 2009 and is still the only defender to ever win twice (again in 2011). He only played at the club for nine years but won 10 trophies and formed arguably the greatest defending partnership ever with Rio Ferdinand.
#4: Mohamed Salah
Salah doesn’t have as many trophies as the other players on the list, but he was one of the most prolific goal-scorers in the world during his peak and helped Liverpool win their first league title since 1990 and first Champions League since 2005. He has finished fifth in Ballon d’Or voting twice, won the Premier League Player of the Season, and won the Premier League Golden Boot three times.
#3: Sergio Aguero
Aguero joined Manchester City at the start of the club’s revolution and led them into the peak of their glory years. Despite being an injury concern, he scored nearly twice as many goals as any other City player and was practically indefensible when he was at his best. He also scored arguably the best goal in the history of the EPL, a 94th-minute winner against QPR on the final day of the season to steal City’s first-ever league title from Man U.
#2: Wayne Rooney
Rooney arrived in Manchester as an 18-year-old and left as the best player in their club’s history. He played on the wing, as a striker, a shadow striker, and attacking midfielder, and still found success in every position. He’s Man U’s all-time leading goal scorer and is the first name that springs to mind whenever the Red Devils are mentioned.
#1: Kevin De Bruyne
Kevin De Bruyne was the best player to grace a Premier League pitch during the 2010s and early 2020s and helped captain one of the most dominant sides in soccer history. He passed the eye test with flying colors and has irrefutable numbers to back up his performances on the pitch. With five league titles in six years and a Champions League trophy to boot, it’s tough to find anything he hasn’t done.
Playing against Burnley on Wednesday, De Bruyne once again proved why he has been so vital to his team’s success.
Honorable mentions
Fernandinho captained Manchester City from their first league title to their current day of dominance. He was often overlooked but made vital contributions for years.
Kyle Walker, one of the two best right-backs in EPL history (alongside Gary Neville) doesn’t have as big of a name as many of his City teammates but has been rock-solid for years.
Rio Ferdinand is one of the best defenders to ever play in the EPL. His track record speaks for itself, and he is one of the most-loved figures at the club.
dragged unimpressive Chelsea teams to trophies and results they would’ve been nowhere near to
Eden Hazard is right up there with Dennis Bergkamp for most technical players to suit up in the league. He often dragged unimpressive Chelsea teams to trophies and results they would’ve been nowhere near to without him.
Roy Keane won seven league titles and 13 trophies—but even more impressively, he was Man U’s captain for the majority of those conquests. He wasn’t as technically outstanding as other midfielders but had an engine and relentless attitude that defined those United teams.