The hits
Gilberto Silva
Gilberto made himself a mainstay of Arsenal’s midfield after joining from Atlético Mineiro for £4.5m following an impressive World Cup in 2002. He made 244 appearances for Arsenal all told, winning two FA Cups and playing in a Champions League final, and was a key part of the Invincibles team of 2003‑04, featuring in 32 of the 38 Premier League games. He also scored Arsenal’s first competitive goal at the Emirates in a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa. A consistent performer and one of the best defensive midfielders of his generation.
Juninho
Middlesbrough beat some of Europe’s top sides to the signing of the 5ft 5in playmaker for £4.75m in 1995 and he was a success from the off. He helped them reach the finals of the League Cup and FA Cup in 1997, although they lost both. Relegation that same year led to his sale to Atlético Madrid but he returned on loan in 1999 to regain fitness after injury had sidelined him for five months. He came back again in 2002 for £6m and was part of the side that won the 2004 League Cup. He won Middlesbrough fans’ hearts, leading them to vote him as the best player to have played for the club.
Alex
There are two reasons why Alex earned the nickname The Tank. The first was his obvious physical presence; the second those thundering free-kicks. Who can forget the one for Chelsea against Liverpool in the 2009 Champions League quarter-final? Unable to gain a work permit when Chelsea first tried to sign him in 2004, Alex went to PSV for three years, finally sealing his move in 2007, to the delight of José Mourinho. He quickly made himself an important member of the squad and after Ricardo Carvalho left for Real Madrid, formed an effective partnership at the heart of Chelsea’s defence with John Terry.
Lucas Leiva
“People just don’t know how good Lucas is,” said Rafa Benítez in December 2008, and it would appear he was right. Lucas arrived at a time when Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano seemed to have the centre-midfield positions tied down but he has outlasted them all. Of the four, only Gerrard made more Liverpool appearances. Lucas’s boundless energy, positional sense and ability at breaking down opponents’ play have become the hallmarks of his game. His experience could prove even more vital now Gerrard has left.
Philippe Coutinho
Roberto Firmino will not have to look far to find inspiration. Coutinho has been a brilliant signing, costing £8.5m in January 2013. Capable of playing in the centre, as an attacking midfielder, second striker or even out wide, his versatility has made him a key figure in an ever-shifting tactical setup. Coutinho’s strong form saw him shortlisted for the PFA player of the year and PFA young player of the year awards last season, although he lost out to Eden Hazard and Harry Kane respectively.
Misses
Roque Júnior
A World Cup and Champions League winner, Roque Júnior arrived from Milan after the bubble had burst at Leeds United. Seven first-team appearances yielded four cautions, one dismissal, six defeats and 24 goals conceded. The sending off came on his home debut against Birmingham, the second yellow card coming when he gave away the penalty that sealed a 2-0 defeat. He did score two goals against Manchester United in the League Cup, but he is still regarded by Leeds fans as one of the club’s worst ever signings.
Afonso Alves
Expectations were high when Alves arrived on Teesside on 31 January 2008 in a club-record £12m deal. He had scored 48 goals in 48 games for the Dutch club Heerenveen but things quickly went downhill. He struggled to replicate his goalscoring exploits, taking more than three months to get his first for his new club. He managed 10 goals in 42 games at the Riverside and never justified his transfer fee. In 2009 he was fined two weeks’ wages for failing to report for pre-season training and moved to the Qatari side Al-Sadd, where he managed two goals in 12 league games.
Mirandinha
“I love Newcastle and was so happy there. English football for me was very, very important because I was the first Brazilian to play there.” Mirandinha arrived at Newcastle United for £575,000 in 1987 as the first Brazilian to play football professionally in England. He left a team relegated to Division Two, ultimately unable to fulfil his potential. He scored 19 goals in 54 appearances but poor fitness and injury troubles blighted a player who showed glimpses of his ability. At least he had time to learn “all of the swear words” in English, courtesy of Paul Gascoigne.
Robinho
“On the last day, Chelsea made a great proposal and I accepted.” Things didn’t exactly get off to the best of starts for poor Robinho when he became the marquee signing of intent for the new Manchester City owner, the Abu Dhabi United Group, in 2008 and seemed to think he had joined Chelsea. He began reasonably, scoring 13 goals in his first season but his overall record of 14 in 41 games and large periods out injured meant he never reached the heights his employer hoped he would. In his second and final season he played 12 games, his only goal coming in the FA Cup against Scunthorpe United. The striker’s arrival on deadline day did make the world sit up and take notice of City, nevertheless.
André Santos
Arsenal fans will not remember Santos fondly. Defensive lapses, a lethargic approach and the decision to swap shirts with the former Arsenal captain Robin van Persie at half-time of a match at Manchester United left many thinking he was not fit to wear the shirt he so willingly gave away. Twenty-five appearances in two seasons tell their own story for Santos, who was sent on loan to Grêmio shortly after the shirt-swapping incident.
