9 Best Bargain Signings in World Football (2024)

All football clubs are always on the hunt for a good bargain and in the era of financial rules and regulations it’s more important than ever and there’s been many brilliant buys in 2024. From the likes of Giorgi Mamardashvili to Samu Omorodion, clubs around Europe have managed to find cut-price deals, and this article takes a look at the nine best of this year.

Ranking Factors

• Transfer fee
• Performances for their previous club and their new club
• International calibre
• Potential for the future

9 Savinho

Manchester City

While a lot of football fans will have raised their eyebrows at this transfer due to both clubs having the same owners, but at the same time it is a clever move by Manchester City who are trying to avoid any more charges surrounding financial rules. Savinho has fitted into Pep Guardiola’s side like a glove this season and the Brazilian winger looks to be a bargain at a price of around £20 million.

The 20-year-old has plenty of potential and has four assists already this season, with Erling Haaland reaping the rewards of Savinho’s form. The winger already has seven senior caps for Brazil to his name and with the coaching of Guardiola he could become a world star and the 20 million fee could seem like a snip in the future.

8 Samu Omorodion

Porto

Samu Omorodion may not be the most familiar name with fans of English football, but with his form since his shock move to Porto he soon will be. The Spanaird rose through the ranks at Granada before making the switch to Atlético Madrid in summer 2023.

Diego Simeone’s side loaned the tall striker out to fellow La Liga side Alaves and he blossomed in the Basque Country, scoring eight goals during his loan spell. Porto then came swooping in for Omorodion and Atleti accecpted an offer for the 20-year-old in the summer and that is already looking like a bargain. He has scored seven goals in seven appearances across all competitions this season and if he continues that form across the season, then he could be the latest big money export from the Portuguese Primiera Liga.

7 Robin Le Normand

Atlético Madrid

A member of Spain’s Euro 2024 winning squad, Robin Le Normand’s performances in Germany flung him into the spotlight. He was part of a solid defence, who went through the group stage without conceding a goal and performed well in the final as Spain won the trophy for a fourth time.

It was no surprise that a big club came calling and the centre-half swapped San Sebastian for Madrid, a move which has benefitted both parties so far. Atleti have kept five clean sheets in their opening 10 La Liga games this season and Le Normand has played the full 90 minutes in all five games. Le Normand could be key in turning Simeone’s team back into the solid defensive outfit it once was.

6 Endrick

Real Madrid

There was huge excitement when the signing of Endrick was announced and he has made a promising start for the 15-time Champions League winners. The 18-year-old is already off the mark in La Liga and in the Champions League, with goals against Real Valladolid and VfB Stuttgart respectively.

He is still very young and Carlo Ancelotti is keeping him on the bench for now, but the fee of around £40 million is already looking like a snip given his age. He has already made 13 senior appearances for Brazil, scoring three goals including the winner in a friendly against England in March and he has only needed late cameos off the bench to get two goals and one assist for his club this season, so it’s clear he has a clinical touch.

There is currently plenty of competition in the forward areas for Real and he may not make a huge impact on this Real team for some time. However, Endrick could be there for the best part of two decades, so that’s why he deserves a spot on this list.

5 Khephren Thuram

Juventus

Juventus are aiming to claim back the Serie A crown after missing out in the last four seasons and Thiago Motta’s men have added plenty of talent to their squad. The likes of Douglas Luiz and Teun Koopmeiners were the big money signings, but it’s Khephren Thuram who looks to be the best value for money.

Thuram, who was often touted for a Premier League move over the past couple of years, is a holding midfielder or a ‘number 6’ and his addition along with that of Luiz has helped bring some defensive stability to the side, keeping clean sheets in seven of their eight Serie A games. Thuram is only 23 years old, so it’s a long term investment for the Old Lady and a fee of around £17 million means it offers little risk. Given the market for players of Thuram’s calibre in the middle of the park, Juventus have done very well to get him for this price and he could help bring success back to Turin.

4 Michael Olise

Bayern Munich

Michael Olise often set the Premier League alight at Crystal Palace and the 22-year-old got his big move to Bayern Munich in the summer after the Bavarians triggered his release clause. Olise’s time at Palace was often blighted by injury issues, with his last season at the club seeing him make just 19 appearances in the Premier League, but when he’s on the pitch he always made an impact, netting 10 times and providing six assists for his teammates.

If it wasn’t for his injury record then Olise would be higher up our list, but he has started the season in a rich vein of form with his budding partnership with Harry Kane undoubtedly exciting Bayern fans. He has scored six goals and provided three assists in just 11 appearances across all competitions this season, with his star performance coming in the 9-2 rout of Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League. If Olise can remain fit then the young French winger could become one of Europe’s best at Bayern Munich and the price tag could be one of the bargains of the decade.

3 Serhou Guirassy

Borussia Dortmund

Serhou Guirassy’s release clause of around £15 million made him one of Europe’s hottest properties this summer after last season’s tally of 28 Bundesliga goals for VfB Stuttgart propelled them into the Champions League. Unsurprisingly, a bigger fish came in for the Guinea international and it was Borussia Dortmund who snapped him up for that cut-price fee.

The 28-year-old has all the tools to succeed at Dortmund, having already got two seasons of Bundesliga experience under his belt, and he’s started well, netting seven times in his first eight appearances, which included a brace in the 7-1 Champions League win against Celtic. For whoever he signed for, this would have been one of the bargains of the summer and Guirassy will give Dortmund another option as they look to make up ground at the top of the Bundesliga.

2 Piotr Zielinski

Inter Milan

It’s always nice to bring in a player on a free transfer, but to get one of Europe’s best midfielders in recent times on a free, it must feel all the sweeter. Piotr Zielinski was a lynchpin of the Napoli side that won Serie A in 2023, scoring three goals and setting up nine while captaining the side, while he has also been one of Poland’s most important players in recent times.

Zielinski fancied a change of club and Serie A champions Inter Milan came knocking at the door and signed the Pole on a free. He hasn’t forced his way into the starting midfield yet, with the likes of Nicolo Barella being prominent in the middle of the park in the early stages of the season, but he did start in the impressive Champions League draw at Manchester City Given his talent and the fact that he’s still in the best years of his career at 30-years-old, he will be a great addition at Inter as well his experience of Serie A and the Champions League could be vital to his side’s hopes this season.

1 Giorgi Mamardashvili

Liverpool

The only goalkeeper on the list, Giorgi Mamardashvili takes top spot, which is a bit odd considering he has been loaned out back to Valencia. However, anyone who watched Georgia at Euro 2024 will have seen that Mamardashvili has the potential to be one of the best keepers in the world.

Liverpool pounced when the Georgian came available and secured his services for a good price before letting him have another season back in La Liga. With Alisson now in his 30’s, Liverpool are planning for the future and have got a ready-made replacement for the Brazilian in the form of Mamardashvlli for half the price they paid for Alisson.

The Georgian keeper has started the season well in Valencia, keeping three clean sheets, and he was one of the breakout stars of Euro 2024, helping Georgia to the round of 16 in their first time at the competition. At a price of £25 million and an age of just 24 when he arrives on Merseyside next year, it could very well be one of the bargains of the century if he lives up to his potential.

Transfermarkt data correct as of October 31st 2024