We continue our focus on footballs worst transfers with three more beauties. Enjoy...Jonathan Woodgate
Adventures in the Champions league with Leeds United all the way to the semi-final stage and finishing high in the Premiership, life wasn't half bad for Jonathan Woodgate back in the season 2000-01, that was a long time ago,mind. Back in 2004 spanish giants Real Madrid opened the chequebook to the tune of £13.4million to bring Woodgate from Newcastle United to the Bernabeu hoping for a re-creation of the kind of form that had seen Leeds match Real's progress in the Champions league by reaching the semi's. Sadly though for Jonathan it would be over a year before the big centre back would pull on the coveted white jersey and only for a paltry 9 appearances, Spanish fans could not wait to say 'Adios' quickly enough....Today we find Woodgate a free agent after being released from Tottenham Hotspur.
Winston Bogarde
The very mention of this mans name sends shivers down the spines of Chelsea supporters coupled with a clenching of the fists after Bogarde seemingly arrived at Stamford Bridge in 2000 on horseback coupled with a black mask and a pistol as he signed a lucrative £40,000 a week deal with the Londoners and sadly,was prepared to honour that contract. Bogarde's C.V looked to be worthy of commanding such a salary after pulling on the jerseys of Ajax, Barcelona and AC Milan not to mention 20 caps as a full Dutch international. Bogarde was signed without the prior knowledge of then-manager Gianluca Vialli and like a bad smell that was not wanted, Winston decided to stick around at the bridge, despite attempts to shift the dutchman from his comfy chair via the youth team and reserves, Chelsea had to sit back and pay out as Winston made only 9 appearances in the blue shirt. The only crumb of comfort for Chelsea being that they didn't pay a transfer fee for Bogarde. Winston eventually called time on his rather hectic playing career in 2005 and has plans to enter the music industry, cannot help but think it may just end up a one-hit wonder...
Diego Forlan
'Have we signed....you know, the one from the Olympics?' Sadly for United fans they hadn't signed
Sally Gunnell although later they may well have wished that Sir Alex had spent £6.9million on an athlete as oppose to look-a-like Diego Forlan from Independiente. Forlan came to England with a reputation for goalscoring but sadly for Diego he'd left his shooting boots in Buenos Aires. From the start Diego simply couldn't buy a goal and being in the same line-up as hotshot Ruud Van Nistelrooy breaking every UK and European goals record going it was never going to be easy. When Forlan did find the net in a league match against Southampton he couldn't even celebrate without getting it horribly wrong as he whipped off his shirt and couldn't get it back on again. That was a sign of things to come as Sir Alex confiscated the red shirt and handed him a yellow one instead as Forlan left for Villareal where he has flourished in the Spanish leagues and become a real fans favourite, good on you Diego!
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