The 15 best transfers between the Premier League’s big six ft. Cole and Van Persie | OneFootball

The transfer window might have only just opened, but there has already been a flurry of movement in the Premier League.

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Some big names have already moved from one club to another, with Chelsea seeing several first-team players depart Stamford Bridge.

Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, and Mateo Kovacic have all left for “big six” rivals, joining Manchester United, Arsenal, and Manchester City respectively.

It is not the first time that players have moved between the elite teams of English football, with players experiencing varying degrees of success after high-profile moves.

But having taken a look at the 15 worst transfers between the big six clubs, the team at GIVEMESPORT thought we would take a look at players who had slightly better experiences and rank the 15 best transfers between the top teams.

Now, this list is highly subjective, and there will almost certainly be those of you who think that one player should have ranked higher in the list.

And there will definitely be players who you think deserved to break into the top 15.

Feel free to let us know in our social media comments if you would make any changes. But for now, here are the 15 best transfers between the big six clubs.

15 William Gallas – Chelsea to Arsenal

LONDON - APRIL 02: William Gallas of Arsenal gestures during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final 1st leg match between Arsenal and Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium on April 2, 2008 in London, England. (Photo by Jamie McDonald/Getty Images)

The Frenchman was an excellent defender during his time at Stamford Bridge, making 159 appearances in England’s top division and lifting two Premier League trophies.

But Gallas departed the club in 2006 for Arsenal in a deal that saw Ashley Cole move the other way.

He would go on to make 142 appearances for the Gunners before joining another London club, Tottenham.

14 Juan Mata – Chelsea to Manchester United

A player who was adored by Blues fans.

Mata was an absolutely phenomenal talent, and during his time at Stamford Bridge, he was named Player of the Year twice, scoring 32 goals and weighing in with 58 assists.

But when he fell out of favour with Jose Mourinho, the Spaniard departed for Old Trafford in January 2014 for £37.1 million.

Mata would remain at the club until 2022, helping them lift an FA Cup, a Europa League, and a League Cup.

He scored some brilliant goals as well, including this one against Liverpool…

13 Gael Clichy – Arsenal to Manchester City

Clichy had been a good player while at Arsenal, helping them lift a Premier League and FA Cup during his eight-season stay in north London.

But in 2011, the French defender signed for City for £7 million.

He proved to be a key part of City’s success during the 2010s, making 138 league appearances and leaving the Etihad in 2017 with two more Premier League winners medals.

12 Petr Cech – Chelsea to Arsenal

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 02: Petr Cech of Arsenal in action during the Barclays Premier League match between Arsenal and Swansea City at Emirates Stadium on March 2, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

We’re heading back to Stamford Bridge yet again, and this time it’s to look at one of their greatest-ever players.

Cech was integral to Chelsea’s success on English and European soil, helping them lift multiple Premier League titles, several domestic cups, and their first Champions League too.

However, when Thibaut Courtois established himself as the first-choice goalkeeper at Stamford Bridge, Cech joined Arsenal in 2015.

He would lift another FA Cup during that time, and would also claim his fourth Golden Glove at the end of his first season at the Emirates.

11 Olivier Giroud – Arsenal to Chelsea

Back the other way this time.

Despite scoring some wonderful goals for Arsenal, including an iconic scorpion kick against Crystal Palace, Giroud frustrated fans at points for not scoring more.

He joined Chelsea in January 2018 and endeared himself to Blues fans by scoring brilliant and important goals, including one against his former club Arsenal in the Europa League final.

10 Daniel Sturridge – Chelsea to Liverpool

English attacker Sturridge joined the Blues from Manchester City but never managed to establish himself during his time at the club.

He joined Liverpool in 2013 and would go on to be one-half of one of the most lethal striker partnerships in English football.

Luis Suarez and Sturridge scored a combined total of 52 league goals during the 2013/14 season and nearly fired Liverpool to the league title.

9 Dimitar Berbatov – Tottenham to Manchester United

The Bulgarian was one of the most silky footballers to have graced the Premier League.

Berbatov’s 46 goals for Tottenham were enough to convince United to shell out £30.75 million on him.

He continued that performance at Old Trafford, helping United lift another two Premier League titles and a couple of League Cups too.

Berbatov would also get his hands on the Golden Boot in the 2010/11 season, scoring 20 goals that campaign.

8 James Milner – Manchester City to Liverpool

Mr Reliable just had to make this list.

Milner joined Liverpool after his contract expired with Manchester City, and he would be an integral part of the Reds’ most successful recent era.

He departed Anfield this summer for Brighton after playing 332 games, helping Liverpool lift another Champions League and a first Premier League in 30 years in the process.

One of the best free transfers ever. And even at 37 years old, you would still back Milner to do a job all across the pitch.

7 Michael Carrick – Tottenham to Manchester United

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - APRIL 22: Michael Carrick of Manchester United celebrates victory and winning the Premier League title after the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester United and Aston Villa at Old Trafford on April 22, 2013 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

We’re going from one exceptional English midfielder to another.

Carrick joined Spurs from West Ham in 2004 and would go on to make 75 appearances for the north London side.

His performances caught the eye of Sir Alex Ferguson and United, who brought him to Manchester two seasons later.

Hailed as “the best English player in the game” by Ferguson when playing under Louis van Gaal, Carrick would make 464 outings for the Red Devils before retiring in 2018.

6 Kyle Walker – Tottenham to Manchester City

Walker established himself as an excellent defender at Tottenham after joining from Sheffield United, with his blistering pace his standout quality.

City would then pay a significant fee for the English international in 2017, a reported cost of up to £50 million.

And under Pep Guardiola’s tutelage, Walker would become one of the most successful defenders in the modern era, and the Spanish coach said in 2021 that the defender’s consistency had allowed City to be so successful.

Now 33 years old, he is reportedly a target for Bayern Munich. If he does leave the club, he will do so as a five-time Premier League champion and Champions League winner too.

5 Robin van Persie – Arsenal to Manchester United

Moving into the top five now, there will definitely be people who think Van Persie should be higher, especially given his first season at Old Trafford.

The Dutch striker angered Arsenal fans when he signed for Premier League rivals United in 2012.

And he was integral to the Red Devils' Premier League success in his first campaign at the Theatre of Dreams, scoring 26 goals and winning the Golden Boot that year.

He would not replicate that success in the subsequent seasons though, departing the club for Fenerbahce in 2015.

4 Teddy Sheringham – Tottenham to Manchester United

United seem to have a knack for signing excellent forwards from north London clubs.

This transfer was arguably even better than the aforementioned Van Persie, with Sheringham playing a key part in United’s success during the late 90s and early 2000s.

He would lift three Premier League trophies at Old Trafford, and more importantly, would score one of the most important goals in the club’s history during the 1998/99 Champions League final against Bayern Munich.

3 Raheem Sterling – Liverpool to Manchester City

Sterling might have made the top 15 for worst transfers between the big six for his move to Chelsea, but do not forget just how good he was at the Etihad.

Signed for £49 million in 2015, he flourished under Guardiola and became one of the best wingers in the league.

By the time he departed the club seven years later, he was the City's second-highest top scorer in the Premier League, with only Sergio Aguero ahead of him, and he had 11 winners medals around his neck.

New Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino will be desperate to get Sterling performing like he did at City in the upcoming 2023/24 season.

2 Ashley Cole – Arsenal to Chelsea

Arsenal fans never forgave Cole for joining London rivals Chelsea.

Having established himself as one of the best defenders in the league in Arsene Wenger’s Invincibles side, he made the switch to West London in 2006 for £5 million, with William Gallas going the other way.

When his time at Stamford Bridge came to an end, Cole was regarded as one of the best left-backs ever, and arguably the best left-back in the Premier League’s history.

His resume is insane, with him collecting Champions League, Premier League, and FA Cup winners medals, while also being named as Cristiano Ronaldo’s toughest-ever opponent.

1 Sol Campbell – Tottenham to Arsenal

The shock that came when Campbell was unveiled as an Arsenal player might never be matched.

The defender signed from arch-rivals Tottenham on a free transfer in 2001, earning the nickname Judas among fans at White Hart Lane.

To rub even more salt into the wounds of Spurs fans, Campbell would cement his legacy as one of the best defenders in Premier League history.

He would make 211 appearances for the Gunners, and Tottenham supporters would have to watch him lift two Premier Leagues and three FA Cups before he left for Portsmouth.