2) Les Ferdinand – 1995
Sometimes, it can take a player several months to feel comfortable at a new club. Not everyone will feel immediately ready and perform at the best level. But, that was not the case for Les Ferdinand when he arrived at Newcastle United in 1995.
The Magpies completed a deal with Queens Park Rangers for the striker’s services, costing a reported £6 million. He was worth every bit of that transfer fee, scoring an astonishing 50 goals in only 84 games for Newcastle.
Ferdinand earned two Premier League runners-up medals with United during his two years also, and was a catalyst for the team’s impressive attacking play. His second season saw the arrival of Alan Shearer, and they combined for one of the most formidable front-lines ever seen in the North East.
Ferdinand eventually moved to Tottenham in 1997, for the exact same price that Newcastle paid. The Toon Army were not able to sing his name for very long, but they certainly made it count.
Still regarded by many as one of the club’s best forwards in recent decades, fans will always have a soft spot for the English international.
New signings want to make an impact. Few signings have made the type of impact that Les Ferdinand did for Newcastle United.