Cantona or Vardy? Richards and Shearer’s Ultimate Premier League Bargain Debate

In a league awash with nine-figure splurges and flashy unveilings, it’s the shrewd punts that often change everything. For every blockbuster fee that flatters to deceive, there’s a cut‑price gem who tilts a title race or defines an era. That was the spirit when Alan Shearer and Micah Richards sat down on the MOTD: Top 10 podcast back in 2021 to settle the age‑old pub debate: who are the greatest bargain buys in Premier League history?

The headline? Three names tower above the rest — Eric Cantona, Jamie Vardy and Peter Schmeichel — but even the greats can’t agree on the exact pecking order.

The top three everyone agrees on… sort of

Micah Richards put Cantona at No 1 — and you can see why. Picked up by Manchester United from Leeds for £1.2m in 1992, the Frenchman swaggered into Old Trafford, delivered four Premier League titles in five seasons, and cracked 82 goals while becoming the lightning rod for a dynasty. United didn’t just buy a player; they bought an identity.

Alan Shearer, though, went with Jamie Vardy at the summit. From Fleetwood Town to Leicester City for £1m in 2012, then all the way to a title tale for the ages. Vardy didn’t just break the big boys’ hegemony — he terrorised defences for years and, remarkably, no one has scored more Premier League goals after turning 30. Pure return on investment.

Both lists had Peter Schmeichel third, and that feels spot on. Manchester United nabbed him from Brøndby in 1991 for £500,000; Sir Alex would later call it “the bargain of the century.” When your half‑a‑million signing becomes the division’s defining goalkeeper, you’ve done all right.

Micah Richards’ roll call of value

Richards’ top 10 leaned into impact and price tag in equal measure. After Cantona (1), Vardy (2) and Schmeichel (3), he tipped his hat to Arsenal’s scouting nous: Kolo Touré from ASEC Mimosas in 2002 for £150,000 (4), and Robin van Persie from Feyenoord in 2004 for £2.75m (5) — eight seasons, 132 goals and a move that still riles the Emirates faithful.

Then came Riyad Mahrez (Le Havre to Leicester, 2014, £400,000) at 6 — a title winner and Player of the Year who later fetched a massive fee — followed by Paolo Di Canio (Sheffield Wednesday to West Ham, 1999, £1.5m) at 7, Lucas Radebe (Kaizer Chiefs to Leeds, 1994, £250,000) at 8, Seamus Coleman (Sligo Rovers to Everton, 2009, £60,000) at 9, and Andy Robertson (Hull City to Liverpool, 2017, £8m) completing the set at 10.

Shearer’s reshuffle and the Coleman climb

Shearer saw it a touch differently at the top: Vardy (1), Cantona (2) and Schmeichel (3). The big mover was Coleman, who he propelled to fourth. And fair play — for £60k, Everton found a leader, a relentless competitor and a full‑back who kept churning out seasons even after a brutal injury. Behind Coleman came Touré (5), van Persie (6), Mahrez (7), Radebe (8), Robertson (9) and Di Canio (10).

Why these deals still define “bargain”

What marks out a true bargain isn’t just the sticker price — it’s the transformation. Cantona lit the fuse on United’s dominance. Vardy turned a relegation candidate into champions and then kept scoring for fun. Schmeichel anchored the most ruthless winning machine of the 90s. Mahrez arrived for pennies, dazzled in a title run and left for a fortune. Radebe became Leeds royalty. Di Canio gave West Ham the swagger they craved. And Robertson? £8m for a Champions League and Premier League‑winning left‑back is the kind of business that keeps sporting directors in a job.

If you judge it by pure cultural impact, you lean Cantona. If you go by modern‑era value for money, it’s hard to look past Vardy. Either way, the lesson is timeless: recruitment brains beat chequebook brawn.

Pundit’s verdict

Force me to choose and I’m siding with Shearer: Vardy at No 1 by a whisker for the fairy‑tale factor and the sustained output. But Richards isn’t wrong — Cantona’s ripple effect on a club’s identity is rare air. Schmeichel at three is non‑negotiable.

However you stack the rest — Coleman’s £60k rise, Touré’s bargain‑basement fee, van Persie’s elite end product, Mahrez’s wizardry, Radebe’s leadership, Robertson’s relentless levels, Di Canio’s box‑office moments — these deals are the gold standard every recruitment team chases. If you fancy a flutter on who pulls off the next masterstroke, check our best betting sites and keep your eyes peeled for the next name to gatecrash this list.