Top five Premier League stars who returned to their former Premier League clubs

Players moving from one club to another is a common scenario in football.  But there is a special class of transfers, that is when players move back to their former clubs. This kind of transfer is not just a typical business transaction, it is full of emotion. 

The Business Standard (TBS) makes a list of five Premier League stars who have returned to former clubs.

• Thierry Henry, Club: Arsenal (1999-2007, 2012 on loan)

Arsenal's greatest ever goalscorer returned just for two-month on loan from New York in 2012.

He joined Arsenal in 1999 from Juventus. In his first spell, the French man won two Premier League titles and three FA Cups. And became the club's top goalscorer as well.

As he returned to Arsenal for just two months, he didn't score lots of goals. But the club legend managed to score two crucial goals.

Coming off the bench to score a late winner against Leeds in the FA Cup will always be remembered by the fans. In his last game on loan, he also scored the winning goal in a Premier League win over Sunderland.

• Didier Drogba, Club: Chelsea (2004-12, 2014-15)

Drogba is one of the best strikers Chelsea ever had. He left the club in 2012 and returned there for one season.

During the 2004-12 season, Drogba won 10 major trophies, including three Premier League titles and a Champions League. His last shot in the penalty shoot-out brought the Champions League trophy to Stamford Bridge. 

Just after two years, he returned to wear the blue shirt again. At the age of 37, he lifted the fourth league trophy for the men in blue.

• Paul Pogba, Club: Man Utd (2011-12, 2016-Present)

At the age of 19, Pogba left Manchester United. United sold him to Juventus. 

He only made seven appearances for the first team. And when he left Sir Alex Ferguson said, "I don't think he showed us any respect at all so, to be honest, I'm quite happy."

And guess what, the Red devils brought him back. The story didn't end here, they broke the world record to re-sign him for £89m.

• Gareth Bale, Club: Tottenham Hotspur (2007-13, 2020-21 on loan)

Gareth Bale moved to Real Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur. Though it was on lone, seven years later he came back to his former club, Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs fans were eagerly waiting for the day. The excitement among them was obvious, with social media abuzz about Bale's return. 

Bale was sent on lone for only one season. Now he is back in Madrid.

• Cristiano Ronaldo, Club: Man Utd (2003-2009, 2021-Present)

Ronald first joined Manchester United in 2003. It was his first club to play for, outside Portugal. 

He left United for Real Madrid in 2009. Then he went to Juventus in 2018. And after 12 years the Portuguese superstar has come back to play for the English club. 

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner scored 118 goals in 292 games over six years. He helped the Red Devils to win three Premier Leagues, the FA Cup, two League Cups, two Community Shields, the Club World Cup and a Champions League as well in 2008.

He won his first Ballon d'Or as a United player.