Over the last few years, they have plucked the likes of Ronaldo, Zidane, Figo and Beckham away from their respective teams. But even then, Zidane wanted a move to Spain as his wife was unsettled in Italy. Beckham and Fergie were barely speaking when Madrid snapped him up. And Ronaldo had demanded a move to Real Madrid after the 2002 World Cup after a falling out with Hector Cuper.
And if you look at the rest of the top sides in Europe, they just don't sign World class players. They sign promising players who become world class. Henry and Vieira joined Arsenal as virtual unknowns in this country. Indeed, Vieira was barely known by anyone in Europe when Wenger signed him. Now, they are both rated among the top players in the world.
AC Milan did manage quite a coup when they signed Shevchenko a few years back, as he was considered world class. But the difference here when compared with the Madrid transfers is that Sheva was at Dynamo Kiev- hardly a European superpower!
The same could be said of Ruud van Nistelrooy, who had his pick of top European sides when he decided to leave PSV.
The fact of the matter is that world class players don't just up and leave their clubs for no reason. Therefore clubs have to go out and hope that their coaches can turn a promising player into one of real class.
And that is what Claudio Ranieri is attempting to do with the likes of Mutu, Duff and Lampard!