So we actually fundamentally agree, since I've already said all that. It's just that we have a lot less proof that Handanović was mega sought after when he was in his prime at Inter. Or at his prime at Udinese. We got lucky that we got him for that cheap, IMO. He was overlooked - which coincides with my point.
You were trying to make me sound unreasonably biased there for a minute though, which I do not appreciate.
We didn't get him for cheap man. What is this even about? Barcelona wanted him then too but were outbid by us.
Apart from a couple of years with the Buffon & Toldo frenzy and its aftermath (Frey to Parma for example), the only more expensive GK transfers came much much later.
At the time:
1. Buffon to Juventus from Parma [still a semi-direct rival at the time]
2. Toldo to Inter from Fiorentina [almost a direct rival but they spiraled downwards afterwards]
3. David De Gea to Manchester United from Atletico Madrid [from an almost top team to a top team]
4. Frey to Parma from Inter [Buffon money]
5. Peruzzi to Inter from Juventus [you couldn't get any more direct rivals than this]
6. Peruzzi to Lazio from Inter [direct rivals]
7. Handanovic to Inter from Udinese
The GK transfer system got broken once Alisson and Kepa made those big transfers. Liverpool actually wanted to sign Handanovic the year before and the year they got Alisson, but first they were rejected and then they decided to prioritize Alisson for a variety of reasons. And they made a crazy bid for him, too. Not sure if Chelsea asked for Handanovic in 2018, but they definitely broke the bank for Kepa who was 24 at the time and they expected him to play for 10+ years.
Premier League clubs did not start paying much attention to goalkeepers until the mid 2010s. Only Manchester United had the "my GK has to be world class" mentality due to Schmeichel's influence. And they failed to replace him adequately and those years between Barthez and van der Sar was torture for them.
Bayern and other German teams usually go for German GKs who are ranked along with Italians as the greatest 'school' of all time.
And Spanish teams typically use locals as well, but they started throwing money in the mid 2010s as well.
I also don't get why you still have the knack to judge a player being wanted by an executed transfer. Why would a player leave a top top team like Inter for a shitty place like Arsenal or Chelsea?
There's like only 2-3 teams, or literally just the 1, that an Inter player would aspire to play for in case he wants out of Inter. That's Real Madrid. You could mention Barcelona in the 2009-2013 period I suppose. And Bayern has destroyed their league and people weren't really lining up to play there unless they were already in the Bundesliga. Manchester United was never appealing to world class players and Liverpool wasn't either. They all wanted to play for Real, Barcelona, Inter, Milan and Juventus. The PL boys are new to this and they cannot compete in terms of prestige. They can only buy talented young players en masse and hope that one can become world class.
Only Manchester City has some pull now and that's due to Guardiola, not the club. Liverpool and Manchester United are followers in the PL nowadays, where they should be leaders.