Didi signed in the summer with Hyypia, Henchoz, Smicer et al. That was a brilliant summer, I remember being so excited that we’d spent £26m! Seemed a fortune then.
Heskey came in March the following year when there was the later transfer window.
Seem to recall our summer of 2000 was also quite busy: Ziege, Barmby, McAllister, Diomede, Arphexad, Babbel and then later Biscan and Litmanen. Worked out quite well that season too
that was some serious scouting and transfer deals in a short time too
Out
England David James - England Aston Villa, 23 June, £1,800,000
England Steve McManaman - Spain Real Madrid, 1 July, free
France Jean-Michel Ferri - France Sochaux, 14 July, £1,500,000
England Tony Warner - England Millwall, 17 July, free
England Jamie Cassidy - England Cambridge United, 22 July, free
South Africa Sean Dundee[notes 5] - Germany Stuttgart, 30 July, £1,000,000
England Paul Ince - England Middlesbrough, 30 July, £1,000,000
Norway Øyvind Leonhardsen - England Tottenham Hotspur, 6 August, £3,000,000
Norway Bjørn Tore Kvarme - France Saint-Étienne, 30 August, £1,000,000
Germany Karl-Heinz Riedle - England Fulham, 28 September, £200,000
England Ian Dunbavin - England Shrewsbury Town, 22 January, free
Wales Eifion Jones - England Blackpool, 23 March, free
England Rob Jones - England West Ham United, free, 24 July