I played with Rangers hero Ronald de Boer – I became one of worst signings in Premier League history but I don’t care

RANGERS hero Ronaldo de Boer had his fair share of big name teammates during his glittering career.
Not only at Ibrox, but in the years leading up to his bumper switch to Scottish football.
The Dutch legend burst onto the scene at Ajax in the late 1980s and returned to the Amsterdam giants for a second stint after spending two years at Twente between 1991 and 1993.
De Boer would win five Eredivisie titles and the Champions League with Ajax before heading to the bright lights of the Nou Camp with Barcelona in 1999.
He headed for La Liga in a huge £22million deal that saw him and twin brother Frank both join Barca.
A league title quickly followed before heading for Rangers after a year-and-a-half in Spain.
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During his brief spell in Barcelona, de Boer played alongside a host of huge stars.
Brazilian superstar Rivaldo, Portuguese icon Luis Figo and a certain Pep Guardiola were all part of the same squad, with the likes of Carles Puyol and Xavi just breaking onto the scene.
Another player who featured in the team was Winston Bogarde, a fellow Netherlands international.
The right-back had enjoyed success at Ajax - where he also played alongside de Boer - and after a brief spell with AC Milan headed for Barcelona in 1998.
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He won two league titles and the Copa del Rey, having also scooped league titles and the Champions League at Ajax, also alongside de Boer.
But while de Boer went on to Ibrox to continue his trophy-laden career, Bogarde's career took a rather different and extremely infamous twist.
In September 2000, he completed a transfer to Chelsea, then managed by Gianluca Vialli who apparently had NO idea the deal was evening happening.
But things certainly didn't go to plan at Stamford Bridge.
In fact, it was a complete and utter disaster.
Just over a WEEK after Bogarde signed, Chelsea dismissed Vialli with Claudio Ranieri appointed as his replacement.
And Ranieri immediately made it clear Bogarde wasn't part of his plans and told him he could find a new club.
Bogarde, however, had zero intention of going anywhere.
He had signed a four-year contract at Chelsea and was on a huge £40,000-a-week wage.
Over those years, the Stamford Bridge club attempted to pile the pressure on Bogarde, attempting to sell him.
They demoted him to the reserves and the youth team, but Bogarde stayed put until the end of his contract.
In total, he would appear just ELEVEN times in four years.
Bogarde admitted he would struggle to find a team anywhere willing to offer him a contract anywhere comparable to what Chelsea had given him, and for that reason, wasn't willing to go and still turned up to training every day.
He eventually left Chelsea in 2004, and in a stark interview following his exit, freely admitted he was one of the WORST ever signings in English Premier League history.
But he simply didn't care.
Bogarde said: "Why should I throw 15 million Euro away when it is already mine?
"At the moment I signed it was in fact my money, my contract.
"Both sides agreed wholeheartedly. Few people will ever earn so much. I am one of the few fortunate who do.
"I may be one of the worst buys in the history of the Premiership but I don't care."
A year later, Bogarde retired and moved into coaching where he's been relatively successful.
He became assistant manager at Jong Ajax in 2017 before moving on to the senior team in 2020.
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He was, however, axed in 2022 following the appointment of Alfred Schreuder.
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