Brazilian winger Denilson is often cited as one of the biggest transfer flops in recent history, following the wingers world record �21.5million move from Sao Paulo to Real Betis in 1998.
That saw him break the record set by his international team-mate Ronaldo 12 months earlier and big things were predicted from the 21-year-old who had broken into the Brazil national side as a teenager and played in that summers World Cup final.
Denilson on what it meant to be the worlds most expensive player
In 1996, I got my first Brazil call-up, Denilson recalls to FourFourTwo. Suddenly, rumours of European clubs swirled. I was linked to Milan, Bara, Real Madrid, Manchester United. By 1998 things got serious. Then one day, Sao Paulos president summoned me and my former agent. That alone was terrifying for a kid, since contact with the president was rare.
He told me the club had received a $12 million bid from Barcelona and intended to accept it. I had no clue what $12m even worked out as in reais. At that point, whatever they said, I would have agreed to it.
I went home and told my parents I was off to Bara. But then Betis arrived, offering $32m (�21.5m). Brazilian law at the time meant I was entitled to just 15 per cent of that sum, but still, it was a life-changing amount of money. More than twice the offer from Bara and a chance to secure my familys future.
Today people always talk about career planning. Back then, that didnt exist. My train was there and I had to jump on it. My first priority was sorting out my parents lives, the rest came after. Only later, when the press highlighted it, did I realise it was a world-record transfer fee. Honestly, I barely cared. My only concern was giving my family comfort.
Between 1995 and the 1998 World Cup Final, my career had been magical. Everything at Sao Paulo felt like a dream. We won the state championship before I left, and I went to my first World Cup on the back of that.
I played every one of our matches in France, carried the worlds most expensive player tag, and arrived in Seville in the best shape of my life. The only downside was not winning that World Cup, but even then I was living the high point of my career.
Moving to Betis was the moment that I became a man and a real professional footballer. I didnt know much about Seville. Id been told Id cope with the language, the winters werent too harsh and the food would be fine.
My parents came with me, so things were good off the pitch. But on it, I struggled. I wasnt playing well and football stopped being fun.
I lost some of the irreverence that I carried. Instead came sadness, anger, pressure. I thought adapting to Spanish football would be easy, given my four brilliant years in Brazil. However, the expectations on me were enormous and the press questioned how anyone could pay such a fee for me. I grew up quickly through those tough times.
My first two seasons were awful and we got relegated from La Liga. During the 2000-01 season, I split the year between a loan spell at Flamengo and Betis in the second division.
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