21 JULY 2004 — 16 years ago this week — witnessed Newcastle United entice a genuine superstar to the club on a free transfer.
Patrick Kluivert had burst onto the scene as an 18-year-old, scoring the winning goal for the famous Ajax team in the 1995 Champions League final.
That December, the teenager hit a brace against the Republic of Ireland at Anfield — Jack Charlton’s final game in charge of the Boys in Green — to qualify the Dutch for Euro ’96.
After a brief spell with Milan in 1997/98, he was reunited with old mentor Louis van Gaal at Barcelona — forming a lethal partnership with Rivaldo to lead the Catalan giants to La Liga’s title in 1999.
In six seasons at the Camp Nou, Kluivert clocked up 145 goals in 308 appearances.
However, he was one of several players released in the summer of 2004 and made a surprise move to the north-east of England, where former Barca boss Bobby Robson was in charge.
28-year-old Kluivert and club legend Alan Shearer were expected to combine in a world-class strike duo, but things didn’t work out that way.
Despite scoring on his first start against Aston Villa in late August, Newcastle lost 4-2 and Robson was sacked days later.
Kluivert chipped in with five goals in the Uefa Cup, but managed a total of 13 goals and Newcastle decided against extending his one-year deal.
He returned to Spain with Valencia and also lined out for PSV Eindhoven and French side Lille before retiring in 2008.
