Some players have refused to sign a contract despite having the pen in their hand, while others have gone into hiding to avoid a transfer
As we all know, football is no longer a sport. It's a business – and a pretty ruthless one at that. Nowhere is this better illustrated than in the transfer market, where money is king and the idea of a 'gentleman's agreement' is utterly laughable. This is why it's so naive for supporters to think that a 'Here we go!' is akin to confirmation that a deal has been done.
In reality, clubs cannot take anything for granted until a player signs on the dotted line, given there are all sorts of things that can go wrong at the 11th hour. Remember, even a faulty fax machine can scupper a proposed move!
However, the biggest threat to the completion of a transfer is last-minute interest from elsewhere – as Tottenham have once again discovered to their considerable cost. So, with Eberechi Eze's move to Arsenal in mind, GOAL runs through the most dramatic hijackings in football history:
AFPAlfredo di Stefano
There are numerous myths and rumours surrounding Real Madrid's hijacking of Alfredo di Stefano's seemingly agreed move to Barcelona. What we know for certain is that the deal was complicated by the fact that Di Stefano was playing for Colombian outfit Millonarios in 1953 while still technically owned by River Plate.
Ramon Trias Fargas, the Catalan lawyer entrusted with negotiating on Barca's behalf, also felt undermined by senior figures at the club, including president Marti Carreto – which led to allegations of a 'conspiracy orchestrated by Madrid with the blessing of the Spanish government'.
The whole affair grew even murkier when the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) suddenly banned the signing of foreign players but offered to make Di Stefano exempt from the ruling if Barca agreed to share him with Madrid. Under the terms of the proposal, Di Stefano would alternate between the two Clasico rivals at the end of every season. Barca agreed to do so, but Caretto was forced to resign less than a week later due to the controversy caused by the absurd compromise in Catalunya.
In the end, the Blaugrana gave up on the deal in exchange for compensation from Madrid and were forced to watch on as Di Stefano transformed Los Blancos into the most dominant force in European football.
AdvertisementHulton ArchivePaul Gascoigne
Sir Alex Ferguson thought Paul Gascoigne was the most talented player England had produced since Bobby Charlton, so the Scot was feeling pretty pleased with himself after getting the Newcastle midfielder's word that he would be a Manchester United player by the time Ferguson returned from his holiday in Malta in the summer of 1988.
However, two days after striking a verbal agreement with Fergsuon, Gascoigne was contacted by Spurs chairman Irving Scholar. According to the former England international, his father told him, "Tell them to f*ck off, you're signing for Man United."
But Scholar was undeterred and allegedly promised his father £120,000 if Gascoigne signed for Spurs. When this offer was passed on, Gascoigne's father asked, "What are you waiting for then, son?!'"
The incentives didn't end there, either. Gascoigne claims that Scholar also agreed to buy his father "a BMW soft top with a private reg", his mother a mouse and his sister a sunbed.
When Ferguson learned of Gascoigne's move to Tottenham while still on holiday, he was fuming and refused to speak to the play for years, always adamant that the lovable but troubled Geordie had "made a big mistake" turning down the chance to work with him at Old Trafford. Gascoigne even acknowledged that himself, famously quipping, "My sister should have just got a spray tan and I would have a few more medals!"
Hulton ArchiveRoy Keane
It was late on a Friday evening in the summer of 1993 when Nottingham Forest starlet Roy Keane shook hands with Blackburn Rovers boss Kenny Dalglish on a transfer to Ewood Park. The Scottish manager requested that the contract be drawn up and signed right away, but every member of his club's admin team had wrapped up for the day. As a result, pen could not be put to paper until the following Monday.
By that stage, though, Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson had both called and met Keane in person, convincing him to accept a smaller salary to move to Old Trafford instead. The news did not go down well in Blackburn. "Nobody does this to Kenny Dalglish," the Liverpool legend told the 21-year-old Irishman. "You're a wee b*stard and you won't get away with this."
Keane subsequently admitted that he was looking over his shoulder for some time after the snub, and also "felt bad" about going back on his word. However, he had no real regrets and went on to become one of the greatest captains in United's history. Years later, even Dalglish admitted while sitting alongside the former midfielder on a television panel that Keane had probably made the right call.
AFPEmmanuel Petit
Emmanuel Petit flew to London in the summer of 1997 to discuss a possible transfer to Tottenham. The Frenchman wasn't completely convinced by the offer on the table, though, and asked for some time to think things over.
Rather than return to his hotel, though, Petit jumped in a taxi paid for by Spurs and headed straight to Arsene Wenger's house to discuss a possible reunion with his former Monaco boss at Highbury.
"Arsenal arranged for us all to meet there, as they wanted everything to be secret," Petit later told . "Their offer was far better than Spurs' and I really wanted to play for Arsene again. He spoke to me on a different level, as a human being, and (vice-chairman) David Dein was also very kind. I could feel their desire and I was excited by the project they put on the table, with the guys I was set to play alongside.
"After three hours I said, 'Yeah, I'm ready to sign for you.'" It proved an inspired choice, as Petit helped Arsenal win a domestic double in his first season at Highbury.
