The transfer window is back open and that means Twitter is awash with transfer rumours from accounts that are desperate to be #ITK. With the new verification system on Twitter it is difficult to know the difference between genuine news accounts and attention seekers, while Saudi Arabia's new power is making any fee seem achievable.
But some of the best transfer rumours from history actually did come close to happening. From Robert Lewandowski to Diego Maradona, these are the greatest football transfer that almost happened…
Alan Shearer to Manchester United
The top scorer in Premier League history came very close to joining Manchester United and Sir Alex Ferguson was one of his biggest fans. United attempted to sign him before he moved to his boyhood club Newcastle in 1996, where he now has a statue outside St James’ Park.
Shearer had even been to Fergie’s house to verbally complete a deal but Blackburn chairman Jack Walker was not keen on him joining their title rivals and preferred a then-world record £15m move to Newcastle.
As Shearer had so much respect for his father-like boss, he agreed to move to the Toon where he became a club legend. United instead bought some unknown Norwegian called Ole Gunnar Solskjaer… whatever became of him?
Steven Gerrard to Chelsea
The transfer saga that defined the noughties in the Premier League. Jose Mourinho famously loved Steven Gerrard and was desperate to bring the Liverpool captain to Stamford Bridge and play him alongside Frank Lampard. Gerrard was tempted; in 2004 he looked likely to move but stayed under Rafa Benitez. However, the following year it looked like Mourinho had got his man when Gerrard handed in a transfer request.
But a week later he had performed a complete u-turn and signed a new contract, leaving the Liverpool fans who burnt his shirt looking very silly. He may have won Premier League titles at Chelsea but his club legend status at Liverpool is perhaps worth even more than that.
Kaka to Manchester City
In 2009, Manchester City were ready to make waves in world football having been taken over and there was one man they wanted to announce themselves as a footballing superpower. Kaka had won the Ballon d’Or in 2007 and looked likely to join City after a ridiculous £100m transfer was touted.
He was for sale and interested in the deal but instead political issues at the club meant that circumstances changed and the transfer never materialised.
Diego Maradona to Sheffield United
In 1978, Sheffield United really did come close to landing Diego Maradona. Harry Haslam, then Sheffield United manager went on a scouting trip to Argentina and to his shock, saw a 17-year-old Maradona playing in his homeland. Obviously impressed by his outrageous skill, Haslam thrashed out a deal worth £200,000 - which was a lot of money back in the day.
However, the Second Division club would not pay the extra cash needed on top of the base fee and the deal never happened. You can read about this failed transfer here, thanks to Matthew Crist.
Zinedine Zidane to Blackburn
"Why do you want to sign Zidane when we've got Tim Sherwood?"
The famous line chairman Jack Walker delivered to then Rovers manager Ray Harford after the club had just won the Premier League. Zidane may not have come to Lancashire but the club did scout him and as they were champions, they may have been in with a shout of securing his signature.
Robert Lewandowski to Blackburn
Sorry Blackburn fans, but this one is a gem. Sam Allardyce had bid £4m for the Lech Poznan striker and he was set to travel to the North West before the infamous volcanic ash cloud struck. That gave Lewandowski enough time to change his mind and he went to Dortmund instead. The eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull denied Big Sam one of his greatest ever transfers.
Rivaldo to Bolton
Big Sam again. World Cup winner Rivaldo was on the brink of moving to Bolton in 2004 to the extent where he even released a statement:
"I want the challenge of trying to get Bolton into Europe for the first time in their history. It is an exciting time."
But then the sunny sights of Athens proved too much of a draw and he decided to join Olympiakos instead. I mean, what does Athens have that Bolton doesn’t?
Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Arsenal
Remember when Arsene Wenger had that strange period of time claiming he could have signed all of the best players in the world? But that really was the case for a short period of time.
In 2000, he wanted none other than Zlatan Ibrahimovic on trial but famously the Swede said:
“I don’t do trials.”
They were also in for Cristiano Ronaldo. The future world megastar was at the training ground with his mother before Carlos Queiroz tempted him to join Manchester United. Crazy.
Gabrielle Batistuta to Ipswich
Yep really. £2.9m was thought to be the fee to secure the services of the Fiorentina man who was unhappy at the time. Adam Hurrey dissects this transfer in detail here, but this quote from Ipswich gaffer John Lyall explains all:
“Batistuta is thought to be unhappy at Fiorentina and a pre- contract agreement is said to exist between the Italians and Ipswich in advance of a £2.9m transfer, which would be a record for the Suffolk club.”
Remarkably this one never quite got over the line.
Denilson to Bolton Wanderers
In 1998, Real Betis signed 20-year-old Denilson for £21.5million in 1998 and made him the most expensive player in the world, tying him down to a ten-year contract. By 2009, his career was all but over.
Failed spells all over the world led him to a trial with Bolton Wanderers, then 30 years old, but unlike the others on this list, it was the club who turned down the chance to sign him permanently. Bolton manager Gary Megson said: “He is a fantastic person and didn’t come here as a big-time Charlie. He mixed in with everyone else, and if anyone rang me up about giving him a reference he’d get nothing but positives.”
Damningly, Bolton didn’t sign him for footballing reasons, questioning his ability in comparison to Matty Taylor and Ricardo Gardner. What a world.
