The January transfer window is more often than not rather like the month itself. It drags on forever, is pretty dull and when it’s over everyone is glad to see the back of it.
And sometimes a transfer not going through can actually be more entertaining than a deal being struck, especially when we get to find out the reasons why.
So here are some of the more celebrated non-transfers from years gone by, January or otherwise, and the official reasons why they ended up dead in the water; whether you care to believe them or not is up to you.
1. Tim Krul to Watford: Medical Too Long
In January 2017 Magpies ‘keeper Tim Krul reportedly pulled out of a move to Watford because he felt that his medical was too long.
After a short spell at Ajax he was linked with a loan move to Watford but before the move could be confirmed the stopper was due to undergo a medical. However, Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf claims Krul was annoyed by Watford's prolonged procedure and allegedly complained: “Every bone and every muscle needed to be examined.”
Krul eventually returned to his native Holland and began talks with Eredivisie side AZ Alkmaar, where he eventually saw out the rest of the season.
2. Emmanuel Adebayor to Aston Villa: Message from God
In the summer of 2015 Tottenham were desperate to offload Emmanuel Adebayor who demanded that his contract be paid up in full if he was going to leave.
After agreeing to his demands the wantaway striker looked set to join Tim Sherwood’s Aston Villa but having already undergone his medical at Villa’s training ground and posed for promotional pictures in the claret and blue shirt the move hit something of glitch thanks to what can only be described as divine intervention.
Adebayor bizarrely claimed that he needed a sign from God that the move was right for him and as yet hadn’t got the call, and with Villa crashing out of the Premier League later that season maybe he was right to trust his judgement after all?
3. Frank Worthington to Liverpool: High Blood Pressure
Often described as the working man’s George Best Frank Worthington was the ultimate 1970s football playboy, but he could play a bit too. So much so that he even attracted the attention of the legendary Bill Shankly at Liverpool.
Rumour has it that in 1972 he’d even agreed personal terms and was on the brink of a move to Anfield only to fail a medical due to what was described as ‘high blood pressure;’ though many at the time believed it was actually the result of what could best be described as a “life of leisure.”
Having been told to go and relax for a bit Worthington duly headed to Mallorca and after spending a week in the company of a string of Page Three girls he returned, only to fail a second medical and the deal never went through.
4. Robert Lewandowski to Blackburn: Volcanic Eruption
Polish international Robert Lewandowski was certainly making a name for himself in 2010 and his goalscoring feats for Lech Poznan soon attracted the interest of a number of clubs around Europe.
One such side was Blackburn Rovers and a deal was all but agreed which apparently only needed the Polish international’s signature to cement the move; but the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland would mean the transfer never went through.
When his flight to England was canceled due to the subsequent ash cloud which blanketed much of Europe the delay allowed Borussia Dortmund to pounce, bringing him to the Bundesliga instead and the rest, as they say, is history.
5. Diego Maradona to Sheffield United: Too Expensive
He might have gone on to become the greatest player on the planet but in 1978 Diego Maradona was regarded as a little too pricey for ambitious Sheffield United Manager Harry Haslam.
Following the 1978 World Cup in Argentina, South American players were all the rage with a number of English coaches crossing the Atlantic to sound-out a number of targets including a certain Diego Maradona who was on the Blades’ radar.
Haslam instead turned his attentions to the slightly cheaper and nowhere near as talented Alex Sabella, who ended up making just 76 appearances for the Bramhall Lane club. Meanwhile, Maradona went on to win silverware at Barcelona and Napoli while almost single-handedly leading Argentina to World Cup success at Mexico ‘86.
