The world of football transfers can be fascinating. For an extended period of the year, fans dedicate multiple hours each day trawling the internet or waiting for that yellow banner on Sky Sports News, in an attempt to discover just who their club are in negotiations to sign.
Many moves down the years have collapsed, frustrating managers, supporters and players, and while some of these issues ultimately benefit all those involved, there are a fair few cases of the ‘one that got away’. Whether it be wage demands, stubborn chairmen or a sudden sense of realisation, a number of promising moves have broken down, which would surely have changed the landscape of British football as we know it
This list looks at 15 transfers that never quite came to fruition for various reasons.
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Earlier this week, Football FanCast revealed that a staggering 79% of Arsenal fans want Unai Emery to reunite with Steven Nzonzi this summer. The powerful defensive midfielder was a key player for Emery’s Sevilla side as the engine room anchor behind an exciting and vibrant attack – lifting the Europa League title together in 2015/16.
But how would signing the France international – who Transfermarkt value at £27million – truly impact the Gunners? Football FanCast take a look at the potential consequences of a summer swoop for the Sevilla star.
Emery makes his mark
Emery’s preference for playing in a 4-2-3-1 setup is no great secret and it’s probably exactly what Arsenal need right now, placing two deep-lying midfielders in front of a defence that was painfully exposed during the latter part of Arsene Wenger’s reign. Nzonzi is perfect for that sitting role and particularly within this Arsenal team; not only does he offer the sheer physicality they lack in midfield, but he’s a classy passer of the ball as well – completing 92% of his passes in La Liga last season.
Most importantly though, the 29-year-old represents a signing that brings Emery a step closer to really making his mark on this Arsenal team – something that’s only amplified by the fact Nzonzi already understands the system and the Gunners gaffer’s methods.
Opportunities dry up for Maitland-Niles
Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ rise was one of the few positive stories from Wenger’s final season in charge but Nzonzi’s arrival could make it a little more difficult for the exciting 20-year-old to get game-time.
In fairness, Maitland-Niles did show some versatility last season, also featuring as a left-back and a wing-back under Wenger, but central midfield appears to be his best role and signing the Frenchman would only increase the competition there with the likes of Granit Xhaka, Mohamed Elneny and Jack Wilshere already at Emery’s disposal.
While many Arsenal fans will argue he’s a better option than some of the above names, the fact is Emery will want to get off to a strong start in north London and that will likely see him favour experience and new signings over youth.
Arsenal’s defensive record markedly improves
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Arsenal conceded a staggering 51 goals last season, the most of any side in the top seven by a margin of twelve, and arresting that porousness will surely be one of Emery’s first ports of call during the summer – whether that’s working with the backline on the training pitch or overhauling its personnel via the transfer window.
But defending well doesn’t begin with the back four – the fact is, Arsenal’s defenders had an incredibly tough job under Wenger because of how open the rest of the team was, especially in midfield.
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Nzonzi brings the discipline and defensive awareness Arsenal glaringly need, and that extra slab of protection could drastically change opinions of certain defenders at the club, such as Hector Bellerin and Shkodran Mustafi, who have probably been made to look worse than they actually are over the last few seasons.
According to World Football Index, Liverpool have agreed a deal to sign Colombian teenager Anderson Arroyo.
What’s the story?
Arroyo is believed to have previously undergone a trial with Liverpool, who have been closely monitoring his progress over the last 12 months.
According to World Football Index, the Reds have now agreed a deal with Independiente del Valle in order to secure the signature of the highly-rated 18-year-old defender.
Arroyo is also believed to have had a trial with Mallorca, and it is understood that he will be loaned to the Spanish outfit – who operate in the second tier of Spain – in order to secure a work permit.
It is a transfer that has largely gone under the radar, but Liverpool are said to be excited about the potential of the full-back, who is already an Under-20 Colombia international.
Who is Anderson Arroyo?
Capable of operating on either side of a back four, Arroyo had a trial with Liverpool in 2016 at the age of 16, and has been monitored by the Reds ever since.
Arroyo is believed to have been a wide midfielder during his youth career, but has now developed into an attacking full-back.
He represented Colombia at the 2015 South American Under-17 Championships, and has since become an Under-20 international for his country.
World Football Index calls Arroyo a player with ‘excellent acceleration and athleticism’. Meanwhile, the teenager’s qualities on the ball are also referenced in the report.
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It appears that Arroyo’s immediate future will be at Mallorca after joining Liverpool, but the club’s supporters should be excited about the potential of the young defender.
Liverpool have struggled to find a consistent performer at left-back in recent years, and Arroyo could well develop into a future star for the Premier League club.
The Merseyside derby is one of the Premier League’s most unique fixtures that never fails to disappoint. This afternoon, Everton made the short trip across Stanley Park to Anfield, looking to leapfrog local rivals Liverpool in the table and make a statement of their Champions League intentions.
But the Reds are gunning for Europe too, and came out of the blocks flying. Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard put them ahead after 20 minutes, and the rest was simply one-way traffic. An injury to Toffees talisman Romelu Lukaku certainly didn’t help proceedings, and soon after the Belgium international came off, Daniel Sturridge recorded a stunning brace within two minutes, his latter effort being a sensational chip, making it 3-0.
Luis Suarez then stopped any chance of a comeback ten minutes after the interval to get the home side’s fourth of the evening.
It could have been more; Daniel Sturridge missed a penalty just before the hour mark with a horrendous effort that didn’t even work Tim Howard, and the England international also wasted an opportunity to square the ball to Suarez in the box, instead shooting wide.
In yet another thrilling and unpredictable Merseyside clash, it’s Liverpool who go away with all three points and solidify their hold on the Premier League’s fourth spot.
After lots of sustained pressure from the home side in the first 20 minutes, Steven Gerrard finds the net for Liverpool with a header:
A few moments later, Romelu Lukaku is forced off with a nasty injury from a collision with Gareth Barry:
And after 34 minutes, Daniel Sturridge increased the home side’s lead:
The England international made it a brace just seconds later:
After 50 minutes, Luis Suarez made it four for the home side.
Five minutes later, Liverpool won a rather dubious penalty, which Daniel Sturridge failed to convert in typically English fashion:
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Then Suarez and Sturridge had a little tiff about not passing the ball…
Tottenham have the opportunity to extend their 8-game unbeaten run when stuttering Aston Villa travel to White Hart Lane on Sunday.
Andre Villas-Boas has been doing his utmost to silence his critics, and last weekend enjoyed arguably his finest moment in English football so far, as his side picked up a win over Manchester United at Old Trafford – the club’s first since 1989.
AVB fielded a strong team for the midweek draw with Panathanikos, but changes are set to be made for Sunday’s clash.
Villa have been the model of inconsistency this season, drawing 1-1 with West Brom last time out having beaten Manchester City 4-2 at the Etihad the game before.
Emmanuel Adebayor has recovered from a hamstring problem and will challenge the in form Jermain Defoe for the lone striker role.
Brad Friedel is expected to start in goal once again, despite France captain Hugo Lloris producing another good performance in Europe on Thursday.
Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Younes Kaboul, Jake Livermore, Kyle Naughton and Scott Parker are all out injured.
Aston Villa remain without Stephen Ireland and Richard Dunne through injury, but Lambert’s biggest decision will come in attack.
The Scot must decide whether to start Darren Bent against his former club, after the striker came off the bench to rescue a point against West Brom last time out.
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He was reportedly unhappy at being left out of the starting line up, and is desperate to feature against his former employers.
Leeds have been showing interest in multiple goalkeepers since the transfer window opened last week, but does Bailey Peacock-Farrell deserve to stay as number one?
When news broke last week that Leeds-born David Stockdale would be allowed to leave Garry Monk’s Birmingham this summer, Leeds fans were desperate for their club to make a summer swoop.
Stockdale is 32, so would compete for the number one shirt with the impressive Peacock-Farrell, while also offering experience and guidance for the young stopper.
This week’s links are a little more confusing though, with the Yorkshire Evening Post reporting Leeds’ interest in Manchester City youngster Angus Gunn, who spent this season on loan at Norwich.
Gunn is an impressive young keeper, but the decision to move for another young stopper does seem odd given Peacock-Farrell’s emergence this season.
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Gunn and Peacock-Farrell could of course compete for the number one shirt, which could yield better performances from both of them, or the club could end up with two young keepers short of confidence.
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Either way, Peacock-Farrell must be wondering what more he can do to prove he belongs as number one, after deservedly earning his first Northern Ireland call-up earlier this year.
So, Leeds fans, how do you feel about the goalkeeper links? Should Peacock-Farrell start next season? Let us know buy voting in the poll below…
Over the last few weeks, there have been two good news stories to warm the hearts of anyone who cares about football as a sport and not an all-out war between partisan sides who harbour genuine hatred for each other.
Two footballers of elite level quality who have had heartbreaking injuries have come back to play vital roles in their respective teams over the last few weeks. And although it is, perhaps, natural for most people to roll their eyes to a certain degree at too much sympathy for very well paid young men complaining about not having to go to work for a few months, the curtailing of a life’s ambition should never be something to revel in. And, indeed, anyone who feels a tinge of sadness at those whose career ambitions have taken a hit should feel a particular satisfaction that they’re coming back in a World Cup year.
The two in question are Jack Wilshere and Ilkay Gundogan, both of whom have suffered severe bad luck, and are now coming into what would usually be described as their peak years. And football shouldn’t be deprived of their special talents.
What’s interesting about both players upon their return, however, is two interviews that both men have given in recent weeks.
At the start of January, Wilshere revealed his gluten free and vegan diet, extolling the health benefits of the switch, but more importantly the psychological effect it’s had on him, too.
There are always plenty of people who hear buzz words like gluten free and vegan and instantly roll their eyes, or are instantly suspicious. If that’s you, that’s fair enough: there are plenty of crazy fad diets and those who partake in them are often the bores and the pushers. But in this case, it’s the wrong reaction. For Wilshere, even if the perceived health benefits are just that – perceived, and not real – that’s beside the point. The point is his relationship with his body and the fact he’s conscious of what he’s consuming – if it makes him cope with injuries simply because he’s more in tune with his body, then it’s more than worth it.
Ilkay Gundogan, too, has been telling a similar story – not of new diets and changed life choices, but of how he, too, is a “different kind of player” off the pitch. The German told the Manchester Evening News that he’ll never be the same player he was before, but rather than claim that he’ll never reach his previous level, what the City midfielder was trying to say was that he, like Wilshere, is thinking more about the impact on his body of doing certain things.
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“I remember when I was at Dortmund I would go outside and kick the ball into the goal straight away, taking free-kicks or something,” he told Stuart Brennan of the news outlet. “I would never do that now. When I see the young players doing that, I think ‘Oh my God, no!’ I won’t do it and maybe I couldn’t even do that. I need to get myself warm first and get ready to perform. It doesn’t matter whether it’s training or a game.”
That’s part of how injuries change footballers. But more importantly, how the player has to change himself. It’s one thing getting back to fitness again, but it’s a completely different thing to understand and realise that you have to be more aware of what’s happening with your body.
But that should extend into the next step, too. Surely that can’t just mean being more aware of your joints and muscles and what you’re asking them to do when you’re off the pitch or away from training – surely that has to be the same for what you ask it to do in games, too.
“The few times I’ve had dairy in the hotel I’ve had an upset stomach. But I just cut it out completely and I think I look better. I’ve certainly lost a little bit of weight. I’m leaner and probably a little bit fitter as well. I feel I can last longer” – Jack Wilshere
Wilshere and Gundogan have something in common with the way they play football. Both are central midfielders who play box to box, but both are more valuable to their clubs for their abilities to get the team forward and turn defence into attack.
But perhaps that’s what has to change. The movements required to play one-twos with teammates and jink your way through the opposition’s tackles are tough for the injury-prone, especially if it’s a weak knee or ankle we’re talking about. There’s also the all-action nature of a player like Wilshere, who endears himself to fans when he’s on top of his game because of his fearlessness in a tackle or his willingness to take a player on.
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It’s not abnormal for players to change roles in teams as they get older, but the plight of players like Gundogan and Wilshere show the side of the game that doesn’t just have to do with tactics and fitness – there’s also a wider thing to think about, and that’s how to preserve yourself for the next game, too. We see that already with players who are a booking away from missing a crucial game, for example.
You can’t go out onto a pitch fearing injury. But what you can do is change your relationship with your body and the game you’re asking it to play in order to make sure that your game matches your adjusted physical ability. If that means learning a new role in the team, then so be it. For both of these players to come out and say as much in the space of two weeks is enlightening and interesting, and it should shed some light on what it takes for a player to come back from a long-term injury and actually thrive again once they’re back.
In a World Cup year, let’s hope that approach works for two players who could light up the competition in Russia this summer.
Liverpool returned to the top of the Premier League table with a Luis Suarez-inspired 3-1 win over Cardiff after an enthralling 90 minutes of action at Anfield.
Two first-half goals from the Uruguayan – who penned a mega money contract extension at the club yesterday – either side of a Raheem Sterling tap in (also set up by Suarez) saw the Reds enter interval with a comfortable lead. The second period was a completely different affair, as Malky Mackay’s men enjoyed the better of the final 45 minutes, pulling a goal back through Jordon Mutch.
Despite the comfortable scoreline for the home side, it was Cardiff who started the game the brighter of the two sides.
Craig Noone tested Simon Mignolet with a fine curling effort, which the Belgian dived to keep out of his net. Mutch then came close with a free header from the ensuing corner, as the visitors looked threatening.
However, Suarez then provided the moment of magic on 23 minutes to break the deadlock. The deadly South American volleyed home superbly from the edge of the area after Jordan Henderson’s looping cross dropped onto his right boot.
From here the Reds surged into control of the game, with both Philippe Coutinho and Jon Flanagan rattling David Marshall’s right-hand post.
Liverpool then doubled their advantage after 41 minutes, with Suarez this time turning provider. The number seven raced clear from the half-way line, before unselfishly feeding Sterling to tap home.
Then with Cardiff looking to get in for half-time just the two goals down Suarez struck again, curling home from outside the area following a neat exchange of passes with Henderson.
After a bright start to the last 45 minutes, Cardiff pulled a goal back through Mutch, who nodded past the home stopper after a Peter Whittingham free-kick.
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The Bluebirds continued to dominate, and despite having a penalty claim turned down looked the more likely side to net the fifth goal of the afternoon, but almost let Suarez secure his hat-trick with an effort that struck the post.
The away side were unable to pull another goal back, as Liverpool held firm to secure a vital three points, which sees them leapfrog Arsenal to take top spot in the Premier League. Meanwhile Cardiff stay 15th, but could drop lower if other results go against them.
Martin O’Neill may allow first team members to represent Sunderland Under 21s in their derby clash at the Sports Direct Arena.
David Vaughan has already represented Kevin Ball’s side in his quest to re-find fitness following a hernia problem, while Connor Wickham and Ji Dong Won may also be made available by the Ulsterman. Both strikers have dropped down the pecking order at the Stadium of Light, with the arrivals of Steven Fletcher and Louis Saha, meaning neither have seen first team action, yet.
Vaughan is eligible for the team as one of three overage players while Wickham and Dong Won are still young enough to play. O’Neill told The Sunderland Echo, “I was pleased to see David get 45 minutes under his belt for his country – for the moment he needs as many minutes on the pitch as he can get.
“He’ll come into contention for the reserves games but were continuing to monitor him and make a decision on the day.”
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Sunderland triumphed over their bitter rivals at under 18 level this weekend and would welcome the increase in quality to their under 21 side.
Shkodran Mustafi had a season to forget at Arsenal, particularly in the closing stages of the campaign.
The Germany international was caught out a handful of times in the last few remaining matches under Arsene Wenger’s tenure as manager.
Unsurprisingly, his performances caused many fans to rant and rave on social media, with some calling for the club to sell the centre-back.
The 26-year-old – valued at £25.2m by Transfermarkt – will have an opportunity to prove that he deserves a place in the team following the arrival of Unai Emery as manager.
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The Spaniard adopted various formations during his spells in charge of Sevilla and Paris Saint-Germain, but he has consistently used a back four.
While at Parc des Princes, he deployed similar tactics to that of Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp by instructing his defenders to press high.
Emery will assess his defensive options before making a decision on Mustafi, who won the World Cup with Germany in 2014.
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Judging on past form and the defender’s ability, will he end up being an important member of Emery’s team?