Shocking Football Transfers:
This past decade has shocked the football community with some unexpected football transfers, even I never believed it will be possible.
I remember waking up to some of the weirdest football transfers news in the world. Some of my favorites players leaving their team for a club that I least expected they will ever play for. Though the reason for some transfer may be genuine. Nevertheless, it still does not stop it from being a strange transfer to us who love seeing them play for their clubs.
Thus, the history of world football is littered with famous players leaving for exorbitant fees during the transfer window.
However, if FIFA’s Financial Fair Play rules have the desired effect, fans won’t have been seeing the sum of money invested just for buying of players from one cub to the other.
However, FIFA’s Financial Fair Play rules is a good thing because it can level the playing ground for everyone during the transfer window.
On the other hand, you won’t get to see a club paying a striker who has not proven his worth, costing around £ 35million.
for real!! that so unbelievable.
Nevertheless, the transfer window can be both exciting and scary for fans in the football community. It can mean that your favorite team can finally add the missing piece to take the club to the top, but it can also mean losing your star player to your most hated rival.
Football fans are a very moody race. Even the most popular players can go to Public Enemy NO. 1 if they switch to the wrong club.
As the summer transfer window hits new heights and Europe’s top clubs buy and sell players for astronomical sums of money, here are some of the most shocking transfer window stories of all time.
We have before us a list of the 11 most shocking transfers in the history of world football. The reduction to 11 meant leaving out some of the most expensive transfers ever made.
11 unexpected football transfers In the past decade
Sometimes With the transfer market closing in most major European leagues, you might be greeted with one or two bizarre transfer news that you least expected.
let’s take a look at the most unexpected signings of the past decade.
By “unexpected” we mean those signings that were unplanned, Practically, no one saw it coming.
Most likely, you will not agree with the list. So feel free to give your opinion in the comment section.
Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus to AC Milan, 2017)
Leonardo Bonucci is one of the best defenders in the world and Juventus has relied so much on him alongside Giorgio Chiellini and Andrea Barzagli. But Bonucci’s transfer to rival Juventus shocked many and the old lady released him for a reasonable price of $ 46.7 million.
Some reports say the issue between the player and manager Massimiliano Allegri accelerated the transfer process.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Inter Milan to Barcelona (2009)
As at the time Samuel Eto’o was about leaving Barcelona, the already read the signs. But replacing him with Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of the unexpected football transfers of all time.
Barca was also alleged to have paid a whooping € 40million fee. It was quite a success for the Catalan club and a bit confusing at the same time.
They clearly wanted to replace a world-class striker with another world-class striker.
But Ibrahimovic was never known for the quality of his performance in European competition, and his big ego was sure to meet a rather humble and reserved side from Barcelona. (At least they were in 2009.)
Despite having scored 21 goals in 43 games for Barcelona, his time at Camp Nou has not been clearly remembered. He often met manager Pep Guardiola and never really made it into the team.
Ibrahimovic was loaned to AC Milan after a season and the transfer was finalized before the 2011/12 season.
Fernando Torres, Liverpool to Chelsea (2011)
Which unexpected transfer list would be complete without Fernando Torres?
Though, It was long rumored that Torres will move from Anfield before the January transfer window 2011 closes.
Therefore, him leaving Liverpool wasn’t so surprising but the timing and price shook the football world.
While the club was in turmoil, Liverpool was under new management both on the field and off pitch when Kenny Dalglish was replaced by new owners of Fenway Sports Group as Roy Hodgson’s successor.
There was a reason for new hope in the club. Then on January 27th, Torres submitted a formal transfer request. It was a bit of a shock for everyone involved in the club.
In a good deal, Liverpool held out for as long as possible before finally getting Chelsea to agree to a £ 50m fee.
Almost every football fan knows how awful the new signing was. Torres is a shell of itself at Stamford Bridge and a summer transfer seems in sight.
READ ALSO: Official: Chelsea confirms the signing of left-back Ben Chilwell from Leicester City
Andy Carroll, Newcastle United to Liverpool (2011)
This is yet another unexpected football transfers this past decade. January 31, 2011 will go down in history forever when football lost its collective marbles. Chelsea had circled Fernando Torres for a while and Liverpool eventually gave in when a £ 50m offer was on the table.
In the end, it should prove a bit of business; nothing to say about the eventual purchase of Andy Carroll to replace him. They were so desperate to sign a striker immediately – any striker – and turned to young Carroll, who was promising but had only played half a season in Premier League football.
Newcastle knew they had the money, stood their ground and a massive £ 35m offer was accepted. Only 6 goals in 26 games followed, Dalglish lost his job and Carroll eventually moved to West Ham after Anfield had completely failed.
David Beckham, Real Madrid to LA Galaxy (2007)
The David Beckham move to MLS is yet another unexpected transfer news that shook the football world till date.
David Beckham put MLS on the global soccer radar in 2007. At this point, Beckham was then and probably still the most famous footballer in the world when he moved from Real Madrid to LA Galaxy.
It was a movement that had lasted for years. But when that happened it was still a surprise, especially since Beckham had only just helped Real Madrid to the league title.
Maybe Becks moved a little early. His desire to join AC Milan on loan showed that he still had the itch and ability to play in Europe.
People could spend hours discussing whether Beckham’s move to the US was a success.
Before LA won the MLS Cup last year, it hadn’t really been a success on the court. But off the field of play, MLS was getting the kind of exposure that would otherwise not have been available.
The league’s profile has grown and the competition has arguably improved.
READ ALSO: James Rodriguez to re-unite with Ancelotti at Everton
Carlos Tevez, Manchester United to Manchester City (2009)
If there was one strange transfer news that made headline, it will definitely be Carlos Tevez move to man city.
Though, It is tempting to put Denis Law in this position. He made the same move in 1973. But he had spent time in Manchester City before playing for United.
Carlos Tevez had played for Manchester United for two years. Feeling despised by Sir Alex Ferguson, the Argentine decided to make a statement and sign for the Red Devils’ greatest rival, Manchester City.
He was instantly loved by almost every fan in town. The club has decided to put the billboard up in Manchester city center.
Everything was great for the first two seasons. After City narrowly missed a place in the Champions League in 2009/10, he finished third in 2010/11 and won an FA Cup against United in the semi-finals.
Then it got worse. He fell out with coach Roberto Mancini, refused to leave the bench in a CL game against Bayern Munich. Tevez has come on the minds of some football fans to represent everything that is wrong with the rich footballer.
Rio Ferdinand, Leeds United to Manchester United (2002)
this was another unexpected football transfers of the decade but It’s hard to blame Rio Ferdinand for wanting to move away from Leeds United.
The club had not qualified for the Champions League and without the revenue from the tournament it was clear that Leeds was heading for a steep fall.
Even so, the club had made Ferdinand the most expensive defender in the world after his £ 18 million move from West Ham.
Leeds had spent a lot to win instantly, but it failed. Without the revenue from the Champions League, they couldn’t afford to keep their best players.
It would have been difficult for Leeds fans to see a player like Ferdinand leave. But what made matters worse was his departure for hated rival Manchester United.
Nobody can say that this was not the right career choice for Ferdinand. He became one of the best central defenders in the world, winning five league titles and a Champions League crown.
Luis Figo, Barcelona to Real Madrid (2000)
I must say there are several examples unexpectd transfers on this list of players bridging the gap between rivals, but perhaps none have had the impact of Figo’s move from Barca to Madrid. Loved at Camp Nou, he won a cup winners’ cup medal and two la liga titles.
It was a big shock when the £ 40 million transfer came. Supporters of the Catalan club quickly showed their sense of betrayal when he returned to Camp Nou three seasons later. Several objects, including a pig’s head, were thrown at him as he took corners and throw-ins.
Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, Barcelona to PSG (2017)
The football world was thrown into a state of amazement with the bizarre transfer news of Neymar Junior from Barcelona FC to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 hit the internet.
Few transfers have changed the global market like Neymar’s move to Paris Saint-Germain. High transfer fees were commonplace in the 2010s, and the likes of Luis Suarez, James Rodriguez, and Angel di Maria all moved for high fees.
Neymar’s’ transfer raises the standard a little bit higher, however. That move may have been the moment for football’s sliding door, a move that had a huge impact on the global market and increased transfer fees across Europe. It is the butterfly effect that takes place on the big stage.
€222 million euros. Spain’s buyout clauses are known to be exorbitant as they have been mandatory in contracts since 1985.
However, when Barcelona accepted Neymar’s buyout fees, they never imagined that one day they could be will be met. PSG, backed by the Gulf State of Qatar, saw an opportunity to improve its global reputation and paid the cost of Neymar. Tempted by a change of scenario and the chance to be the captain outside the shadow of Lionel Messi, the Brazilian was happy to move. This was the most bizarre transfer fee in the history of football.
Gareth Bale, Tottenham Hotspur to Real Madrid (2013)
Transfer of midfielder Gareth Bale to Real Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur was one of the strangest football transfers as of 2013. it was basically the highest transfer fee paid before the Neymar junior transfer to PSG.
Though there was no official word on the amount of the transfer fee as at the time, Madrid reportedly paid a record € 100m (around $ 130m) to put Welsh star Bale on their bright list.
The 24-year-old Bale was a year into his four-year deal with Spurs, but he and the club were ultimately overwhelmed by Madrid’s persistence and money. it was confirmed, that the fee was around € 7m more than what Madrid paid in 2009 for Cristiano Ronaldo.
Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid to juventus(2018)
After nine years at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Cristiano Ronaldo move to Juventus came as a shock. You can say it is the highest unexpected transfer news of the decade. Owing to the fact that he just won his fifth champions league title with the club.
Nobody in the club’s history has scored as many goals as the Portuguese striker, who won an impressive trophy as a Real Madrid player: four Champions League crowns, three Club World Cups and Super Cups. two La Liga titles each, a pair of Copas del Rey and two Spanish Super Cups.
Juventus paid a whooping £105 million. to sign Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo which is pretty high for a 33-year-old who was not looking like he getting tired anytime soon.
At 33, Ronaldo’s time at the top of the game may be limited, but his impact in recent years has increased rather than decreased with age. He has played a key role in the club’s four UEFA Champions League victories over the past five years, including winning the European Championship with Portugal in 2016.
Ronaldo has also won two La Liga trophies at Real as well as three FIFA Club World Cups, two Copas del Rey, two UEFA Super Cups and two Spanish Super Cups.
It was once thought that if Ronaldo ever left Real he would return to Old Trafford, but instead, he goes to Juventus, whom Real eliminated from the Champions League in the quarter-finals that season. at the last minute. Ronaldo’s acrobatic goal that got the Juve fans applauding him.
Ronaldo was also part of the squad that beat the Bianconeri in the 2017 Champions League final, yes!!! this transfer news is sure a bizarre transfer of all time.
Conclusion:
if you never saw these transfers as shocking I wonder what else will shock you as a football fan.
For real, these were actually unexpected football transfers. The reason being that, these players didn’t just move to any club, they actually moved to clubs we least expected them to.
To add salt to injury, the timing and transfer fees which till this date have not been broken yet were outrageous and the football community is yet to recover from it.
