Top Ten Best Transfers That Never Happened

The Best Nearly Football Transfers of All Time

Robert Lewandowski - Blackburn Rovers

An eruption away from what could've been one of the best transfer deals in football history. Of course, we are talking about Robert Lewandowski to Premier League Blackburn, the move that was prevented by an ash cloud obstructing any flights from Poland to the UK. The cloud was said to be from the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland, after former Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce traveled to see Lewandowski playing for Polish side Lech Poznan. Discussions were made; an agreement was in place for the striker to travel to Blackburn and finalize the move, before disaster struck.

🇵🇱🔵 Robert Lewandowski: “I had the opportunity to join Blackburn Rovers... but I wanted to see how Blackburn looked, the training ground."

"I met with Sam Allardyce. It was in Poland after a game. I thought he was a good guy, a very good coach."

"Allardyce was prepared to… pic.twitter.com/Nsjib8XrK5

— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) November 17, 2023

Soon after, Lewandowski was contacted by the German side Borussia Dortmund, and he happened to be familiar with personnel already at the club. Dortmund agreed on a fee of €4.5 million (approximately) for the striker, a deal that would soon turn out to be the bargain of the century. As for Rovers, their tenure in the Premier League soon came to an end, but how different would things have been if Lewandowski had been leading the line?

Francesco Totti - Real Madrid

The most loyal man in football. Totti proved the rightful owner of that title when his move to Real Madrid collapsed in 2004. Club president Florentino Perez was a huge admirer of the Italian and tried everything in his power to lure him to the Santiago Bernabé . A Madrid squad with a cohort of talent, nicknamed 'The Galácticos,' featured the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Luis Figo, and Roberto Carlos.

Though it was speculated that a deal had been 'close,' Totti's heart remained in the city of Rom , and he turned down the opportunity to sign for the Spanish giants. Totti later said that no amount of money could topple his loyalty to Roma, the club where he spent the duration of his playing career. A case that is seemingly unthinkable in modern football.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic - Queens Park Rangers

The most Zlatan story you will ever hear. The legendary striker was offered a trial at QPR as a 16-year-old after scouts had identified two youth products from Swedish club Malmö FF. The trial was over before it even had time to start. Ibrahimovic wasn't happy with a challenge made on him and, unsurprisingly, retaliated. He told the coach to "F*ck off " a rather bold statement to make to someone you're meant to be impressing, not to mention his young age.

QPR never contacted Ibrahimovic back and he returned to his parent club before being snapped up by Ajax for a reported fee of €7.8 million. The rest was history; endless trophies, an ego growing by the day, and a long and successful career in Europe. If only the QPR coach had managed to find a positive spin on his foul terminology that day.

Pep Guardiola - Wigan

If you can't beat them, join them. Guardiola was involved in a bust-up in the tunnel after Wigan Athletic defeated Manchester City in the 2018 FA Cup final, and now it all makes sense why his frustrations were so high. As a 34-year-old free agent, Guardiola was seeking an opportunity in English football and was linked with a move to Premier League newbies Wigan in 2005. The Spanish midfielder had a trial with the club, and it was later revealed that he was 'not good enough.'

Though Guardiola agreed with that and essentially said that his legs were gone, Wigan turning down someone who had made over 200 appearances for Barcelona is beyond me. It turns out the Latics got the last laugh, as they pulled off a shock victory against Pep's City at Wembley.

Karim Benzema - Arsenal

How many times did this rumor circulate? Karim Benzema was linked with a move to The Gunners, alongside former Real Madrid teammate Ángel Di María . Arsène Wenger was on the hunt for a star striker in the market, having been linked to both Gonzalo Higuain and Liverpool's Luis Suárez, yet both were quickly shut down. Though talks soon fell through for the pair, Arsenal maintained their interest and reportedly had an offer of £48 million for Benzema accepted in 2015.

BREAKING NEWS: Arsenal have agreed a £45m deal to sign Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema. #AFC (Daily Star) pic.twitter.com/BpQ2d2aHaf

— Transfer Site (@TransferSite) August 23, 2015

These so-called 'reliable sources' suggesting a deal was agreed turned out to be anything but, and Benzema remained at Real Madrid. When asked if a move to Arsenal was ever close, the Frenchman reportedly laughed it off, so let's just say it was more hope than reality for Arsenal fans.

Virgil Van Dijk - Crystal Palace

How badly could Crystal Palace do with the Dutch defender right now ? While Neil Warnock served his first spell with The Eagles (2007-2010), a young Van Dijk was a product of Willem II's youth side. The defender then joined Eredivisie side Groningen on a free transfer, spending three seasons with the Dutch club. It wasn't long before clubs came calling for Van Dijk, including Crystal Palace, who had recently gained promotion to the Premier League. Having played in a side towards the bottom of the Dutch first tier, Van Dijk had yet to establish himself as a world-class defender and someone was bound to get an absolute bargain.

Warnock revealed that his chief scout advised against signing the defender as he was "too slow " Ultimately, The Eagles missed out on Van Dijk, who instead joined Celtic for £2.6 million. This is the same Van Dijk who signed for Liverpool for £80 million in 2018 and won the UEFA Men's Player of the Year award in the 2018-2019 campaign. Quite the bitter pill to swallow for Warnock and co.

Ronaldinho - Manchester United

Let's be honest, it would've been an absolute treat to have seen the Brazilian in the Premier League. We were so close to greatness, though a phone call would determine the future of the midfield maestro. Both Manchester United and Barcelona were in the market for Ronaldinho, with The Red Devils looking for their David Beckham replacement after his transfer to Real Madrid.

Can You Imagine if Ronaldinho Had Signed for Manchester United in 2003?! 😳

Via @goodbadfootball pic.twitter.com/L0q96nGtT6

— FootballingGods • Football • Fútbol • Soccer (@footballinggod5) January 30, 2026

It was reported that negotiations had gone well between Manchester United and Ronaldinho, and the midfielder was just days away from completing a transfer from Paris Saint-Germain. That is when Barcelona came calling, and more importantly, future club president Sandro Rosell. Ronaldinho had made a promise to Rosell that if he became Barca president, he would join the club. Funnily enough, Rosell was elected as president, and Ronaldinho signed for the Spanish giants not long after. It wasn't all bad news for Manchester United, as they signed a certain Portuguese attacker from Sporting Lisbon just weeks later.

Lionel Messi - Manchester City

Premier League clubs were shaking in their boots when this rumor circulated. Lionel Messi was nearly forced out of his beloved Barcelona in 2021 after ongoing financial issues at the club. Both Manchester City and PSG were reportedly interested in the Argentine, though City links had been circulating since the arrival of Guardiola in 2016, who had formerly managed Messi at Barcelona. Journalists were quick to jump on the bandwagon; "Guardiola has spoken to Messi, and he is keen on the move" was the title that circulated on social media platforms.

Instead, after a year of contractual drama and Barcelona 's resilience to let go of Messi, he joined PSG on a free transfer in the summer window and went on to win two league titles and a domestic cup with the French giants. However, his time in Paris was ultimately overshadowed by the club's failure to secure their long-awaited first Champions League title.

David De Gea - Real Madrid

The drama of Deadline Day works in favor of some, but not for all. Especially in the case of David de Gea and his move to Real Madrid from Manchester United. The two clubs had agreed on a fee of £29 million on deadline day, though the deal collapsed as the paperwork was not filed in time. Next thing you know, blame was being thrown around, and uncertainty loomed over the future of the goalkeeper with the Red Devils.

David De Gea was chased by Real Madrid for over 3 seasons. They almost signed him. The move collapsed and he ended up signing a new deal.

He could have created a fuss. He didn’t. He’s not just a world class player but a top individual.

A sportsman I genuinely respect.

— The United Link 🏆 (@TheUnitedLink) December 10, 2018

Having previously been dropped from the side by former manager Louis van Gaal, a move away seemed in the best interests of both parties, as Manchester United were set to sign Keylor Navas in the swap deal. Instead, both goalkeepers stayed put, and we have never learned who really is to blame for the paperwork problem.

Jamie Vardy - Arsenal

Arsenal clearly developed a reputation for being rejected by strikers. This time it was Jamie Vardy, the Leicester City striker linked with a move to North London after making a name for himself in the 2015/2016 Premier League campaign. The Foxes were crowned shock champions, much to the efforts of Vardy , who led his side with 24 league goals. Soon after, Arsenal triggered the release clause in the Englishman's contract and held talks with the England international over a proposed move. His response? Signing a four-year contract extension with Leicester City. What better way to say, "I'm not interested," as Vardy established himself as a "cult hero" among the Leicester fanbase.