What are the Most Random Transfers in Football History?

Have you ever questioned why a certain player is at a club? Or how on earth their agent has pulled off such a move? In football, there have been many peculiar transfers over the years that have remarkably diverged from normality.

Here are some of the most obscure and unexpected transfers of all time.

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting – PSG

Not many players can trade cold Tuesday nights in Stoke for the Eiffel Tower and authentic French patisseries. In August 2018 Stoke City forward Choupo-Moting completed a free transfer to French world-beaters Paris Saint-Germain following a fairly mediocre season in the Premier League.

Is this the worst miss of all time? 😂

Eyebrows were raised when PSG signed Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting from relegated Stoke City...

But this is something else 👀 pic.twitter.com/zSudeXAl1b

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 7, 2019

The Cameroonian had only scored five goals in 30 games in England’s top division the year prior and then, to everyone’s surprise, he became a Champions League player and counterpart to the likes of Mbappe and Neymar. Choupo-Moting’s agent did not stop there, two years later the striker secured a swap over to one of the most historic clubs in history – Bayern Munich. He spent four years in Germany, building himself a respectable portfolio of goals.

Eric Dier – Bayern Munich

Eric Dier is another player Bayern Munich have taken a chance on. In the first half of the 2023/24 season, the Spurs centre-back had only made four appearances for the club and was not featuring in any more of Gareth Southgate’s England camps. At 30 years of age his career looked to be coming to a bit of a standstill, until the German giants swooped in for him on loan for the rest of the season.

Dier joined his ex-Tottenham skipper Harry Kane and played 20 games for Die Roten between January and the end of the season, including several Champions League features. Last summer, the Englishman made his trip to Munich permanent, triggering a one-year contract extension in Germany.

Edgar Davids – Barnet

Still to this day, many question why the Champions League winning presence of Edgar Davids retired his honourable career playing in England’s fifth tier of Football. The Dutchman has represented some of the most prominent forces in Europe – Ajax, Juventus, Barcelona, both Milan clubs – yet he made the decision to play against the likes of Alfreton Town and Dartford back in 2014.

Edgar Davids - Out of retirement to Barnet as a player-manager (2012) pic.twitter.com/nH2BSgKwel

— Transfersthathappened (@actualtransfers) October 16, 2023

Davids joined Barnet in 2012, following nearly two years out of the sport, and spent just under 18 months with the Bees as a player-manager. The three-time Serie A winner officially resigned from the North London club in January 2014.

Oli McBurnie – Las Palmas

For a man who had never spent a season away from from the English footballing pyramid in his 11-year career, the coast of Spanish island Gran Canaria is somewhere you would least expect him to be playing his football.

📸 @oli_mcburnie #LasPalmasMallorca #LaUniónHaceLasPalmas #LaUniónDePorVida #PíoPío #75AniversarioUD pic.twitter.com/NorCdVxB9d

— UD Las Palmas (@UDLP_Oficial) November 26, 2024

McBurnie has played in each of England top five leagues, most commonly for Swansea and Sheffield United. Though now he competes against some of Europes greatest talents, such as Vinícius Júnior, Lamine Yamal and Jude Belligham in LaLiga. Despite not yet scoring a goal for Spanish outfit Las Palmas, the Scotsman will be loving every minute in the sunny Canary Islands.

Keylor Navas – Nottingham Forest

There is no disputing the size and history of Nottingham Forest as a football club. However, as they were submerged in a relegation scrap during their first season back in England’s top-flight in over 23 years, it was definitely a shock to see the former Real Madrid and PSG number one, Keylor Navas, step into the Trent End goalmouth.

The Costa Rican made 17 appearances for the Reds on his 2023 loan move, following a spectacular career of winning endless Champions Leagues, and league titles. To top it off, Navas helped Forest retain their place in the Premier League, where they are flourishing now.

Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano – West Ham United

Tevez and Mascherano to West Ham was a deal that shocked all football fans, and not just for positive reasons. The Argentine duo surfaced in 2006 with their impressive performances at the World Cup in Germany. Linked with many huge clubs such as Chelsea and Juventus, it was the Hammers that signed the pair from Brazilian team Corinthians.

ON THIS TRANSFER DAY: In 2006, West Ham pulled off an incredible double signing.

🇦🇷 Carlos Tevez
🇦🇷 Javier Mascherano pic.twitter.com/zYv2FLQ58q

— Squawka (@Squawka) August 31, 2017

The transfer sparked immense mystery across football because nobody knew how Alan Pardew’s side had funded and pulled off such a move. Furthermore, West Ham raised eyebrows by not giving too much away from the statement signings. The ordeal concluded with the East London club being found to have broken third-party ownership rules from the transfers, resulting in a hefty fine.