Tottenham fans would be forgiven for thinking they are the unluckiest fans of the summer.
After missing out on Morgan Gibbs-White, they plumbed a new depth on Wednesday evening as they received the news that rivals Arsenal are set to sign Eberechi Eze.
But fear not, Spurs fans, for you are not alone.
Transfer hijacking has a long history, leaving in its wake a trail of devastated, tortured fanbases who could only watch as the man they thought they were signing sudenly joins someone else and excels.
Believe it or not, Manchester City looked a realistic destination for Cristiano Ronaldo at one stage. Roy Keane almost joined Blackburn. Willian completed a medical at Spurs. And yet none of those went ahead.
Daily Mail Sport’s JOE BERNSTEIN looks back on 10 of the most memorable transfer hijackings from across the decades.
Tottenham fans are coming to terms with Eberechi Eze being set to join Arsenal – but they’re not alone
Man City
V
Tottenham
*18+, excludes NI. Terms and conditions apply
1: CRISTIANO RONALDO TO MAN UTD, 2021
Pep Guardiola identified Ronaldo as the striker to replace Sergio Aguero’s goals at Manchester City and the player was ready to accept his challenge until a call from Sir Alex Ferguson.
‘He said to me “It’s impossible for you to join City and I said “Ok, boss!” revealed Ronaldo afterwards.
Though the return to Old Trafford from Juventus didn’t ultimately work out, Fergie was proud of his intervention. ‘It was a relief because I couldn’t imagine him playing for Man City. I don’t think anyone could,’ he said.
Cristiano Ronaldo could have signed for Man City in 2021 – until Sir Alex Ferguson intervened
2: MAURICE JOHNSTON TO RANGERS, 1989
Super Mo’s move to Ibrox from Nantes was seismic and made national news headlines. Not only did it make him the first high-profile Catholic to play for Glasgow Rangers, the transfer was also done under the noses of bitter rivals Celtic.
Johnston was regarded as a prodigal son at Parkhead from a previous spell and had verbally agreed to rejoin The Hoops. So there was utter astonishment when the striker was then unveiled next to Rangers manager Graeme Souness.
Some Rangers fans burned their scarves in protest at signing a Catholic. Johnston’s big Celtic pal Tommy Burns was also furious and referred to him as a “wee runt”.
Rangers signed Maurice Johnston under Celtic’s noses, making him the first Catholic to join
3: PAUL GASCOIGNE TO TOTTENHAM, 1988
Gazza told Sir Alex Ferguson he’d sign for Manchester United from Newcastle but whilst Fergie was on holiday, the player received a call from Spurs boss Terry Venables and changed his mind – later claiming the Londoners offered to buy his parents a house as part of the deal.
‘Fergie was fuming – he didn’t speak to me for six years,’ admitted Gascoigne afterwards. ‘If I’d signed for Manchester United, I would have been there for 12 years.’
The midfielder became a national hero for his performances at the 1990 World Cup for England but a self-inflicted knee injury playing for Tottenham in the following year’s FA Cup Final triggered a decline in fortunes.
Paul Gascoigne told Fergie he would join Man United but Terry Venables lured him to Spurs
4: ROY KEANE TO MAN UTD, 1993
Kenny Dalglish led the chase for Keane after Nottingham Forest’s relegation and the Irishman had shaken hands on a deal to take him to Blackburn before a call from Sir Alex Ferguson 48 hours later led him to a dramatic U-turn.
‘I told him I’d shaken hands with Blackburn and he said “Don’t worry about that!”’ recalled Keane. The midfielder flew to Manchester from Cork and over a game of snooker with Fergie and his assistant Brian Kidd decided to move to Old Trafford.
Dalglish took the news badly. ‘He was effing and blinding,’ revealed Keane. ‘I told him I was going on holiday to Cyprus and he said he’d come to Ayia Napa and find me!’
Fergie got his way this time, convincing Roy Keane to join United and not Blackburn
5: WILLIAN TO CHELSEA, 2013
The Brazilian completed a medical at Tottenham to apparently rubberstamp his move from Anzhi Makhachkala before Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, egged on by manager Jose Mourinho, flexed their muscles.
Abramovich called fellow Russian oligarch Suleyman Kerimov, who owned Anzhi, and Willian was suddenly off to Stamford Bridge for a slightly increased transfer price of £32million.
Spurs felt Chelsea’s intervention was more to spite them than wanting the player but Willian ended up a firm favourite in west London, winning Premier League titles in 2015 and 2017.
Willian had already completed a medical at Tottenham before Chelsea snapped him up!
6: LUIS DIAZ TO LIVERPOOL, 2022
Tottenham were locked in talks with Porto over signing Diaz at the end of the January window before Liverpool brought forward their planned summer transfer business to swoop.
The Merseysiders were aided by the Colombian winger preferring to join Jurgen Klopp’s team and he became a big favourite at Anfield, winning the Premier League title before moving on to Bayern Munich at the end of last season.
Liverpool accelerated their move for Luis Diaz to deny Tottenham his services
7: ALAN SHEARER TO NEWCASTLE, 1996
Shearer would deny he gave Manchester United any promises about signing but was impressed enough by Sir Alex Ferguson to go house hunting in the city. Then Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan requested a second meeting and Shearer decided to return home to the north-east.
The Premier League’s record scorer didn’t win any trophies at St James’ Park but has regularly said he never regretted his choice. He’d also snubbed Fergie before as a younger player, choosing to join Blackburn from Southampton in 1992.
Alan Shearer went house hunting in Manchester but opted to return to his spiritual home
8: MOISES CAICEDO TO CHELSEA, 2023
Jurgen Klopp regarded the acquisition of a world-class holding midfield player as the final piece in his title jigsaw but missed out on Caicedo due to an unprecedented spending spree from new Chelsea owner Todd Boehly and the temptation for the South American of living in London.
A chastened Klopp sniped afterwards: ‘Each Chelsea manager wants new signings and usually they get it.’ And while it cost Liverpool the Premier League that season, Arne Slot came up with an in-house solution – Ryan Gravenberch – the following year to become champions.
Chelsea mocked Liverpool after beating them to Moises Caicedo – despite it seeming like the Reds had hijacked them!
9: ROBINHO TO MANCHESTER CITY, 2008
On an incredible transfer deadline day, Manchester City signposted the future by announcing new owners from Abu Dhabi who then immediately broke the British transfer record to sign Robinho for £31.5milion.
Having ruled the financial roost for so long, the move was a shock for Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich who had set his sights on the Brazilian winger.
Robinho had looked set to move to west London but Chelsea were unable to agree a fee with Real Madrid once the Spanish club realised City were prepared to go to new levels of investment.
Man City shocked Chelsea by breaking the British transfer record to snap up Robinho in 2008
Man United increased Newcastle’s summer pain by signing Benjamin Sesko in what was branded as ‘peak bullying’
10: BENJAMIN SESKO TO MANCHESTER UNITED, 2025
Newcastle United did all the running on Sesko and had agreed a £72million move with RB Leipzig before Manchester United made their late move, aware Sesko preferred to join them.
Once Ruben Amorim’s club entered the bidding war at £74million it was game over for the Tynesiders who are still wondering how they cope should they lose Alexander Isak in addition to Callum Wilson.
Social media described Manchester United’s intervention as ‘peak bullying’. Global interest in Old Trafford helped sway Sesko’s decision. ‘It gives you this energy that you want to be part of,’ he said.