1- Steven
Gerrad almost joining Chelsea, 2005
It was reported that Liverpool Captain Steven Gerrard was on the
verge of joining Chelsea in the Summer of 2005.
It has been rumored that he withdrew his request after being
threatened by Liverpool based criminals.
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Photo From: World Soccer, October 2010
(Steven Gerrard on the left)
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2- Michael
Sternkopf transfer to Borussia Moenchengladbach, 1995
In late season
(1994/95) Bayern Munich agreed to the transfer of Michael Sternkopft to
Borussia Moecnhengladbach.
It was rumored
that Bayern agreed on a low fee (as a form of quid pro quo), because if
Moecnhengladbach were to win the DfB Pokal, Bayern would gain a place in the
following season’s UEFA Cup.
Borussia
Moecnhengladbach’s win in the Final over Wolfsburg (3-0) on June 24, 1995,
ensured Bayern’s participation in European Football for the following season,
as the higher league placed Borussia Moecnhengladbach gained entry to the Cup
Winners Cup.
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Photo
From: Panini, Bundeliga, 1995/96
(Michael Sternkopf at Borussia Moenchengladbach, 1995/96)
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3- Diego
Maradona almost being signed by Sheffield United
One of the most
famous (non) transfer stories concerns Sheffield United’s attempt in 1978 to
acquire a then-teenage Diego Maradona from Argentinos Juniors.
According to the
story, the transfer almost happened but Sheffield United backed out in the end
due to the cost and instead signed Alejandro Sabella from River Plate.
It is hard to
know for certain if Argentinos Juniors were really willing to sell because
Maradona was already being touted as a future legend and probably could have
beem sold for more elsewhere even then.
Regardless
the ‘Maradona almost joined Sheffield United’ narrative is part of Football
History.
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Photo
From : Onze, Issue 36, December 1978
(Diego
Maradona with Argentinos Juniors)
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Photo
From: El Grafico 1980
(Argentineans in England, Osvaldo Ardiles (Tottenhma),
Claudio Marangoni (Sunderland), Ricardo Villa (Tottenhma) and Alejandro Sabella
(Leeds United))
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4- Bebe
transfer to Manchester United, 2010
One of the most
inexplicable transfers of Alex Ferguson as Manchester United Manager is that of
little-known Portuguese forward Bebe from Guimaraes in 2010.
Allegedly Sir
Alex Ferguson had never even seen him play.
The rumor was
that he was signed as part of a deal between the club and his super agent the
Portuguese Jorge Mendes.
There were
reports that Carlos Queiroz, Ferguson’s former Assistant, had recommended Bebe
to Sir Alex and that was why he was signed.
In any case he
never made an impression and was loaned many times.
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Photo
From : Panini, Futebol 2010/11
(Bebe
at Guimaraes 2010)
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5- Bernard
Tapie and the mysterious ‘next Maradona’
In the summer of
1991, Olympique Marseille President stated that he was going to break the world
record transfer fee in the next couple of years for a player who would be the
‘next Maradona.’ (or the Maradona of the 21st Century).
It was unclear
who this player was, though some suggested he may have been talking about Ghana
and Anderlecht’s teenage star (16 at the time) Nii Lamptey.
Some others
speculated that it was Colo Colo’s Argentinean midfielder Marcelo Barticciotto,
who had just helped his team in winning the 1991 Copa Libertadores.
Still others
believed it was Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Zvonimir Boban that Tapie was keen to
acquire (Boban signed for AC Milan that summer).
He never had the
opportunity to sign this mysterious player as he was entangled in the
OM/Valenciennes scandal of 1993 in the upcoming years.
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Photo
From: Onze-Mondial, Issue 33, October 1991
(Nii
Lamptey at Anderlecht)
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Photo
From: Onze-Mondial, Issue 148, May 2001
(Bernard
Tapie)
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