From Willian to Eze: Most Dramatic Transfer Hijacks in Football History

From Roy Keane to Mykhailo Mudryk, football history is filled with dramatic last-minute transfer swoops. These unexpected interventions can change a player's destiny, leaving some clubs celebrating and others wondering what could have been.

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Football transfer hijack requires perfect timing, dramatic flair, and often a dash of ruthless opportunism. In the transfer market, no deal is truly complete until the ink is dry on the contract. Recent events involving Arsenal's spectacular late swoop for Eberechi Eze from under Tottenham's nose serves as the latest reminder of just how quickly fortunes can change. As Spurs discovered this week, counting your chickens before they hatch can lead to bitter disappointment.

Let's explore some of the most memorable transfer hijackings in football history, each showcasing how late interventions can completely alter a player's destiny.

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Roy Keane: A Weekend That Changed Everything

Manchester United found themselves on the winning side of a transfer hijack in 1993 when they swooped for Nottingham Forest's Roy Keane. The Irish midfielder had already shaken hands with Blackburn Rovers manager Kenny Dalglish and agreed personal terms.

However, Blackburn's offices closed for the weekend before the paperwork could be completed, giving United the opening they needed. Ferguson's persuasive powers worked their magic during a crucial phone conversation with Keane.

Reflecting on the saga years later, Keane admitted his guilt: "What I should have done [after agreeing to join Manchester United] was ring Blackburn straight away, but I dragged that out. Kenny [Dalglish] rang me and went mad. He said something like, 'You're a f***ing joke, nobody does this to Kenny Dalglish,' but he was right. We shook hands on the deal, and he said that in Scotland, if you shake hands that's it."

The incident haunted Keane even during his subsequent holiday to Ayia Napa, where he spent the week "looking over my shoulder" after Dalglish threatened to track him down.

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Paul Gascoigne: The Holiday Hijack

Back in 1988, Paul Gascoigne seemed destined for Manchester United after agreeing to join Sir Alex Ferguson's project. The England midfielder had given his word to Ferguson before the manager departed for his summer holidays.

"We spoke to him the night before I went on holiday," Ferguson later recalled. "He said, 'Go and enjoy yourself, Mr Ferguson, I'll be signing for Manchester United.' So I went on my holidays, but Martin Edwards [then chairman] rang and said I've got some bad news – he signed for Tottenham."

While Ferguson was relaxing, Tottenham pounced with an irresistible package that included not just better financial terms, but also a house for Gascoigne's parents and, remarkably, a sunbed for his sister. Sometimes the most unusual perks can tip the balance in transfer negotiations.

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Willian: Medical Complete, Deal Hijacked

Tottenham's pain was particularly acute in August 2013 when they lost Willian despite the Brazilian winger having already completed his medical at their training ground. Chelsea's last-minute intervention proved decisive while Willian was still on Spurs' premises.

"I was in London for two weeks, waiting for Tottenham to decide because they were in a situation where Gareth Bale was in the process of leaving them to join Real Madrid," Willian later explained. "Chelsea came on the day I was going to sign the contract with Spurs. I was at Tottenham's training ground to finalise the deal when the call came. My agent said to me, 'Chelsea just called me and they want you'. I said, 'OK, I want to go there!'"

Willian simply left Tottenham's training ground, returned to his hotel, and eventually signed for Chelsea instead. He described it as "the best decision of my career."

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John Obi Mikel: The Ultimate Transfer Circus

Perhaps no transfer saga has been more bizarre than John Obi Mikel's journey to Chelsea. Manchester United had secured a pre-contract agreement with the Nigerian midfielder, even presenting him as their new signing at a press conference.

However, Chelsea intervened by bringing Mikel on trial before arranging for him to join Norwegian club Lyn Oslo temporarily. What followed was an extraordinary legal battle involving FIFA and the FA, with both Manchester clubs convinced they had legitimate claims to the player.

The saga dragged on for months, creating one of the most convoluted transfer disputes in football history. Eventually, Chelsea paid Manchester United compensation, and Mikel spent 11 successful years at Stamford Bridge. The journey there, however, was anything but straightforward.

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Mykhailo Mudryk: Social Media Dreams Dashed

The 2023 January transfer window was dominated by Mykhailo Mudryk's potential move to Arsenal. The Ukrainian winger had been openly flirting with the Gunners on social media, seemingly making his preference clear to fans worldwide.

Arsenal appeared to be in pole position after Mudryk's impressive Champions League performances for Shakhtar Donetsk. However, Chelsea's £88.5 million offer ultimately proved decisive, snatching the winger away from their London rivals at the eleventh hour.

Given Mudryk's subsequent struggles at Stamford Bridge, this hijack appears to be one that Chelsea may now regret, proving that not all successful hijacks lead to happy endings.

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Tottenham and Eze

The most recent high-profile hijack sees Arsenal successfully swooping for Eberechi Eze after the Crystal Palace star had seemingly agreed to join Tottenham. Spurs believed they had secured the England international for £68 million, but Arsenal's late intervention - prompted by Kai Havertz's injury concerns - changed everything.

The emotional factor proved decisive once again: Eze is a lifelong Arsenal supporter who spent time in their academy as a youngster. When Arsenal matched Tottenham's offer, the choice became straightforward for the 27-year-old.

These hijacks demonstrate that in football transfers, sentiment often trumps logic, timing beats preparation, and sometimes the most unexpected interventions can reshape a player's entire career trajectory. For every club celebrating a successful hijack, there's another left wondering what might have been.