Football is a game of inches, and nowhere is that truer than in the transfer market. For every blockbuster deal that makes the headlines, there is a shadow deal lurking behind it, one that came agonizingly close but collapsed at the last moment. A stubborn board member, a volcanic eruption, a proud ego, or a father’s phone call can completely rewrite history.

These are not mere rumors. These are deals that were agreed, shirts that were printed, and flights that were booked. The football transfers that almost happened are, in many ways, more gripping than the ones that did. Here are the ten most jaw-dropping near-misses in the history of the beautiful game.

1. Diego Maradona to Sheffield United (1978)

Before Diego Maradona became a deity in Naples and a World Cup legend in Mexico City, he was a 17-year-old phenom at Argentinos Juniors. Sheffield United manager Harry Haslam spotted him on a scouting trip to Argentina and was so stunned by what he saw that he immediately put together a £200,000 deal.

The Blades’ board, however, refused to cover the additional costs for travel and paperwork. Instead, they signed Maradona’s compatriot Alex Sabella for a more palatable £160,000. It was a decent signing, but it was not Maradona. While Diego lifted the World Cup and became one of the greatest players ever, Sheffield United sank into the Fourth Division. The board saved a few thousand pounds and lost a generation of glory.

2. Zinedine Zidane to Blackburn Rovers (1995)

Blackburn Rovers were Premier League champions in 1995 and manager Kenny Dalglish was looking to strengthen his squad with a young Frenchman from Bordeaux. That Frenchman was Zinedine Zidane.

When Dalglish approached owner Jack Walker about the signing, Walker reportedly responded with one of the most infamous lines in football history: “Why do you want Zidane when we have Tim Sherwood?” That single sentence may be the most expensive opinion ever expressed by a club owner. Zidane moved to Juventus, then Real Madrid, and became arguably the greatest midfielder of his generation. Blackburn, meanwhile, never won the title again.

3. Cristiano Ronaldo to Arsenal (2003)

Arsène Wenger has an infamous list of players he nearly signed, but Cristiano Ronaldo sits at the very top. The young Portuguese winger visited Arsenal’s training ground, had a shirt printed with his name on it, and held personal discussions with Wenger. Arsenal tabled an offer of £8 million, but Sporting Lisbon held out for more.

While Arsenal hesitated, Manchester United played a pre-season friendly against Sporting. Ronaldo’s performance was so electrifying that the United players reportedly begged Sir Alex Ferguson to sign him on the flight home. Ferguson paid £12.24 million, and the rest belongs to football history. Wenger’s patience cost him one of the sport’s all-time greats.

4. Ronaldinho to Manchester United (2003)

The summer of 2003 was a pivotal one for Manchester United. David Beckham had just been sold to Real Madrid, and the club needed a new icon. Their primary target was Ronaldinho, who was then dazzling at Paris Saint-Germain. The deal progressed so far that Ronaldinho himself later admitted he was just 48 hours away from signing.

What stopped it? A phone call. Sandro Rosell, running for the Barcelona presidency, reminded Ronaldinho of a promise he had made to join Barça if Rosell won the election. Rosell won. Ronaldinho headed to the Nou Camp, where he won the Ballon d’Or and became one of the most beloved players of his era. United, in a silver lining for the ages, turned their attention to a teenage Cristiano Ronaldo instead.

5. Robert Lewandowski to Blackburn Rovers (2010)

Blackburn Rovers appear on this list a second time, and this time not even the manager can be blamed. In 2010, Sam Allardyce was on the verge of signing a young Robert Lewandowski from Lech Poznan for £4 million. The deal was essentially done. Lewandowski was at the airport, bags packed, ready to fly to Lancashire and put pen to paper.

Then Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull volcano erupted. The resulting ash cloud shut down airspace across Northern Europe. During the enforced delay, Borussia Dortmund moved quickly and secured Lewandowski’s signature. He went on to win multiple Bundesliga titles and became one of the deadliest strikers in Champions League history. Blackburn were relegated the following season. You genuinely cannot make it up.

6. Zlatan Ibrahimović to Arsenal (2000)

A 16-year-old Zlatan Ibrahimović traveled to London to meet Arsène Wenger. Wenger, impressed by what he had heard, offered the teenager a trial. Most aspiring footballers would have jumped at the chance. Zlatan was not most footballers.

He reportedly declined with the now legendary line: “Zlatan doesn’t do auditions.” He walked out of the meeting, signed for Ajax shortly after, and launched one of the most decorated careers in the history of the sport. Wenger later admitted he regretted not simply signing him outright. It was the second time in a decade that Wenger’s cautious approach cost him a generational talent.

7. Steven Gerrard to Chelsea (2005)

This was not a quiet transfer rumor. This was a full-blown crisis at the heart of Liverpool Football Club. Just weeks after captaining Liverpool to one of the most miraculous Champions League victories of all time in Istanbul, Steven Gerrard handed in a transfer request. José Mourinho’s Chelsea had offered £32 million, and Gerrard, feeling undervalued by the Anfield board, appeared ready to cross enemy lines.

The reaction in Liverpool was ferocious. Gerrard’s replica shirts were burned in the streets. After a night of reflection and urgent conversations, he performed a dramatic U-turn within 24 hours, recommitting himself to the club he had supported since childhood. It remains the closest a modern Premier League icon has ever come to joining a direct rival at the absolute peak of his powers.

8. Kaká to Manchester City (2009)

In January 2009, the newly Abu Dhabi-backed Manchester City wanted to announce themselves to the world, and they did so by placing a world-record £100 million bid for AC Milan’s Kaká. Milan accepted. A City delegation flew to Italy. The deal seemed done.

Then something extraordinary happened. Thousands of Milan supporters gathered outside Kaká’s home, chanting for him to stay. Kaká appeared at the window and held his red and black shirt against his heart. He turned down the astronomical offer out of loyalty to the club. The twist? Six months later, he moved to Real Madrid for considerably less money. The romance of that window moment made it one of football’s most memorable transfer sagas regardless.

9. Neymar to West Ham United (2010)

Long before Neymar was a global brand worth over £200 million, he was an 18-year-old at Santos catching eyes across Europe. West Ham United, under Avram Grant, made a formal £12 million bid in 2010. Santos rejected it, standing firm on a £28.4 million release clause.

West Ham pushed their offer to £16 million, but the deal ultimately collapsed due to work permit complications and Neymar’s own ambition to wait for one of Europe’s elite clubs. He was right to wait. He eventually moved to Barcelona and became one of the three best players on the planet. But the idea of Neymar at Upton Park remains one of football’s most surreal sliding doors moments.

10. Gianluigi Buffon to Barcelona (2001)

When Buffon left Parma in 2001 as the world’s most expensive goalkeeper, Barcelona had already agreed a deal with his agent. Everything was in place. Spain was calling.

Then his father stepped in. The advice was straightforward: Juventus offered a better long-term environment for his development and career. Buffon listened, chose Turin, and spent the next two decades winning Serie A titles and becoming the benchmark for goalkeeping excellence worldwide. Barcelona signed Roberto Bonano instead, a goalkeeper who left the club after just one season.

What These Near-Misses Tell Us About Football

Transfer	Year	Reason It Collapsed	What Happened Instead
Maradona to Sheffield Utd	1978	Board refused costs	Signed Sabella; club relegated
Zidane to Blackburn	1995	Owner’s disinterest	Went to Juventus, then Real Madrid
Ronaldo to Arsenal	2003	Fee disagreement	Joined Manchester United
Ronaldinho to Man Utd	2003	Political promise	Joined Barcelona, won Ballon d’Or
Lewandowski to Blackburn	2010	Volcanic ash cloud	Joined Borussia Dortmund
Gerrard to Chelsea	2005	Fan pressure, loyalty	Stayed at Liverpool

These stories reveal something deeper than transfer gossip. They show that football’s greatest careers are shaped as much by circumstance as by talent. A volcano, a father’s advice, a stadium crowd, a stubborn board: these are the real forces behind the sport’s biggest moments.

The football transfers that almost happened are a reminder that history is fragile, and the game we love is only ever one phone call away from looking completely different.