Transfer Deadline Day is highly anticipated in the football world, often yielding unforgettable stories from the Premier League.
From surprising moves to unusual events, anything can happen on deadline day. Here, we look back at some standout moments from previous years.
Five memorable Transfer Deadline Day stories:
Redknapp packs Benjani’s bags
Harry Redknapp became a notable figure on Deadline Day, known for his interviews from his car and deals involving familiar players. In February 2008, he made headlines by pushing striker Benjani out of Portsmouth. Benjani had an impressive record, scoring 12 goals in 23 matches, but Redknapp felt an offer from Manchester City, around £9.5m, was too good to decline.
“Out of the blue, I received an offer from Manchester City, and honestly, I didn’t expect such a high bid for him,” he explained.
Redknapp shared a humorous story about the day, saying he had to convince Benjani to relocate: “I told him it was a great move for him, but he wanted to stay. I ended up dragging him to the airport when he didn’t want to go. Eventually, I managed to get him on the plane late that night.”
The Babelcopter
In August 2010, Ryan Babel’s helicopter ride to London became one of the most talked-about events of Deadline Day. Although Babel was in talks with West Ham regarding a potential swap deal involving Carlton Cole, he never arrived in London, leaving the fate of the helicopter unknown.
Babel later explained, “I was close to joining West Ham, but things didn’t work out. I didn’t want to leave Liverpool permanently, and once my agent and I realized it wasn’t a loan deal, we decided against the move.”
Torres, Suarez, Carroll, and chaos
January 2011 was a remarkable Deadline Day, featuring a whirlwind of striker transfers involving Liverpool and Chelsea. Liverpool had hopes of pairing Fernando Torres with Luis Suarez, who was set to join from Ajax. However, the day turned into a flurry of transactions as Torres moved to Chelsea, while Liverpool secured Andy Carroll and Suarez.
Carroll became the most expensive British player at £35m, while Torres’s transfer to Chelsea was confirmed just after the window closed for a record £50m. Both clubs spent over £134m that day, marking it as one of the most significant in Premier League history.
Odemwingie’s drive
In January 2013, Peter Odemwingie’s infamous trip to Loftus Road has become legendary. The West Brom striker believed he was close to signing with Queens Park Rangers but was left outside the stadium without entry because the deal fell through.
Odemwingie later clarified, “I didn’t know that part of the agreement required Junior Hoilett to move to West Brom. If I had known, I wouldn’t have driven in such weather.”
Faulty fax machine
A technological mishap caused a significant missed opportunity in 2015, when a fax machine error derailed a transfer deal between Real Madrid and Manchester United. David de Gea was expected to move to Madrid in return for Keylor Navas, but the paperwork was not submitted on time due to the malfunction.
Both clubs exchanged blame, with United asserting that they had completed their side of the deal. Since then, football has moved away from fax machines to streamline transfer proceedings.
Read Also – Transfer Deadline Day: The deals to watch
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