12 Players Most Consistently Linked with a Transfer Who Never Actually Move
Every time the rumour mill creaks into life, there are a handful of names—like Paul Pogba, Julian Draxler and Marco Reus—who are always there. These players are consistently linked with a transfer, but the move never comes.
In this slideshow, we look at 12 examples of these players—focusing on those who have been the subject of intense speculation for a minimum of three of the last transfer windows, yet (so far) have stayed where they are.
Arranged from 12-1, you'll find the player who is most persistently found in transfer gossip coming in at No. 1. This is not an exhaustive list; feel free to make your own suggestions below.
12. Fabio Coentrao, Real Madrid
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Fabio Coentrao has long been linked with a move away from Real Madrid, but so far, a move has yet to materialize.
The left back has been with Madrid since 2011, when he swapped Benfica for the Bernabeu and in that time he has won La Liga, the Copa del Rey, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.
The Portugal international has been most strongly linked with Manchester United, and what looked like a nailed-on move fell through in September 2013, as seen on BBC Sport.
The player was said to be "reduced to tears" by the failed transfer, as reported by Portuguese newspaper Record (h/t Ben Jefferson in the Express).
In 2013/14, with only four La Liga appearances under his belt by the time the January window was open for business, Coentrao was again linked with a move to Old Trafford, this time by Simon Rice in The Independent. However, Carlo Ancelotti was quoted by the Guardian's Jamie Jackson as saying, "No players are leaving and we're not going to sign anyone. The window is closed for us."
The 26-year-old ended the campaign with only 10 league outings, and a thigh injury forced him onto the sidelines during the World Cup. It wasn't a good season. However, Coentrao found himself back in the familiar surroundings of the rumour mill as the winter window approached.
In November 2014, it looked like Juventus and Roma had added themselves to the line of suitors, per Jamie Anderson in the Express. In 2015, Arsenal and Liverpool have also been credited with interest, according to Metro's Jamie Sanderson.
In Ancelotti's starting XI on just three occasions in La Liga this term, will Coentrao really be on the move next summer?
11. Sergio Aguero, Manchester City
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He scored 100 goals for Atletico Madrid, and he's bagged 96 so far for Manchester City. Who wouldn't want to sign Sergio Aguero?
The Argentina international signed for City in 2011, and in that time he has won two Premier League titles and the League Cup. His name has also generated a huge amount of speculation linking him away from the Etihad.
In 2012, rumours pairing the striker with Real Madrid appeared, with Aguero's then-father-in-law Diego Maradona telling Argentinian radio station Radio La Red (h/t Goal.com), "Kun [Aguero] has to play for Real Madrid. If he signed for them, it would be his big break."
In May 2013, following persistent talk about a jump to the Bernabeu, Aguero nixed the idea that he would leave Manchester City. As quoted by David McDonnell in the Mirror, he said, "It's simple. There are always rumours in the summer, all the time. But I'm very happy at City."
In 2014, he was once again linked with—you guessed it—Real Madrid, as reported by John Cross in the Mirror.
However, over the summer, Aguero extended his City contract until 2019, telling MCFC.com, "There has always been this speculation but I certainly never pay much attention to it. People hear this stuff flying around and they take it seriously but I can tell the fans and everyone at City to relax, I’m going to be here until I see out my contract."
Don't expect the speculation to stop anytime soon.
10. Ezequiel Lavezzi, Paris Saint-Germain
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Ezequiel Lavezzi signed for Paris Saint-Germain in summer 2012, but it didn't take long before gossip, suggesting that he was on his way out of Parc des Princes, started to circulate.
Early rumours appeared in late 2013 following Edinson Cavani's arrival at the club, when the Argentina international—described as a "frustrated PSG star"—was linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur, as reported by Jamie Sanderson in Metro.
This came despite the fact that Lavezzi made 48 appearances in all competitions for PSG in 2013/14, scored 12 goals, registered seven assists and won Ligue 1 and the Coupe de la Ligue.
During the summer, the 29-year-old was again linked with a move away from Laurent Blanc's side, with the Express' Charles Perrin suggesting that Lavezzi would be available for £16 million, with Liverpool said to be interested in securing his services.
Elsewhere, amid talk that Lavezzi had turned down a contract extension with the Ligue 1 side, Football-Italia.net reported, "PSG Coach Laurent Blanc says Juventus target Ezequiel Lavezzi is free to leave the club, provided he wants to."
January 2015 saw the Argentina international linked with Arsenal and again with Liverpool, as reported by Chisanga Malata in the Daily Star.
Recently disciplined by PSG for returning late from a winter break (per BBC Sport), Lavezzi is said to be making a "shock move" to Inter Milan in summer 2015, according to Corriere dello Sport (h/t Jamie Anderson in the Daily Star). Will he actually go this time?
9. Paul Pogba, Juventus
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Paul Pogba has history with Manchester United, and now the Old Trafford side need exactly what they let leave for free in August 2012.
The result? Plenty of rumours connecting the central midfielder with a move back to the red half of Manchester.
Ahead of the January transfer window, Barry Glendenning reported such speculation in the Guardian's Rumour Mill, writing, "Having finally decided the time is right to give their former employee Paul Pogba a run in their first team, Manchester United have hit a giant Juventus-sized stumbling block."
Weeks later, Pogba was said to have rejected the idea of a United return, with a move to Paris Saint-Germain or a Juventus stay said to be the only suitable options, per Ian Herbert in The Independent.
During the 2014 World Cup (in which he was later voted Young Player of the Tournament), the France international's agent Mino Raiola told TV station Rai Sport (h/t Andy Hodgson in the London Evening Standard), "We have decided not to speak of the transfer market with regards to Paul until after the World Cup. But I can calmly say that his future will still be at Juventus, where he feels very happy."
By December 2014, the 21-year-old appeared to be attracting continued interest from United, with Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City also said to be circling, per Anthony Chapman in the Express.
Most recently, with Real Madrid also apparently keen, Raiola told Skysports.com, "Paul renewed his contract in Italy. There is a five-year deal with Juventus and what June and July brings, we will see in June and July."
...leaving the door very much open for the next round of rumours.
8. Miralem Pjanic, Roma
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Formerly of FC Metz and Olympique Lyon, Miralem Pjanic signed for AS Roma in 2011. Since then, the 24-year-old has often been linked with a move to a host of European sides.
In summer 2013, Pjanic was being tipped for a potential switch to the Premier League, with Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur both said to be interested, as reported in the Express.
January 2014 saw Manchester United, Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain offered up as suitors, per Metro.
In April 2014, with his contract running down, Pjanic was being linked with PSG, United and Barcelona, and, as the Bosnia-Herzegovina international told Sport.ba (h/t Football-Italia.net), "I am used to these rumours, and I have to admit that there is some truth to some of these."
Elsewhere, in the Guardian, Paolo Bandini wrote that Roma were desperate to keep hold of Pjanic who, "has been a key figure in this remarkable season for the Giallorossi, the creative pivot in a three-man midfield otherwise loaded with enforcers."
In the face of much speculation suggesting that Pjanic was on his way out of Stadio Olimpico, the central midfielder put pen to paper on an extended deal with Rudi Garcia's side last May, as seen on Skysports.com.
Committed to the Serie A side until 2018, rumours—like those linking Pjanic to Liverpool in February 2015, per Ben Jefferson in the Express—will continue to swirl.
7. Karim Benzema, Real Madrid
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No matter how well he's played and how many goals he's scored for Real Madrid, Karim Benzema has always been linked with a move away from the La Liga club.
Responding to speculation linking the striker with Arsenal in 2013, Benzema's agent, Karim Djaziri, told French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche (h/t Toby Moses in the Guardian), "We can not fight against the rumours, but I assure you Karim will not go to Arsenal. There has never been any discussions and no contact has been established."
In April 2014, the Express' Ben Jefferson reported that Madrid were ready to sell Benzema in order to fund a bid for Luis Suarez.
After shining for France at the 2014 World Cup, Benzema signed a contract extension at the Bernabeu—a deal designed to keep him at the club until 2019, as seen on Goal.com.
This did little to keep the Frenchman out of the headlines in January 2015, when he was linked with a move to Premier League sides Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool, per Jamie Anderson in the Express. Anderson also claimed that, "According to French reports, Real Madrid are willing to listen to offers for their coveted French international."
Since swapping Olympique Lyon for Madrid in 2009, Benzema has notched 130 goals in 269 games for Carlo Ancelotti's side.
6. Jackson Martinez, FC Porto
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Jackson Martinez immediately settled into life with FC Porto, scoring 31 goals in 40 games (in all competitions) in 2012/13—his first season at the club after signing from Mexican side Jaguares de Chiapas.
Unsurprisingly, this earmarked the Colombian as a very attractive prospect for upcoming transfer talk.
In November 2012, Martinez found himself being linked to Chelsea, Liverpool and Barcelona, yet the striker shrugged off the interest. When speaking to Portuguese newspaper O Jogo (h/t Skysports.com), he said:
"Rumours are normal because I am working with success in Porto and scoring goals but I am calm, if the papers say there are offers that does not worry me.
Now I am focussed exclusively on my work for Porto, I prefer to ignore the rumours about clubs being interested.
"
After winning the Primeira Liga in his first campaign at Estadio do Dragao, Martinez went on to notch a further 29 goals in his second season with the Portuguese side. More speculation was to follow.
Linked with Manchester United and Roma in April 2014, per Ben Jefferson of the Express, in December, the Daily Star's Nick Lustig suggested that Martinez could be on his way to Arsenal or Chelsea.
Mooted to be attracting interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Napoli (from reports originating in Italian newspaper Il Mattino), according to Jamie Anderson in the Express, the 28-year-old has already scored 25 goals in 30 games for Julen Lopetegui's side this season.
Prepare yourself for plenty more gossip surrounding Martinez throughout 2014/15.
5. Arturo Vidal, Juventus
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Arturo Vidal has been linked with a move away from Juventus for quite some time, with most gossip pointed in one particular destination—Manchester United.
In 2012, a little over a year after the Chilean joined Juventus from Bayer Leverkusen and fresh from winning his first Serie A title, Vidal started to be linked with the Old Trafford side, according to reports in Italy (h/t Richard Arrowsmith of the Mirror).
Voted as Juve's Player of the Year, there was little chance that the Italian outfit would let him go. However, the rumours continued in 2013, with both Bayern Munich and United said to be keen, per talkSPORT—as well as Real Madrid, according to Marca.
Despite signing a new contract in December 2013, speculation linking the central midfielder with a move away from Turin intensified in 2014—with the Express' James Dickenson claiming that, "According to reports in Italy, the 27-year-old prefers a move to Old Trafford ahead of Premier League rivals Arsenal and Chelsea AND European giants Real Madrid and Bayern Munich."
This was followed by reports in Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Ben Curtis in the Mirror) which suggested that Juventus were "bracing themselves" for a £48 million offer from Manchester United.
A glut of rumours continued throughout the year with no actual movement until, as regular as clockwork, the gossip returned in October, just in time for the 2015 winter transfer window. Here the Daily Star's Colin Harvey claimed that Manchester United "could be handed Arturo Vidal on a plate in January."
Vidal's current deal runs until June 2017.
4. Mats Hummels, Borussia Dortmund
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It doesn't matter how many times Borussia Dortmund bat away Mats Hummels exit rumours; they always return.
The 26-year-old came to Signal Iduna Park in 2009, after coming up through the youth system at Bayern Munich. In that time, Hummels has turned in over 200 appearances (in all competitions) for BVB and has won two Bundesliga titles, two DFL-Supercups and the DFB-Pokal and played in the 2012/13 Champions League Final.
His performances for Jurgen Klopp's side, coupled with a dearth of top-level defenders on the market, has seen Hummels relentlessly linked with a move; yet, it never actually transpires.
In October 2013, the centre-back was rumoured to be on his way to both Barcelona and Manchester United, a claim that Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke denied when speaking to German TV station ZDF (h/t FourFourTwo).
Shortly after winning the 2014 World Cup with Germany, Hummels ruled out a move to Old Trafford when speaking to Bundesliga Magazin International (h/t The Telegraph).
In winter 2014, Hummels was again linked to Manchester United, as reported by the Guardian's Jamie Jackson, among others.
Now, reports from Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo (h/t Rhys Turrell in the Daily Star) suggest that Hummels will be on his way to Louis van Gaal's side in the summer.
3. Edin Dzeko, Manchester City
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Edin Dzeko joined Manchester City from Wolfsburg in January 2011, and in his years at the Premier League side, the striker has become a regular name in the rumour mill.
In and out of the City XI under Roberto Mancini, in 2012 he was mentioned as a possible target for Real Madrid and Juventus, according to John Edwards in the Daily Mail. This was followed in summer 2013 by rumours of a move to Napoli, as reported by John Drayton also of the Daily Mail.
In December 2013, Dzeko was tipped to be on his way to Arsenal, per Nick Lustig in the Daily Star, whereas weeks later, there was talk of the striker being lined up as Robert Lewandowski's replacement at Borussia Dortmund, according to Ben Jefferson in the Express.
In April, the Bosnia-Herzegovina international was said to be one of Inter Milan's main summer targets by club president Erick Thohir, speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t John Drayton in the Daily Mail).
By the summer, Roma and Inter were both being tipped to move for Dzeko, as reported by the Mirror's Simon Mullock.
However, in August, Dzeko signed an extension to his contract that will keep him at the Etihad until 2018, as reported by the Guardian's Jamie Jackson.
Despite his new contract, he was back in the gossip columns this January, this time with a loan move to Stoke City apparently in the offing, per Anthony Chapman in the Express.
2. Julian Draxler, Schalke 04
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Julian Draxler has been so consistently linked with Arsenal over the last few years that Arsenal could almost be his middle name.
In 2013, the Schalke winger was said to have spurned the Gunners' advances to sign a new deal at Veltins-Arena, as reported by Charles Perrin in the Express.
It made no difference to the rumours which followed just months later, in which Draxler was linked with the Premier League side once again, with talk of a £25 million bid in the offing, according to Jamie Sanderson of Metro.
Of course, January 2014 came complete with plenty of Draxler-to-Arsenal stories, with an example reported here by the Guardian's David Hytner.
In June 2014, the Germany international told BBC Sport, "In January, there was the offer of Arsenal, but I decided to stay. I will do the same this summer. I want to play one year more in Schalke."
January 2015 brought us the same rumour, however this time both Manchester City and Arsenal were said to be keen on the 21-year-old's services, per Paul Hetherington in the Daily Star.
This summer, perhaps Draxler will finally be on the move.
1. Marco Reus, Borussia Dortmund
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Marco Reus rejoined Borussia Dortmund—the club with which his career started—in 2012. His first season saw him rack up 19 goals and 16 assists (in all competitions). He helped Dortmund to the Champions League Final against Bayern Munich, and he bagged five goals and four assists for Germany in World Cup qualifiers.
In 2013/14, Reus added a further 23 goals and 23 assists to his record at Signal Iduna Park and was voted the club's Player of the Season.
It's no wonder the 25-year-old has been the subject of heavy transfer rumours in recent years.
In 2013, the attacker was being linked with Arsenal and Manchester City, according to Nick Lustig in the Daily Star, and a release clause, detailed on Skysports.com, fanned the flames of speculation with Manchester United, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain also said to be fans of the Germany international.
Rumours persisted as the summer transfer window approached, as reported by Richard Tanner in the Express, and, sure enough, throughout the winter too, with Real Madrid and Chelsea now being linked with Reus' name, per Kit Holden of the Daily Mail.
Yet, no matter how much speculation links him with a move away from Jurgen Klopp's side, whipped up of late due to BVB's poor Bundesliga form, Reus has stayed.
In fact, the Dortmund-born player recently inked a new deal which will keep him at the club until 2019. As seen on ESPNFC.com, the February 2015 contract does not contain a release clause.
Unless stated otherwise, all contract, transfer and performance data comes from Transfermarkt.com.
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