World Football Transfers: The 10 Most Controversial Transfers of All Time

As the summer transfer window reaches its peak, speculation, want-away players and controversy fill the sports rumour mill.

As fans, we love the circus that surrounds the transfer window; unless, of course, it is to the detriment of our beloved football clubs. Although most transfers result in an amicable agreement, some negotiations turn stale. A war of words often dominates paper headlines as teams try to cling on to their best players. Some clubs resort to unscrupulous tactics to get the player they want, sometimes a player believes the grass is greener on the other side.

This is a list I have compiled on what I believe the 10 most controversial transfers of all time are. Of course, this list is just my opinion so feel free to challenge any of my choices!

10. Giuseppe Meazza

Inter Milan, A.C. Milan, 1940

Considered by many to be the greatest Italian footballer of all time, Giuseppe Meazza is regarded as the only man to have come close to bridging the tension between Milan’s two great football clubs.

Meazza was a legend at Inter Milan, netting 241 goals in 348 games for I Nerazzurri before missing much of the 1938/ 39 season due to injury. On his return, he opted to join the red side of Milan as opposed to staying with Internazionale.

Meazza’s A.C Milan career was short-lived; he made just 37 appearances for I Rossoneri before leaving for Juventus in 1942.

In 1979, a year after Meazza’s death, the San Siro was renamed in memory of the two-time world cup winner.

9. John Robertson

Nottingham Forest, Derby County, 1983

In 1997, John Robertson was ranked as the 63rd greatest footballer of all time. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he was the golden boy of Nottingham Forest, who were then the dominant force in European football. In 1980, he scored the only goal in Forest’s European cup final game, but in 1983 he permanently tarnished his reputation by signing for Derby County.

The move is controversial because of the rift it caused between Forest manager Brian Clough and his former assisnt Peter Taylor, the new manager of Derby. The duo was at the heart of Forest’s success and before that guided Derby County to their only league title in 1972. They had achieved everything together before Taylor decided to retire from football in 1983, only to return as Derby manager six months later—with the blessing of Clough.

As Derby County manager, Taylor then went on to sign Forest's star asset John Robertson. The transfer was highly contested and it took an independent tribunal to agree to a fee. Clough later labeled Taylor a “rattlesnake” before adding, “We pass each other on the A52 going to work on most days of the week. But if his car broke down and I saw him thumbing a lift, I wouldn't pick him up, I'd run him over."

The two never spoke again.  

8. Carlos Tevez

Manchester United, Manchester City, 2009

Carlos Tevez’s reputation for being a recurrent whiner began at Manchester United after he claimed that he was not wanted enough by Sir Alex Ferguson.

Despite the Argentine’s obvious quality, Manchester United were reluctant to pay the £25.5 million release clause from Media Sports Investment (MSI), Tevez’s owner at the time. Tevez had become a fan favourite among the Old Trafford faithful, but, despite his form, Tevez was regularly substituted and was even demoted to the bench on several occasions—much to his dismay.

During his final game for United, he received a rapturous applause from fans when he left the field of play in the 66th minute. Alex Ferguson responded to the fans' cheers by offering the Argentine a five-year contract, but it was too little too late.

Despite the contract offer, which would have made him one of the highest paid players at United, Tevez refused to commit to United because of his tarnished relationship with the manager. The Argentine instead opted for a shocking move across the city to Manchester City, a club that was rapidly rising to the summit of English football. Once the transfer was complete, the infamous “Welcome to Manchester” poster was paraded throughout the city, rubbing salt into the Manchester United fans' wounds.

7. Johan Cryuff

Ajax, Feyenoord, 1983           

Famed for his Total Football philosophy, Johan Cryuff was one of the finest footballers to ever play the game. He spent much of his career at Ajax, spending his best years with the Dutch club before moving to Barcelona.

Cruyff returned to Ajax for a last hurrah after spending two years playing in America. He enjoyed a successful two years with his boyhood club, winning the Eredivisie in both seasons, but became angered by Ajax’s refusal to offer him a new contract.

Cruyff felt betrayed by the club to whom he had served so well and opted for a move to arch rivals Feyenoord, out of spite. Cruyff knew the transfer would anger Ajax. He spent one season at Rotterdam where he guided the club towards the KNVB cup and league title, their first for a decade.

6. Denis Law

Manchester United, Manchester City, 1973

Denis Law was actually a player on the blue side of Manchester before agreeing to a move to United in 1962. He did not transfer directly from City; he spent a year in between playing for the Italian club Torino.

Law spent his glory days playing for United, scoring 237 goals in 404 games and earning two league titles alongside an FA Cup. Whilst at United, he became one of the leading strikers in European football and was voted European player of the year in 1964.

His career became plagued by injury in 1970 and, despite netting 12 goals in the following season, he was considered surplus to requirements at Old Trafford. The Scotsman agreed to a free transfer to Manchester City in 1972. In the season decider, and what became the last club match of his career, Law scored a back heel against United to defeat them 1-0, thus relegating them from the English first division. 

5. Roberto Baggio

Fiorentina, Juventus, 1990

Roberto Baggio’s record transfer (at the time) to Juventus triggered riots in the city of Florence which resulted in injuries to 50 protestors. The trophy of Italian football was the driving force behind Fiorentina’s team in the late 1980s and quickly became a fan favourite.

The adoration of Fiorentina fans, however, was not enough to prevent Baggio from leaving for Juventus in 1990.

In his first match against Fiorentina, Baggio refused to take a penalty and was subsequently substituted, despite stating that he was “compelled to accept the transfer.” When he was substituted, a Fiorentina scarf was thrown at Baggio, which he picked up and kissed. He claimed that deep in his heart he is always purple—the colours of Fiorentina.

4. Ashley Cole

Arsenal, Chelsea, 2006

Ashley Cole found himself caught in the middle of a very public feud between London giants Arsenal and Chelsea in the summer of 2005 following his attempts to fabricate a move to Stamford Bridge.

The English left back was fined £100,000 by the Premier League after he arranged a meeting with Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho and Chief Executive Peter Kenyon at a hotel to negotiate a transfer to the free spending club in January 2005. Cole’s agent Jonathan Barnett was also present at the meeting, resulting in him losing his license for 18 months. Arsenal had no knowledge of the meeting that took place.

In July 2005, Ashley Cole later signed a one-year contract extension with Arsenal, despite the “tapping up” controversy that had flared up due to his actions.

A year later, Cole’s future once again found itself under acrimonious scrutiny. The England international was reportedly “trembling with anger” when he found out that Arsenal were only prepared to offer him a contract of £55,000 a week to stay at the club, compared to the £90, 000 Chelsea were willing to pay him. Cole then made comments that he had been used as a scapegoat throughout the entire affair which resulted in Arsenal leaving him out of their official 2006-07 team photograph.

Cole eventually completed his transfer to Chelsea on August 31st, 2006. He was sold for £5 million plus William Gallas.

3. Mo Johnston

Celtic, Nantes, Rangers, 1989

The rivalry between Celtic and Rangers is the biggest in world football with hostilities between the opposing sets of fans often turning to violence and racism. Mo Johnston felt the explosive force of the rivalry when he signed for Rangers from Nantes in 1989.

Prior to his career at Nantes, Mo Johnston was a fan favourite at Celtic Park and was the driving force behind their title winning team in 1986. In three seasons he scored 52 goals in 140 games before departing for French club Nantes.

After two seasons, the Scot made his desire to return to the Scottish Premier League public with a move to Celtic seemingly imminent. Johnston fueled speculation about a return to Celtic by openly giving a press conference at Celtic Park, proclaiming “Celtic is the only team that I want to play for.”

The city of Glasgow was therefore shocked when Johnston opted for an unprecedented move to fierce rivals, Rangers.

The transfer catalysed a flurry of sectarian violence between the two clubs' supporters and was equally unpopular with Rangers’ fans as it was Celtic supporters. Celtic branded Johnston “Judas” and even threw a pie in his face after he scored against them in the Old Firm derby. Rangers fans did not want a Catholic playing for their team and burned scarves outside Ibrox in protest. Even the Rangers' kit man joined protests by refusing to arrange his kit.

Johnston left Rangers after just two seasons.

2. Sol Campbell

Tottenham, Arsenal, 2001

Sol Campbell is among one of the greatest players to have ever worn a Tottenham jersey, but his success at White Hart Lane was limited. Despite playing for the club for close to a decade, Spurs never finished higher than seventh in the Premier League, denying the centre back the opportunity to play Champions League football.

In the summer of 2001, Campbell’s contract with Tottenham expired which brought about several months of intense contract negotiations between the Spurs board and the England centre back. Campbell was a fan favourite at White Hart lane, and club captain. He repeatedly promised fans that he would stay but continued to stall on signing his new contract.

In stepped Arsene Wenger, who made an audacious contract offer to the Tottenham captain which Campbell agreed to, despite repeatedly stating his desire to stay with Spurs. Sol Campbell could have signed for any club in the world and Spurs fans would have still revered him but, instead, he opted for bitter rivals Arsenal.

1. Luis Figo

Barcelona, Real Madrid, 2000

The legendary Portuguese winger had the adoration and cheers of the Barcelona fans for five years, winning every major honour at the club except the Champions League.

Despite such success, Figo willingly agreed to a £36.2 million transfer to arch rivals Real Madrid in what became the most acrimonious transfer in football history. Becoming the most expensive football player of all time was not enough to neutralise the angry Barca fans who immediately targeted him with a bombardment of criticism, hatred and personal abuse. In many ways, the transfer was the ultimate betrayal.

The controversy reached its peak when Figo had a pig’s head thrown at him whilst attempting to take a corner in the 24th minute of the el Classico clash at the Nou Camp. Play was stopped for nearly six minutes due to the abuse Figo received from angry Barcelona fans.

The move saw Luis Figo become the first "Galactico" to join Florentino Perez’s Real Madrid side who became the dominant force in European football at the beginning of the 21st century.