Transfers are rarely straightforward in football, but few things spark as much drama as a hijack — when a rival club swoops in at the last moment to steal a signing that looked all but done. Over the years, the Premier League has seen some of the most shocking and ruthless examples of this, from players already pictured in another team’s shirt to medicals completed, only for the deal to collapse in spectacular fashion. These hijacks don’t just frustrate clubs and fans; they often reshape careers, titles, and even footballing history. Here are the 10 biggest transfer hijacks in Premier League history.
10. Arjen Robben — PSV → Chelsea (hijacked from Manchester United, 2004)
Robben had visited Manchester United’s training ground, agreed personal terms, and was expected to join Sir Alex Ferguson’s side from PSV. Everything seemed finalised — until Chelsea entered the fray. They offered PSV more money and quickly convinced Robben to switch allegiances. Ferguson admitted later that United had been “too tight” in negotiations, and it cost them dearly. Robben went on to win back-to-back Premier League titles at Chelsea, dazzling with his pace and skill before becoming a global star at Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
9. Pedro — Barcelona → Chelsea (hijacked from Manchester United, 2015)
Manchester United were deep in negotiations with Barcelona for Pedro in 2015. Reports suggested the deal was close, with Van Gaal identifying the Spanish winger as the perfect addition. But Chelsea suddenly appeared, offering a quicker and more straightforward agreement. Within hours, Pedro was unveiled as a Chelsea player, leaving United scrambling. The move left Van Gaal publicly frustrated, while Mourinho celebrated another snatch under his watch. Though Pedro’s Chelsea career had ups and downs, he played a key role in winning the 2016–17 Premier League title.
8. Paul Gascoigne — Newcastle → Tottenham (hijacked from Manchester United, 1988)
Though technically pre-Premier League, the Gazza saga is too infamous to ignore. Sir Alex Ferguson thought he had secured Gascoigne from Newcastle, even going on holiday confident the deal was agreed. But Tottenham swooped in at the last moment, offering perks for Gascoigne’s family — including buying his parents a house and even a sunbed for his sister. Ferguson admitted later that losing Gascoigne was one of his biggest regrets, as he felt he could have helped the mercurial talent reach his full potential. Spurs enjoyed Gascoigne’s brilliance for a few years, but his career was plagued by injuries and off-field issues.
7. Mykhailo Mudryk — Shakhtar Donetsk → Chelsea (hijacked from Arsenal, 2023)
In January 2023, Arsenal fans believed they had found their man. Mykhailo Mudryk had publicly flirted with the club, liking posts on social media and hinting strongly that he wanted to wear red and white. Arsenal pursued him for weeks, but their negotiations with Shakhtar Donetsk dragged on. Chelsea entered the race late, offering not only a bigger fee but also a more lucrative salary. Within 24 hours, Arsenal’s dream signing was posing with Todd Boehly in blue. Though Mudryk has struggled to find form at Chelsea, the hijack remains one of the most dramatic modern examples of a club being gazumped at the last minute.
6. Willian — Anzhi Makhachkala → Chelsea (hijacked from Tottenham, 2013)
Few hijacks sting Tottenham fans as much as the Willian saga. The Brazilian forward flew into London, completed his Spurs medical, and was expected to sign on the dotted line. Daniel Levy thought the deal was done. Then Chelsea intervened. Roman Abramovich personally called Willian, convinced him to choose Stamford Bridge, and within hours he was holding up a blue shirt. Spurs were left furious, with José Mourinho adding fuel to the fire by quipping: “The best thing a rival club did for us was to make Willian have his medical at Tottenham.” Willian went on to win multiple trophies at Chelsea, while Tottenham were left empty-handed once again.
5. Cristiano Ronaldo — Sporting CP → Manchester United (hijacked from Arsenal, 2003)
Arsène Wenger had scouted Cristiano Ronaldo extensively, even inviting him to Arsenal’s training ground. The Gunners were close to agreeing a deal with Sporting CP, and Ronaldo reportedly wanted to wear Arsenal red. However, Manchester United faced Ronaldo in a pre-season friendly and were so impressed that Sir Alex Ferguson moved immediately. United offered a higher fee and bigger wages, leaving Arsenal unable to match the bid. Ronaldo signed for United and went on to become one of the greatest players in football history. Wenger later admitted missing out on Ronaldo was one of his biggest regrets, calling it a “very, very close” deal that slipped away.
4. Robinho — Real Madrid → Manchester City (hijacked from Chelsea, 2008)
Chelsea had courted Robinho for months, even preparing shirts with his name on them, confident of bringing the Brazilian flair player to Stamford Bridge. But on transfer deadline day in 2008, newly-rich Manchester City, backed by Sheikh Mansour’s billions, stunned the football world by swooping in with a bigger bid. Robinho himself admitted he thought he was signing for “Manchester” — believing it was United — before realizing it was City. Although his spell in England was inconsistent, the hijack marked the start of City’s transformation into a powerhouse and left Chelsea fuming, both at losing the player and at Real Madrid’s willingness to sell elsewhere.
3. Roy Keane — Nottingham Forest → Manchester United (hijacked from Blackburn, 1993)
Roy Keane had all but agreed to join Blackburn Rovers in the summer of 1993. Kenny Dalglish met him, shook hands, and only paperwork was left to finalize. However, due to the club offices being closed for the weekend, the contract wasn’t signed immediately. This delay opened the door for Sir Alex Ferguson, who called Keane personally on Sunday and persuaded him to join Manchester United instead. By Monday morning, Keane was a United player, in a deal that would define an era. He went on to become United’s captain and one of the fiercest midfielders in Premier League history — while Blackburn were left with a painful reminder of what might have been.
2. John Obi Mikel — Lyn Oslo → Chelsea (hijacked from Manchester United, 2005–06)
Few transfer sagas have been as bizarre as John Obi Mikel’s. Manchester United announced him as their player, paraded him in a United shirt, and even held a press conference. But Chelsea contested the deal, claiming they had a prior agreement. What followed was chaos: Mikel disappeared from Norway amid rumours of kidnapping, only to resurface in London insisting he only wanted to play for Chelsea. The dispute went to FIFA and eventually ended in an out-of-court settlement, with Chelsea paying compensation to both United and Lyn. Mikel went on to play over a decade for Chelsea, winning multiple titles, while United were left with one of the strangest near-signings in their history.
1. Emmanuel Petit — Monaco → Arsenal (hijacked from Tottenham, 1997)
Tottenham thought they had secured Petit after reaching an agreement with Monaco, even arranging transport for the midfielder. But in one of the most infamous twists in Premier League history, the very taxi arranged for Petit drove him straight to Arsène Wenger’s house instead of Spurs. Wenger, who knew Petit well from France, convinced him that Highbury was the better move. By the end of the day, Arsenal had sealed the signing, leaving Spurs humiliated. Petit went on to win the double with Arsenal in 1998, while Tottenham were left wondering how they had been outmanoeuvred so easily.
