Guehi’s failed move to Liverpool: What are some of the other big transfer deals that fell through late on? | OneFootball

A deal for Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi to join Liverpool was on the verge of being finalised last week before it collapsed.

The Eagles had aimed to bring in Igor Julio from rivals Brighton before he joined West Ham instead. The lack of a replacement for their defender meant Palace did not sell their captain to the Reds even though he is in the final year of his contract.

Guehi is not the only player that almost made a big move – here are five of the biggest transfers that fell through late on…

David de Gea to Real Madrid

The Spanish goalkeeper was set to move to Real Madrid from Manchester United for a fee of £29 million on deadline day in 2015.

As part of the deal, Madrid keeper Keylor Navas would have signed for United. In England, clubs are given extra time to conclude transfers if they are being completed near the end of the window but there is no such precedent in Spain.

The paperwork being filed to the Spanish Football Federation one minute after the 11pm deadline meant that the deal would not go through and United would keep the goalkeeper at the club.

Alexis Sanchez to Manchester City

In 2017 the Chilean forward had been on fire for Arsenal, scoring 30 goals in all competitions. This form attracted the attention of Pep Guardiola and Manchester City.

The Gunners had agreed to sell Sanchez to City, in fact it is reported that he himself had begun telling his international teammates that he had already made the move.

However, the transfer hinged on Arsenal being able to sign Thomas Lemar from Monaco. After a deal for the French winger collapsed, they could not sell Sanchez to City and therefore he stayed in north London.

The forward would eventually sign for Manchester United in January 2018.

Robinho to Chelsea

Madrid had set their sights on signing Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008 and therefore Robinho would have to leave the Spanish giants to make way for him.

Negotiations for the player between Madrid and Chelsea had been going well and it looked like the Brazilian would join the Blues until deadline day.

Manchester City’s take over by the Abu Dhabi Investment Group meant that they had money to spend and they hjacked the deal for the forward at the very last moment.

Robinho would later say to FourFourTwp magazine that: “I wanted to go to Chelsea, Scolari told me that I could make the difference for him in the team.”

Kaka to Manchester City

In 2009 City had just been taken over by Sheikh Mansour and were looking to make some statement signings.

Kaka was at AC Milan and one of the hottest prospects in European football and the new owners wanted to bring him to Manchester.

The deal for the Brazilian to join City was all but done but in the very last minute he decided to stay at Milan meaning the deal collapsed.

The midfielder would eventually join Real Madrid the next January for a world record £56 million fee.

Nabil Fekir to Liverpool

After losing Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona Liverpool were looking for a creative midfielder to replace him.

The Reds identified Fekir as that player and he went through a medical, interview and filmed a new signing video, but it would never go through.

Reportedly, Liverpool found an issue with his knee that meant that they did not want to sign the Frenchman, but Fekir alleges that this was not the reason the deal failed to go through.

The midfielder told L’Equipe: “There was an incredible amount of lies told about it. Everything that has been said about my family in particular. It hurts them, as it hurt me.

“You want the truth? Even I do not know it, I assure you. I did my medical examination and, behind, they decided not to sign me.”