Skip to main content
FourFourTwo FourFourTwo FOOTBALL NEWS, FEATURES, QUIZZES
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
flag of UK
UK
flag of Australia
Australia
flag of US
US
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of 대한민국
대한민국
flag of Türkiye
Türkiye
  • Soccer Cleat Buying Guides
  • Newsletter
  • News
  • Video
  • Features
  • Quizzes
  • Clubs
  • More
    • Interviews
    • The Magazine Archive
    • Subscribe
    • Lists
    • How to watch
    • About
FourFourTwo Magazine
FourFourTwo Magazine
Why subscribe?
  • Fascinating feature articles, covering everything from grass-roots football to the international scene
  • 'ACCESS ALL AREAS' pass to exclusive interviews with the biggest and best names in the game!
From$29.99
Subscribe now
Trending
  • WATCH the UCL
  • Transfers
  • Interviews
  • Messi
  • Ronaldo
  • EPL
Recommended reading
Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim arrives back at Carrington ahead of pre-season
Transfers Manchester United report: Five first-team stars set to leave following Carrington demand
Chelsea target Alejandro Garnacho of Manchester United in action during the Premier League match between Aston Villa FC and Manchester United FC at Villa Park on October 06, 2024 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Transfers Unwanted Manchester United man rejects mega transfer deal as pre-season tour axe looms: reports
Real Madrid's Luka Modric and Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold during the 2022 Champions League final in Paris.
Lists Iconic players leaving their clubs in 2025
Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has a big summer ahead
Four Manchester United players barred from Ruben Amorim's pre-season tour: report
Noni Madueke of Chelsea celebrates with teammate Enzo Fernandez after scoring his team's fifth goal and completing his hat trick during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers FC and Chelsea FC at Molineux on August 25, 2024 in Wolverhampton, England.
Transfers 15 first-team Chelsea stars named in clear-out, with Club World Cup on horizon: report
Manchester United Co-Chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe reacts to Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United at the end of the UEFA Europa League Final 2025 between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at Estadio de San Mames on May 21, 2025 in Bilbao, Spain.
Transfers Manchester United prepared for 15 major exits in unprecedented cull: report
Theo Walcott celebrates after scoring for England against Croatia
Quiz Quiz! Can you name every England player with five or fewer caps to go to a major tournament?
  1. Features

9 players who went AWOL after being refused transfers

By Greg Lea published 27 February 2018

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Players on the run

Players on the run

It’s fair to say Riyad Mahrez really wanted to move to Manchester City in January 2018. The Premier League champions-elect waited until the final few days of the transfer window to make an offer for the Algeria international, by which stage Leicester weren’t prepared to sell their star man.

Mahrez wasn’t happy and failed to report for training for several days, but he’s now back in the fold and ready to give his all for the Foxes – at least until the end of the season. The following nine players were rather more persistent…

Page 1 of 10
Page 1 of 10
9. John Obi Mikel (Lyn)

9. John Obi Mikel (Lyn)

Manchester United and Chelsea both claimed to have signed Mikel from Lyn in 2005, leading to a year-long tug of war between the pair. It turned out that the Nigerian had agreed to the United move without any form of representation after Lyn sent a brusque email informing his advisors that their services were no longer required.

Mikel disappeared on the eve of a Norwegian Cup match, sparking huge media coverage and a police enquiry after Lyn director Morgan Andersen made claims in the Norwegian media that the player had been kidnapped. In fact, he’d been grabbing some much-needed head space in London (with an agent) and following more tedious negotiations, reluctantly played another season in Norway before joining Chelsea in 2006.

Page 2 of 10
Page 2 of 10
8. Nicolas Anelka (Arsenal)

8. Nicolas Anelka (Arsenal)

'The Incredible Sulk' had become an increasingly morose presence around Highbury as the 1998-99 campaign progressed. Signed from Paris Saint-Germain for a minuscule £500,000, Anelka rose to such prominence during Arsenal’s 1997-98 Double-winning campaign that Real Madrid sat up and take notice, especially when the Frenchman claimed to be “bored in London”.

By late July, with Anelka intent on forcing a move through to the Spanish giants and Arsenal playing hardball over his demands, he holed himself up in an economy Martinique hotel with brothers (and advisors) Claude and Didier. The Anelka family doctor insisted Nicolas was unable to return to training in N5 due to stress, and the teenager finally moved to Madrid for a whopping £23m.

Page 3 of 10
Page 3 of 10
7. Dimitri Payet (West Ham)

7. Dimitri Payet (West Ham)

The French forward never wanted to leave Marseille in summer 2015, and, as it turned out, had no intention of seeing out his new five-and-a-half-year, £125,000 per-week deal at West Ham. In January 2017, he announced he no longer wished to play for the Hammers, and holed himself back up in Marseille.

Although manager Slaven Bilic claimed he’d make Payet play for the reserves, the West Ham board had no option but to offload the troublesome forward. The France international – surprise, surprise – promptly returned to newly moneyed Marseille for £25m.

Page 4 of 10
Page 4 of 10
6. Jorge Cadete (Celtic)

6. Jorge Cadete (Celtic)

In tandem with fellow Celtic forwards Pierre van Hooijdonk and Paolo Di Canio (they were nicknamed 'The Three Amigos'), Cadete's star shone brightly at Celtic Park after he joined them in 1996. The Portuguese netted an impressive 33 goals in 44 appearances in the 1996-1997 season, although there were always mutterings about his future in Scotland.

During the close season, he handed in a transfer request and announced he wouldn’t be returning to Glasgow, citing his wife’s homesickness as the reason. Despite threatening to sue him, Celtic offloaded Cadete to Celta Vigo later that summer.

Page 5 of 10
Page 5 of 10
5. Paulo Cezar Lima (Flamengo)

5. Paulo Cezar Lima (Flamengo)

The sublimely talented ‘Caju’ announced in typically grandiose fashion that the 1974 World Cup would be his tournament. Yet the Ipanema icon spent much of his time making fraught phone calls to his Brazilian employers, Flamengo, in an attempt to persuade them to let him leave the Maracana and join Marseille.

After they consistently refused to release him, Caju disappeared for a month (“I travelled around Europe and stayed in some great hotels”), before Flamengo caved in and sanctioned his departure. Caju’s time in France was hardly unsuccessful (16 goals in 31 games), but he missed the Rio beaches and joined Fluminense at the end of the season.

Page 6 of 10
Page 6 of 10
4. George Eastham (Newcastle)

4. George Eastham (Newcastle)

By 1959, Newcastle’s promising Under-23 England international dared to ask the club for a transfer – a bold request in the days of the ‘slavery contract’ and the minimum wage. With Arsenal keen to whisk Eastham away from St James’ Park, the forward was kept under virtual house arrest by his employers, who refused to budge on his request.

To fill the time and earn a living (because Newcastle refused to pay his wages), Eastham became a cork salesman down south. Eventually, the Magpies accepted Arsenal’s whopping £47,000 bid in late 1961, ending Eastham’s spell in limbo.

Page 7 of 10
Page 7 of 10
3. Neil Franklin (Stoke)

3. Neil Franklin (Stoke)

Denied a move by Stoke, the defender announced his unavailability for selection for England’s 1950 World Cup squad, informing club and country that he would be flying to Colombia to play for Independiente Santa Fe.

Despite warnings that he would be jeopardising his career, Franklin – whose annual salary in South America was four times his Stoke wage – bullishly announced: “We'll live finer than any footballers in the world."

Colombia had been expelled by FIFA for poaching players from around the world and the "rebel" players were also banned. So when Franklin’s dream turned sour after just six games (his wife couldn’t settle), he returned to the Potteries.

Page 8 of 10
Page 8 of 10
2. Diego Costa (Chelsea)

2. Diego Costa (Chelsea)

Informed by manager Antonio Conte that he wasn’t part of his plans for the 2017-18 season, Chelsea’s furious frontman spent the summer in Brazil and refused to return for pre-season training, hoping to force through a move to former club Atletico Madrid.

Initially told via text that he was no longer wanted at Stamford Bridge, Costa insisted he was happy to be fined for the entire season if the Blues didn’t agree a deal with Atletico, while also slamming the west Londoners for treating him as a “criminal”. Both sides relented in September, when a £57m deal was announced.

Page 9 of 10
Page 9 of 10
1. Pierre van Hooijdonk (Nottingham Forest)

1. Pierre van Hooijdonk (Nottingham Forest)

Furious that strike partner Kevin Campbell and defender Colin Cooper had been sold by Nottingham Forest in the close season, the outspoken Dutch striker took action after returning from the 1998 World Cup. Van Hooijdonk informed manager Dave Bassett that not only was he handing in a transfer request, but he would also be returning to Holland until he was allowed to leave the City Ground.

Following a two-month stand-off, during which Forest plummeted to the bottom of the Premiership, Van Hooijdonk returned to first-team action. But despite the "crying Dutchman" scoring six goals in 19 starts, Forest fell through the trap door, and the forward’s unforgiving team-mates refused to have much to do with him: asked where his errant colleague might end up, midfielder Steve Stone harrumphed "I couldn't give a s**t what Pierre does next".

Page 10 of 10
Page 10 of 10
TOPICS
Riyad Mahrez Leicester City Newcastle United Flamengo Nottingham Forest Pierre Van Hooijdonk Nicolas Anelka Arsenal Diego Costa Chelsea Stoke City John Obi Mikel Manchester United Dimitri Payet West Ham United Olympique Marseille Celtic Celta de Vigo Atlético Madrid
Greg Lea
Greg Lea
Social Links Navigation

Greg Lea is a freelance football journalist who's filled in wherever FourFourTwo needs him since 2014. He became a Crystal Palace fan after watching a 1-0 loss to Port Vale in 1998, and once got on the scoresheet in a primary school game against Wilfried Zaha's Whitehorse Manor (an own goal in an 8-0 defeat).

Read more
Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim arrives back at Carrington ahead of pre-season
Manchester United report: Five first-team stars set to leave following Carrington demand
Chelsea target Alejandro Garnacho of Manchester United in action during the Premier League match between Aston Villa FC and Manchester United FC at Villa Park on October 06, 2024 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Unwanted Manchester United man rejects mega transfer deal as pre-season tour axe looms: reports
Real Madrid's Luka Modric and Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold during the 2022 Champions League final in Paris.
Iconic players leaving their clubs in 2025
Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has a big summer ahead
Four Manchester United players barred from Ruben Amorim's pre-season tour: report
Noni Madueke of Chelsea celebrates with teammate Enzo Fernandez after scoring his team's fifth goal and completing his hat trick during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers FC and Chelsea FC at Molineux on August 25, 2024 in Wolverhampton, England.
15 first-team Chelsea stars named in clear-out, with Club World Cup on horizon: report
Manchester United Co-Chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe reacts to Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United at the end of the UEFA Europa League Final 2025 between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at Estadio de San Mames on May 21, 2025 in Bilbao, Spain.
Manchester United prepared for 15 major exits in unprecedented cull: report
Latest in Lists
Best football adverts
The 14 best football adverts EVER
Football Manager 2026 wonderkids
Football Manager 2026 wonderkids: The FM26 young stars we predict for the game
The 100 most expensive football transfers of all time: Florian Wirtz is unveiled as a Liverpool player after his signing at AXA Training Centre on June 20, 2025 in Kirkby, England.
The 100 most expensive football transfers of all time
NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND - JANUARY 30: Laura Woods, TNT Sports presenter before the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Arsenal FC at City Ground on January 30, 2024 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
Women's Euro 2025: Who are the ITV presenters, pundits and commentators?
BBC Sport Presenter, Alex Scott, reacts prior to the Barclays Women's Super League match between Everton and Manchester City at Walton Hall Park on December 15, 2024 in Liverpool, England.
Women's Euro 2025: Who are the BBC presenters, pundits and commentators?
The 100 most expensive football transfers of all time: Florian Wirtz is unveiled as a Liverpool player after his signing at AXA Training Centre on June 20, 2025 in Kirkby, England.
The 100 most expensive football transfers of all time
Latest in Features
Hannah Hampton pointing
‘Things like that just give me goosebumps!’ Lionesses goalkeeper Hannah Hampton applauded by former England star for filling Mary Earps vacancy
Bryan Mbeumo in pre-season training with Manchester United
'I'm really, really demanding of myself - and my teammates': Bryan Mbeumo tells Manchester United players and Ruben Amorim what he expects of them
Nick Pope (R) and Aaron Ramsdale (L) were England's back-up goalkeepers at the 2022 FIFA World Cup
Newcastle United's Aaron Ramsdale pursuit means one thing as Eddie Howe calls time on three-year absence
Liverpool duo Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai in action during pre-season
Yokohama FM v Liverpool live streams: How to watch pre-season friendly
Chloe Kelly holds the Euro 2025 trophy
Quiz! Can you name every English player to start a Euros final?
Oasis are currently back on the road and have embarked on huge shows in Cardiff, Manchester and London
Oasis 2025: The footballers and managers who’ve been to see reformed Manchester duo so far
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Hannah Hampton pointing
    1
    ‘Things like that just give me goosebumps!’ Lionesses goalkeeper Hannah Hampton applauded by former England star for filling Mary Earps vacancy
  2. 2
    Yokohama FM v Liverpool live streams: How to watch pre-season friendly
  3. 3
    Why Lionesses hero Chloe Kelly made public apology after England's European Championship trophy parade
  4. 4
    Newcastle lining up £120m double-deal to replace Alexander Isak with TWO players: report
  5. 5
    'I'm really, really demanding of myself - and my teammates': Bryan Mbeumo tells Manchester United players and Ruben Amorim what he expects of them

FourFourTwo is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About FourFourTwo
  • Advertise with us
  • Worldwide
  • How to pitch to FourFourTwo

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...