Gunners’ hijacking of Eberechi Eze deal latest in long list of EPL steals

Arsenal’s capture of Crystal Palace and England attacker Eberechi Eze from under the noses of north London rivals Tottenham is the latest in a long line of dramatic transfer hijackings in the Premier League.

Spurs had agreed terms with Palace and Eze, but the Gunners swooped with a £67.5m deal for the 27-year-old, who chose to rejoin the club where he began his youth career.

Angry Spurs fans even defaced an Eze mural outside the Emirates Stadium in protest. Here are five other infamous hijacked transfer deals that caused similar outrage among spurned fans:

Moises Caicedo to Liverpool: Hijacked by Chelsea (2023)

Brighton had accepted Liverpool’s record £111m bid for their in-demand midfielder, and Jurgen Klopp had publicly confirmed the deal. However, Caicedo refused to travel to Merseyside, insisting he only wanted Chelsea.

The Blues matched the Reds’ offer and landed the Ecuadorian. To make matters worse, Chelsea also snatched Romeo Lavia from Southampton days later. Caicedo has since become a key cog in Chelsea’s midfield, while Liverpool had to pivot late for Wataru Endo, with Ryan Gravenberch later emerging as a surprise solution in Arne Slot’s title-winning first season.

Willian to Spurs: Hijacked by Chelsea (2013)

Brazilian winger Willian had completed his Tottenham medical and even posed for pictures, with Spurs briefing the media he was their player. Chelsea swooped at the last minute, with Roman Abramovich’s personal intervention swinging the deal. Overnight, Willian was holding up a blue shirt instead of a white one.

He went on to spend seven years at Chelsea, winning two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and a Europa League. Spurs, meanwhile, missed out on silverware during the Mauricio Pochettino era, and this hijack became symbolic of their nearly-men reputation.

Pedro to Manchester United: Hijacked by Chelsea (2015)

Louis van Gaal and Ed Woodward had pursued flying Spaniard Pedro, with United announcing he was Old Trafford-bound from Barcelona. Within 48 hours, Chelsea pounced, flew him into London and announced him before United could respond.

That embarrassment was seen as evidence of United’s declining transfer clout after Alex Ferguson’s departure. Pedro became a useful squad player, winning the Premier League under Antonio Conte. United instead signed Memphis Depay and Anthony Martial, with mixed results at best.

Alexis Sanchez to Manchester City: Hijacked by Manchester United (2018)

Not all hijacks end happily. Pep Guardiola and City had agreed personal terms with Alexis Sanchez, then one of Arsenal’s brightest stars, with a reunion with his former Barcelona coach on the cards. United intervened with a staggering £500 000-per-week wage package, and Arsenal accepted a swap deal for Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

The move backfired badly — Sanchez flopped, destabilised United’s wage structure, and became a symbol of dysfunction. City, who dodged the deal, went on to build a dynasty.

John Obi Mikel to Manchester United: Hijacked by Chelsea (2006)

United unveiled John Obi Mikel at a press conference after signing him from Lyn Oslo, but Chelsea insisted they already had a deal in place with the Norwegian club. The Nigerian had the rare distinction of being contracted to two clubs at once, sparking a messy legal battle.

Chelsea eventually paid compensation to both United and Lyn to secure him. Mikel went on to anchor Chelsea’s midfield for over a decade, becoming a stalwart under Jose Mourinho. United, meanwhile, missed out on a player who could have been Roy Keane’s long-term successor.

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