Chelsea Football Club is no stranger to the transfer market, having made significant signings over the years. However, they have also been known to hijack deals from other clubs, snatching talented players from under their noses. Here are four instances when Chelsea successfully hijacked transfer deals....CONTINUE READING
1. Mikel Obi from Manchester United
A notable example of Chelsea’s hijacking prowess occurred with the signing of John Obi Mikel. Manchester United had announced an agreement with Norwegian team Lyn Oslo to sign Mikel in April 2005. However, Chelsea swiftly intervened, claiming they had reached an agreement with Mikel’s representatives instead.
This led to a controversy where Mikel alleged he had been persuaded to sign for United without his representatives present, ultimately expressing his preference for Chelsea. The transfer saga ended with Mikel joining Chelsea, leaving Manchester United disappointed.
2. Jorginho from Napoli to Manchester City
In 2018, Manchester City believed they had secured a deal to bring Jorginho to the Etihad Stadium. Both the transfer fee and personal terms were reportedly agreed upon. However, the arrival of Maurizio Sarri as Chelsea’s manager changed the course of events.
Jorginho, who had previously played under Sarri at Napoli, opted to join his former boss at Stamford Bridge instead. This unexpected twist left Manchester City frustrated, as Jorginho went on to make significant contributions to Chelsea’s success, including winning the Champions League.
3. Willian from Anzhi Makhachkala to Tottenham
Tottenham Hotspur thought they had secured the signing of Brazilian winger Willian during Anzhi Makhachkala’s fire sale in 2013. Willian had even completed a medical examination with Spurs.
However, Chelsea’s owner, Roman Abramovich, swiftly intervened and hijacked the deal by offering a higher transfer fee of £16 million to Anzhi. Willian ended up joining Chelsea, leaving Tottenham disappointed once again.
4. Mykhailo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk to Arsenal
While the previous examples involved Chelsea hijacking deals from other clubs, this case involves Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly successfully hijacking a potential transfer.
Arsenal had reportedly been close to signing Ukrainian midfielder Mykhailo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk for a significant fee of £88.5 million.
However, Boehly intervened and managed to sway the deal in Chelsea’s favor, depriving Arsenal of the talented midfielder.
Chelsea’s ability to hijack transfer deals showcases their determination and financial strength in securing top talents for their squad.
While these instances have left other clubs disappointed, Chelsea has benefited from the players they acquired through these hijacked deals. As the transfer market continues to evolve, it remains to be seen which clubs Chelsea will target in their pursuit of future signings.
