So how about some shocking football transfers for you to read. It is normal for players to move from one team to another. That is why the transfer window was put in place so that there can be a special time for these movements. Players switch clubs for different reasons. From a desire to win trophies to a fatter paycheck. Some players even move because they fall out with the manager.
Whatever the reason for moving is, it leaves a sour taste in the mouth of fans when the transfer carries a touch of betrayal. It depends on how and why the player moved and more importantly the team the player moved. Here are some football transfers that have conferred the status of Judas on the players involved. Here are some of such transfers.
Top 10 Judas transfers of all time
A Judas transfer can be explained as players moving from one team to their arch-rivals. Most time it either for money or for glory-hunting. Below are the Top 10 Judas transfers in the history of football;
10. Barmby From Everton to Liverpool
The Merseyside derby is one of the most one-sided derbies in football but it is a legit rivalry nonetheless. Only a few players have ever dared to cross the divide and one of them is Nick Barmby. He rejected a lucrative deal to remain at Goodison Park in the summer of 2000 because he wanted to play at the red side of Merseyside. He did make the move to the chagrin of Everton fans. The toffees soon traveled to play Liverpool at Anfield and expectedly Barmby was booed. He would have the last laugh as he scored and helped Liverpool win 3-1.
9. Robin van Persie to Manchester United
In one of the most shocking football transfers, Arsenal somehow allowed a goalscoring machine in Robin van Persie to leave for Manchester United. The Dutchman had just won the golden boot and seem to be finding the form that niggling injuries denied him. A fatter paycheck and a chance to win the Premier League saw the striker move to Old Trafford and the rest is history. He ended up scoring the winning goal the next time the two bitter rivals were going to meet and did not hold back his celebration. Many do not consider an Arsenal legend because of this.
8. Carlos Tevez to Manchester City
Who else could be bold enough to move from Manchester United to Manchester City? Tevez was part of a fearsome Manchester United attack that also contained Ronaldo, Tevez, and Rooney. The trio led United to the Premier League and Champions League titles in the 2007/2008 season. Tevez somehow had a falling out with Alex Ferguson the following season and he crossed to their archrival’s side. He would later win the Premier League at the expense of his old team in a dramatic fashion three years later.
7. Ashley Cole to Chelsea
Ashley Cole had a successful time at Arsenal winning two Premier League titles including the 2003/2004 invincible season. He was arguably the best left-back in the league. To keep it simple, he left Arsenal because of wage issues. He soon joined Chelsea where he earned more money and succeeded where Arsenal had failed by winning the UEFA Champions League in 2012. Cole’s move is will be one of many other football transfers that left Arsenal fans raging.
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6. Cruyff to Feyenoord
Feyenoord and Ajax used to have a fierce rivalry back in the day. As a matter of fact, they still do. It was a matter of a sweet relationship going sour as Ajax refused to offer Cruyff a new deal aged 37. It is quite understandable why they did that because Cruyff was old. The late Dutchman moved to Feyenoord to get one back. He even moved a step further to helping Feyenoord win a league and cup double at the end of that season. How about that for revenge?
5. Paul Ince to Manchester United
Paul Ince is a Manchester United legend but the move would see him go down as a traitor. Ince starred for the Hammers in the 1980s and was their best player in 1989. West Ham got relegated at the end of that year and everyone knows how it goes. You can’t keep your best players if you get relegated. The fans knew what was coming but Ince would incur their wrath when a picture showed him in a Manchester United shirt before he had signed for the Red Devils. They would not forgive him for this.
4. Sol Campbell to Arsenal
Betrayal and trickery. Of all football transfers across London, this particular one stands out. Sol Campbell was Tottenham’s captain in 2000/2001 and with his contract running out, he did not sign a new deal. He promised he was going to sign a new deal and all was fine until he left for Arsenal on a free transfer. Spurs fans never saw it coming. To add salt to the injury, he won the Premier League with the invincible at his old stomping ground- White Hart Lane.
3. Luis Figo to Real Madrid
Speculations abound about football transfers every window but you hardly hear some teams doing business together. Such are Barcelona and Real Madrid. The two teams don’t consider courting each other’s players but one can never tell what the future holds. Figo had been part of a successful Barcelona team that won thE La liga and the Cup Winners’ Cup but Real Madrid somehow managed to sign him. Figo would further complicate the matter when he said he moved to Madrid for prestige and better financial terms.
2. Baggio to Juventus
Juventus and Fiorentina are not in the same region but when it comes to football rivalries, distance definitely does not matter. This unlikely hatred began when Juventus beat Fiorentina to two titles- in 1982 and 1990. It became worse when Roberto Baggio was sold to Juventus in 1990 and the fans took to the streets of Florence to protest. A riot would later evolve from the protest as the fans felt betrayed.
1. Crossing the Old Firm divide
Our last of football transfers is a player who did the unthinkable. Not many outside Scotland are familiar with the name Mo Johnston but this guy is popular. So here is what happened. He left the Scottish League to play in France and after two years he returned to Scotland. Of course many expected him to go back to Celtic but Johnston shocked everyone when he joined their Old Firm rival Rangers. He also celebrated wildly when he scored against them in the Old Firm derby.