Gift Orban, Harry Kane, Ange Postecoglou Tottenham nearly signed Gift Orban in 2023, but a £25m fee collapsed under new manager Ange Postecoglou. Orban, a 21-year-old Nigerian striker, had scored 16 goals in 22 games for Stabaek and later 20 in 22 for Gent, including a four-goal haul and a record-breaking hat-trick. However, Kane’s departure to Bayern Munich left Spurs needing a replacement, but the deal stalled. Orban later joined Amedspor on loan, struggling with three goals in 2023-24.

Kaka was close to Manchester City in 2009, with a £108m offer (a world record then), but he rejected it, later joining Real Madrid for £56m.

Rivaldo, Zinedine Zidane, and Steven Gerrard were also missed opportunities for Bolton Wanderers, Blackburn Rovers, and Chelsea, respectively. Zidane and Gerrard went on to achieve global success, while Gerrard’s 2005 Champions League heroics with Liverpool highlighted the cost of missed deals.

Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann also nearly joined Liverpool and Fulham, but Mbappe chose PSG, and Griezmann’s £12m bid for Fulham failed. These near-misses underscore the uncertainty of transfer windows, where star players often opt for alternative paths.