The 2016-17 summer transfer window was a wild rollercoaster ride where clubs exceeded all kinds of expectations and splurged on new signings like never before. After remaining somnambulant for the major part of the window, many clubs didn’t kick into action until late in the game. Despite a multitude of signings since the end of the previous season, managers and their back and front offices kicked into high gear at the very last moment to sign players that left many surprised.
Apart from the usual shock signings on the final day of the transfer period, many deals that were being worked on for weeks and seemed like a done deal fell through in the dying breaths of the final day. Here’s a look at five deadline day duds that kept fans entertained during the first international break of the season:
#1 Yann M’Vila to Sunderland
After signing the likes of David Love, Paddy McNair, Adnan Januzaj, Steven Pienaar and Papy Djilobodji, Sunderland manager David Moyes was all set to further bolster his squad by signing Yann M’Vila. The French defensive midfielder was on a season-long loan at the Stadium of Light from Rubin Kazan for the 2015-16 campaign and looked like he was about to become a permanent Black Cats player when things went wrong. He made 36 appearances for the club and scored one goal last season.
M’Vila’s contract with Kazan is set to expire in January and Moyes was in talks with the club regarding his £8 million price tag. The midfielder was even on his way to Newcastle from Heathrow Airport to confirm a deal he was looking forward to when news surfaced the move wasn’t going to happen. The Frenchman took to Instagram to express his disappointment about the deal going bust.
#4 James Morrison to Celtic
Scottish midfielder James Morrison moved to West Bromwich Albion in 2007 and has served the club well since. He even signed a brand new contract in the summer that was set to see him at the club till 2018 at least. However, in spite of the new terms, Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers continued pursuing the Scottish international till the very end of the transfer window. He hadn’t been played in the last couple of games for the Baggies and the Scotsman himself was keen on a move to Parkhead.
Despite mutual interest in the move from both sides, Rodgers failed in a final hour bid for the midfielder. The big bosses at The Hawthorns got involved in the 11th hour and vetoed against selling Morrison to the Glasgow outfit. The deal fell through not because both sides couldn’t agree on a fee but because of West Brom’s player requirements. Morrison is set to start in Scotland’s World Cup Qualifier opener against Malta on Sunday.
#3 Marcelo Brozovic to Chelsea
After making failed attempts to sign Kalidou Koulibaly and Alessio Romagnoli, Chelsea was certain to sign Inter Milan midfielder Marcelo Brozovic. Best described as a box-to-box midfielder, his ability to play anywhere in the midfield made him an attractive choice for Blues manager Antonio Conte.
On the final day of the transfer window, Inter Milan had finally agreed to a deal with the London club. Brozovic was to make the move to Chelsea for £25 million after all the details had been ironed out with the Nerazzurri, but the deal collapsed at the very end.
Despite Inter’s cooperation, Brozovic was not in the mood to join Conte’s side. He rejected the offer of higher wages at Chelsea to remain at the San Siro which is under new management now. According to his agent Miroslav Bicanic, “ … Brozo will stay in Inter … After he returns from Croatia, Marcelo will sign a new, improved contract with Inter. With it he will earn less than he would have if he had signed for Chelsea, but he feels comfortable in Inter, he knows the city and the club will play in Europa League.”
#4 Axel Witsel to Juventus
After selling Paul Pogba for £89.3 million to Manchester United, Juventus were left with a hole in their midfield. They had already signed Miralem Pjanic to fill the void but wanted add more at the centre of the park and Belgian midfielder Axel Witsel was their favoured option. For weeks, Juventus had the chance to sign any midfielder to make up the gaps in their squad but waiting till the last moment to sign Witsel sure backfired on them. After all but putting pen to paper, Juventus’s deal with Zenit St. Petersburg fell through in the final moments of the transfer window.
Witsel had left Belgium’s training facilities to go through his medical and sign the paperwork only to find out Zenit were not going to let him make the transfer. However, Zenit might have been compelled to hold on to the Belgian since they couldn’t find a replacement for him. The Russian club stood to make a profit on his sale this transfer window and look like they’ll have to let the midfielder go on a free transfer in January, if not next summer at the end of his contract.
#1 Moussa Sissoko to Everton
Newcastle United didn’t budge on Moussa Sissoko’s asking price of £30 million for even a second. After Sissoko’s impressive performance for France in Euro 2016, Rafa Benitez, the Newcastle manager, realised he had a golden goose on his hands and waited till the very last moment to sell him for the price he wanted.
After an initial interest from Real Madrid died down, Sissoko looked like he was headed to Everton ahead of the deadline for the new season. However, events took an unexpected turn.
Although both clubs, Newcastle and Everton, had agreed on all fees and personal terms, when the time came, Sissoko failed to answer Ronald Koeman’s calls to finalise the signing. It turns out, while he was ignoring the Toffees’ manager’s calls, he was busy agreeing to make a move to Tottenham Hotspur instead.
Sissoko’s turnaround came from left field when everyone was expecting him to join the side from Liverpool. Instead, he ended up a Spurs player by the time the deadline ended. Reportedly, Everton even had a plane ready to fly him in but he never turned up.
