5 players who teammates wished didn't leave the club

Bacary Sagna (L) and Alex Song were good friends both on and off pitch

There are always friendships within clubs between players that they wouldn't like broken. Manchester United's Class of 92 were such a tight-knit group, they did everything together and won everything together. Their friendship on and off the pitch dictated the way they played the game. Likewise, Barcelona's current trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez are a perfect trio capable of beating every defense in the world mainly because the three of them know each other so well. There are situations when certain players leave the team and teammates are unhappy about the sale of those players. Here are five such instances when a teammate was disappointed with the sale of a player.

#5 Bacary Sagna on Alex Song

Bacary Sagna (L) and Alex Song were good friends both on and off pitch

Former Arsenal teammates Bacary Sagna and Alex Song had a decent season with Arsenal in 2011/2012. With Robin van Persie in mercurial form, Arsenal recorded some incredible performances over the year and finally looked like a team worthy of rising above simply a fourth place finish.

Come the end of the season – with Champions League participation secured – Arsene Wenger decided he didn't need Alex Song. The Cameroonian was one of the stars of the previous season consistently linking up with Van Persie but the Frenchman saw that he sold to Barcelona who were in the market for a defensive midfielder.

Sagna, who also had an incredible season himself, didn't understand the sale and questioned his manager's decision openly. "Everyone knew Robin was leaving," Sagna told L'Equipe. "But Alex? He's 24. He had three years on contract. I still don't understand. He's a huge loss.

"When your two best players go, you ask questions. Fans come up to you in the street and I understand their frustration. Like them, I don't understand everything."

#4 Sergio Ramos on Mesut Ozil

The best of friends: Sergio Ramos (L) and Mesut Ozil

Sergio Ramos and Mesut Ozil are very good friends. While teammates at Real Madrid, the two of them often sported each other's lines of merchandise off the pitch. Ramos was also one of the ones who honed Ozil into the first team constantly guiding him and making sure he had the best advice at all times.

Ozil joined English giants, Arsenal, on deadline day of the 2013 transfer window for a whopping £42.5m – a record for the Gunners – and many including Alvaro Arbeloa, Cristiano Ronaldo and Isco were shocked that he was let go of the club. But no one felt the pain as much as Ramos.

When asked how he felt after Ozil's blockbuster move to Arsenal, Ramos said, "It's obvious that he is a special teammate and friend.

"I've always had a real 'feeling' with him, and it's a shame. He's a great footballer, unique.

"Ozil would be the very last player who I would sell from Real Madrid, if it was up to me. I don't understand this."

#3 John Terry on Frank Lampard

John Terry and Frank Lampard won it all together at Chelsea

John Terry and Frank Lampard are characters so huge in Chelsea's history, they've carved a niche for themselves amongst the fans. Terry – who continues to play till this date – is considered a legend and a leader while Lampard was the ever-so-often savior Chelsea fans so adored.

Lampard's distinctive runs into the box and scoring late goals from outside the box kept him apart from most of Chelsea's players. While his goalscoring prowess is lauded, his contribution in the dressing room, helping out others on the pitch and leading by example has often been overshadowed.

When Lampard wasn't given an extension with Chelsea, Terry was unhappy and even more so given Lampard played for rivals, Manchester City – albeit haven't not planned it – the following season. When asked how he felt seeing his friend in a different shade of blue, this is what Terry said, "It just doesn’t seem right to see them in different shirts. Maybe over time that will ease but it doesn’t seem right.

“We have grown up together and won and lost together at Chelsea. We have done many great things and it was sad to see them go.”

#2 Cristiano Ronaldo on Angel di Maria

Cristiano Ronaldo (L) and Angel di Maria were a spectacle to watch

Having already voiced a strong opinion on the departure of his partner, Mesut Ozil, Cristiano Ronaldo was also vocally unhappy about the sale of Angel di Maria to Manchester United. Di Maria had a stellar season with the club but Florentino Perez decided to bring in World Cup hero, James Rodriguez, and in doing so needed to free up some space in the squad as well as recuperate some of the money spent on the Colombian.

And so he sold the Argentine to Manchester United for £59.7m leaving Cristiano Ronaldo extremely unhappy.

“I have strong opinions but I can’t always say what I think. Otherwise it would be on the front page and I don’t want that," said the 29-year-old.

“But if it was up to me, I wouldn’t have done so."

“But if the president thinks the best thing for the team is to sign players and let others leave, we must respect and support the decision.

“With new players the style will change and it may change for better or worse.

“I hope it’s for the better since the players are of a very good standard. The normal thing is that they’ll adapt well.

“Di Maria and Xabi were very important to us but they’re gone and we should be happy with the new players. I’m sure we’ll be fine.

#1 Steven Gerrard on Xabi Alonso

Steven Gerrard (L) and Xabi Alonso were a magnificent pair

Xabi Alonso is one of the best midfielders the world has seen. He could dictate games with ease with pinpoint passes and long diagonals and with the help of a hardworking equally talented Steven Gerrard took Liverpool to new heights under Spanish manager, Rafael Benitez.

Gerrard was very vocal about Alonso's departure he labelled Rafael Benitez 'stupid'. "It was clear Alonso was royalty after our first training session together in August 2004, and Rafa Benitez, who had been so clever to buy him in the first place, was equally stupid to sell him to Real Madrid five years later," he said.

"He was, by some distance, the best central midfielder I ever played alongside.

"It was a disastrous decision to sell Alonso, and especially for just £30million — which looks a snip now when you reflect on all he has achieved subsequently, both at Real Madrid and Bayern Munich and with Spain, winning the Euros and the World Cup.

"I blame Rafa entirely for the loss of Alonso. He could still have been playing for Liverpool six or seven years after he left in 2009."

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Edited by Staff Editor