The 5 Most Controversial Transfer in Football History

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In the game of football, as we know, players come and go is something normally happen. This kind of situation must be faced by the club at the end of every season. Whether you want it or not, like it or not, situations like this are unavoidable. Several reasons are often used as an excuse by the player, such as looking for new challenges, joining a childhood dream club, and others. However, the power of money is allegedly the main trigger for the transfer of players from one club to another. Clubs that have great financial strength can easily get the players they want. Although this condition often occurs, it is not uncommon for fanatical supporters of a club to not accept if their idol player moves to another club. Swearing and insulting will become commonplace after that. What follows is a transfer story that has sparked controversy and anger among supporters who once regarded their players as irreplaceable gods. Here are 5 Most Controversial Transfer in Football History.

Roberto Baggio : From Fiorentina to Juventus

If there was a transfer of a football player that almost caused a riot in a city, it was Roberto Baggio. He was the first player to break the hearts of Fiorentina football fans to pieces. His controversial transfer almost sparked urban unrest. Well.. Roberto Baggio's move from Fiorentina to Juventus fell into the latter category, as the streets of Florence erupted with fury.

The Divine Ponytail became the world's most expensive player when Juventus bought him for £8 million in the summer of 1990. Fiorentina club president at the time, Flavio Pontello was reportedly forced not to move from inside the Artemio Franchi Stadium for two days after the transfer was announced, as fans surrounded the club's headquarters. Police were forced to make arrests, and 50 people were injured, as disgruntled fans bombarded their team's headquarters with bricks and Molotov cocktails.

There are two reasons for the anger. During his five seasons in Florence, Baggio has become an icon for Viola fans. So, it is not surprising that his departure is difficult for the people of Florence to accept. The move became very painful for fans, when the president Pontello's decision to sell him to his hated rival, Juventus, was seen as a betrayal.

It still feels fresh in the minds of Italian Serie A league lovers, the moment when Baggio was greeted by a cacophony of ridicule when he returned to the Artemio Franchi stadium. The player himself refused to take a penalty and when he was substituted, picked up a Fiorentina scarf that was thrown at him as he walked off the pitch. The gesture then sparked the ire of Juventus fans, who never really warmed to Baggio during his three seasons in Turin.

Eric Cantona : From Leeds United to Manchester United

It all started when Leeds attempted to sign Man United full-back Denis Irwin in November 1992, they were turned down. The Red Devils, who at the time lost striker Dion Dublin to injury, and failed to sign Alah Shearer, responded with a speculative bid for the lively Frenchman Cantona, who had won the title with the Yorkshire club earlier that year.

The dispute between Cantona and Leeds manager Howard Wilkinson, is suspected to be the main cause of the star player's move. And the club stated that they would not oppose the sale of Cantona because of the poison he left around Elland Road.

Leeds manager Howard Wilkinson quickly agreed a £1.6m deal and Sir Alex Ferguson landed the player. Cantona's status as a hero among Leeds fans soon faded, but there was also a lot of anger from fans at Wilkinson for letting him go like that.

There is an interesting fact that was later revealed to the public. Martin Edwards - who was United chairman at the time - revealed that the transfer fee was lower than that, and that the £1.6m figure was there to please Leeds fans, which is now considered a total insult.

Luis Figo : From Barcelona to Real Madrid

Luis Figo was brought to Barcelona in 1995 by the Dutch football maestro who was then Barca coach, Johan Cruyff. His brilliant performance in the right-wing sector immediately caught the attention of the Catalan community. In Barcelona, Figo spent five years and won several prestigious titles. He was part of the golden generation of Portuguese football who impressed at the 1996 European Cup.

Under Bobby Robson the following season a Barcelona team powered by Figo's magic and creativity won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, UEFA Super Cup and Copa del Rey. However, Figo's move to Real Madrid in 2000 has hurt the hearts of the Catalan public.

An impressive trophy haul, but the league title slipped away from them for the third year in a row, and manager Robson finally paid the price after just one season in charge.

Louis van Gaal was appointed as his successor. Football under the Dutchman is far from what Figo is used to at Camp Nou, with Cruyff and Robson's fluid, attacking style of play replaced with a much more pragmatic approach.

However, despite being uncomfortable with the system, it had a clear impact on the midfielder's results, who scored just one league assist for the season. He continued to work for the good of the team and was awarded the first league title of his career.

Despite retaining their league title in 1998/99 - with Figo in his role he recorded seven league goals and 17 assists. But turbulence has become a habit at Camp Nou, and Barcelona fans are catching on to their genius midfielder during a period of uncertainty. However, little did they know, he was also on his way to new pastures.

"I think Barcelona didn't treat me well by not paying me according to my interest in the club," Figo told FourFourTwo when asked about his departure from the club. "The opportunity to join Real Madrid arose but the Barcelona director assumed I was bluffing them.

"In the end, when I had an agreement with Real Madrid, it was true that they agreed to give me what I asked for and there was a chance for me to stay. But it was too late and I ended up going to Real Madrid to avoid trouble for my agent, who was committed to them."

The power of money owned by Real Madrid, which had ambitions to form the los Galacticos squad, finally became the winner, when they succeeded in making Figo part of this ambitious project.

Luis Figo's time at Camp Nou may have been wipe out from the memories of Barcelona fans, but that's not to say it should be forgotten by the rest of us. A real magical time in the career of one of the greatest players to ever grace La Liga's stage.

Gabriel Batistuta : From Fiorentina to AS Roma

He is Fiorentina's all-time top scorer in Serie A with 152 goals. and the €36m transfer fee to Roma was the highest ever paid for a player over the age of 30 at the time. His 54 goals in 77 games for Argentina is a record only beaten by Lionel Messi in 2016. He ended his career playing 537 games and scoring 292 goals.

Starting his career in 1988 in the country where he came from, Argentina, the three well-known clubs in the country, Newell's old boys, River Plate, and Boca Junior, he lived season after season. In 1991 his move to Fiorentina was the beginning of Batistuta's journey to become one of the iconic strikers in his extraordinary career.

When Fiorentina were relegated to Serie B in 1993, Batistuta could have moved to another club that is still entrenched in Serie A or moved to another big club in Europe. But he decided to stay and help Fiorentina return to the elite Serie A in the following season. This is what later made him a legend until a bronze statue was made before it was finally destroyed by fans at the moment of his move to AS Roma.

With Fiorentina, Batigol, as he was nicknamed, won the Copa Italia and Supercopa Italiana. But during the almost ten years spent at the Artemio Franchi, no Serie A title has been won. This is what then triggered Batistuta to move to AS Roma in 2000, where it was at this club, in the same year that he won the championship title he coveted.

Ashley Cole : From Arsenal to Chelsea

There is no doubt, over the years, Arsenal fans still harbor a special hatred for Cole after his controversial move to Chelsea. He joined Chelsea in 2006 after his relationship with the Gunners soured following wiretapping allegations in 2005. He even further heated things up when in his autobiography he expressed the anger he felt at being offered a new contract worth £55,000 per week by Arsenal. The Arsenal youth product was frustrated with negotiations and Arsenal's refusal to meet his reported demands of £60,000 a week.

The stalemate in the negotiations was the perfect storm to tarnish Cole's reputation. Chelsea have spent a lot of money and found success since Abramovich's arrival. Starting from the recruitment of a coach who later dubbed himself as The Special One, Jose Mourinho. The purchase of the best players in his position from various countries began. To the extent that they were given the nickname Chelski. As spesial matter happen to Ashley, 'Cashley' soon became the name for England's main left-back.

Arsenal fans hate Cole to this day while Chelsea supporters regard him as a legend. Cole won trophies with both clubs, including the 2012 Champions League with Chelsea, and a record seven FA Cups – three with Arsenal, four with Chelsea. Again, Come to think of it, money was the main trigger for players who were already considered as a legend in single club. In Ashley Cole's case, his 'dangerous' move from one London giant to another may be more complex than previously thought.

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4 comments
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Again Getty images with the first one I checked being Luis Figo. Told you 99% are owned by Getty and that is the truth. Right click on the image and search.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5198449/Real-Madrid-v-Barcelona-10-stars-played-both.html

Check this article and see the same photo with getty.

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I am bloody sorry for this repeating mistakes. I really don't intend to do it. I've change the pict you told me. Thank you..

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I understand as it must be frustrating for you. The problem is I never checked the others and there will be more as Getty own the majority of football photos. I suggest try and find a way where you avoid loads of images and maybe use another type of format. This is why many users who do football posts don't use images at all.

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I got you. I will take all the images down.

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