Football history is littered with deals that fell through, leaving fans wondering what might have been. From Kaka's rejection of Manchester City to Zlatan Ibrahimovic's refusal to audition for Arsenal, these near-misses could have reshaped the Premier League.
In 2009, Manchester City made a staggering £108m bid for AC Milan's Kaka. The Brazilian playmaker, then Ballon d'Or winner, ultimately decided the timing wasn't right. One City fan even got Kaka's name tattooed, but the transfer collapsed, with City's chief exec later claiming Milan 'bottled it'.
Steven Gerrard's 2005 transfer request sparked interest from Chelsea and Jose Mourinho, but the Liverpool captain withdrew after realising a title at Anfield would mean more than multiple titles at Stamford Bridge. Meanwhile, Robert Lewandowski almost joined Blackburn Rovers in 2010 for £4m, but volcanic ash from Iceland disrupted his travel. He later admitted Borussia Dortmund was his preferred destination.
Other near-misses include Rivaldo's flirtation with Bolton Wanderers in 2004, Andriy Shevchenko's trial at West Ham in 1994, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic's rejection of Arsenal in 2000 due to being asked for a trial. Each could have changed the course of Premier League history.
