MANCHESTER UNITED were forced to abandon their shocking pursuit of Marko Arnautovic after a furious fan backlash.
The former Stoke and West Ham striker was, for some reason, seen as the solution to the Red Devils’ attacking woes by new boss Erik ten Hag.
But after news of the approach to Bologna broke, supporters let rip at the club for the bizarre transfer policy and United pulled the plug.
Ten Hag needs reinforcements to his squad before the transfer window closes, especially if Cristiano Ronaldo does force through an exit.
Wantaway Ronaldo only returned to Old Trafford a year ago – after a dramatic U-turn as he looked set to join Manchester City in what would have been another controversial transfer.
But should the deal for the fiery Austrian have been completed, he would have followed in the footsteps of other stars whose transfers caused quite the stir…
READ MORE FOOTBALL STORIES
Carlos Tevez, Man Utd to Man City
With the Argentinian owned by a third party – agent Kia Joorabchian’s Media Sports Investment company – Tevez was technically on loan to Manchester United for two years.
The Red Devils dallied on a permanent deal, which allowed crosstown rivals Man City to swoop in 2009.
A billboard was then erected in Manchester facing in the direction of Salford with Tevez on a sky blue backdrop with the slogan ‘Welcome to Manchester’.
The whole matter left Sir Alex Ferguson incensed. “Stupid and arrogant,” he said of the poster. “A small club with a small mentality,” he labelled City.
Most read in Football
Sol Campbell, Spurs to Arsenal
Harry Kane can count his lucky stars it was not the Gunners trying to lure him away from Spurs last year.
In 2001, Sol Campbell’s contract with Tottenham was set to expire and was considering his options.
Few could believe the England legend would end up at arch-rivals Arsenal, after admitting he was seeking Champions League football.
It was “the ultimate act of betrayal”, according to the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust said.
FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
Ashley Cole, Arsenal to Chelsea
What goes around comes around in football, they say, and Ashley Cole leaving Arsenal for Chelsea was one Gunners fans STILL haven’t got over – often referring to him as ‘Cashley Cole’.
Chelsea and Jose Mourinho were accused of tapping up the ex-England left-back, when the pair met at a hotel restaurant to discuss a potential move.
At the time, Cole was disgruntled with a contract offer he’d received – famously admitting “I nearly swerved off the road” with the £55,000-per-week deal on the table.
All parties were fined for the tapping-up incident, but that didn’t stop Cole from making his move a year later.
Months later at Stamford Bridge, Arsenal fans showered the pitch with fake bank notes with Ashley Cole’s face on.
Luis Figo, Barcelona to Real Madrid
The Real Madrid presidential elections of 2000 brought arguably the most astonishing transfer in Spanish football history.
With Florentino Perez trailing in the polls, he launched an audacious bid for Barcelona talisman Luis Figo.
He offered the Portugal legend a guaranteed £1.6million if he lost the election, but if he won Figo would have to either move to Los Blancos or pay £19m in compensation.
Figo took the bait, and when Perez was voted in the £38m release clause was met and the winger joined Real.
When he returned to the Nou Camp in 2002, he was met with a hostile reaction, as well as a pig’s head that was thrown on to the pitch.
Roy Keane, Man Utd to Celtic
When Roy Keane made himself an enemy in the eyes of Sir Alex, there was no going back.
First, he reportedly argued with Fergie over the quality of the set-up at the Portuguese resort United were enjoying a pre-season training camp at in 2005.
Then, he blasted team-mates Rio Ferdinand, John O’Shea, Alan Smith, Kieran Richardson and Darren Fletcher in an interview with MUTV.
The explosive clip was never aired, but the damage was done. Keane was granted a free transfer – joining boyhood club Celtic.
Roberto Baggio, Fiorentina to Juventus
The Diving Ponytail joined Juventus from Fiorentina in 1990 for a world record £8m fee.
But despite the huge cash windfall, Viola fans were fuming and they stormed the club’s offices – forcing president Flavio Pontello to hide in the stadium.
Amazingly, the riots saw 50 fans injured, while nine were arrested.
What happened next was even better. When the two played each other the following season, Baggio refused to take a penalty claiming Fiorentina keeper Gianmatteo Mareggini would know how to save it.
After he was substituted from the pitch, Baggio then picked up a Fiorentina scarf thrown at him and later revealed “his heart was purple”.
Johan Cruyff, Ajax to Feyenoord
Forever the darling of Ajax fans, there was a time when Johan Cruyff threatened his reputation with them.
After giving them the best part of his football career, the Dutch club’s board felt the Netherlands legend was finished at 36 and refused to offer him a new deal.
Cruyff was furious. So mad, in fact, he signed for their bitter enemy Feyenoord, who he then led to the double and won Dutch Footballer of the Year.
“I wanted to take my anger out on Ajax via Feyenoord after the club had thrown me out with the rubbish”, he later admitted in his autobiography.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
