The 8 Most Controversial Transfers in Premier League History
Who are the Judases of the EPL? These are the most controversial transfers in English Premier League history, with these players causing a stir by signing for their former clubs' most hated rivals.
8. Nick Barmby to Liverpool
Everton fans were shocked when midfielder Nick Barmby - capped 23 times by England in his career - was sold to Merseyside rivals Liverpool in 2000. He became the first Everton player sold to their rivals since 1959.
Barmby had rejected a contact extension with Everton as he wanted to play for Liverpool. To the absolute dismay of Everton fans, he scored for his new club in his first Merseyside Derby with Liverpool in a 3-1 win, celebrating wildly after scoring just to rub it in.
7. Fernando Torres to Chelsea
This one would have ranked higher had it not been for Torres flopping majorly at Stamford Bridge. Torres scored 65 goals in 102 Premier League appearances for Liverpool and Chelsea would break the British transfer record in 2011, splashing £50m to tempt vicious rivals Liverpool into giving him up.
Torres scored a less than impressive 20 goals in 110 matches for Chelsea in the Premier League and is considered a significant flop considering the money spent on him. Further to the delight of Liverpool fans, he would miss an open goal against Man United in his first season at his new club.
6. Carlos Tevez to Man City
"A small club with a small mentality". That's how Sir Alex Ferguson reacted to Man United's bitter rivals, Man City, erecting a huge billboard which read: "Welcome to Manchester" following the 2009 signing of Tevez. The message behind the sign is that City fans claim that they're the only club from Manchester.
Man United are on the border of the City of Salford and borough of Trafford which are both outside the Manchester city centre zone. United fans watched in horror as Tevez helped Man City win their first Premier League title in 2012, their first top flight championship title since 1968.
5. Eric Cantona to Man United
It's hard to imagine that Man United legend Eric Cantona was a Leeds United player, arriving in Leeds from French club Nimes. Some saw Cantona as an unstable personality, so Leeds sensationally sold him to bitter rivals United for one of the greatest bargains in English football history.
Leeds were initially after United full-back Denis Irwin but after being told he was not for sale, United then asked Leeds whether Cantona was for sale, and they got their man for £1.2 million much to the dismay of Leeds fans. After winning the 1991/92 top flight with Leeds, Cantona became one of United's most iconic players and one of the greatest players of his generation, helping United win four Premier League titles and two FA Cups.
4. Ashley Cole to Chelsea
In 2005 Cole would be found guilty for his part in a tapping-up scandal organised to negotiate his way out of Arsenal to London rivals Chelsea. Cole felt that he was treated made a "scapegoat" and that Arsenal "fed him to the sharks". Eventually he would force his way to Chelsea in 2006 and earned a contract that peaked at £120,000-a-week, much more than the £55,000 offered by Arsenal which he felt was insultingly low.
Arsenal fans would have be left fuming when he issued a public statement while at Chelsea, declaring that he "forgave" Arsenal for how he was made to feel during the tapping-up debacle. Cole went on to win a Premier League title, four FA Cups and a Champions League winners trophy during his time at Chelsea.
3. Emmanuel Adebayor to Man City
Adebayor wasn't the first player to swap Arsenal for fierce rivals Man City. City had only recently been cashed up and spent big amounts of money strengthening their squad with former Arsenal players; Kolo Toure, Gael Clichy, Samir Nasri and Bacary Sagna making the switch. What makes Adebayor's one of the most controversial of all was what he did on the football pitch against his former club.
In his first game against Arsenal, Adebayor scored a goal, ran the entire length of the pitch, then celebrated in front of Arsenal's away supporters. In the same game, he was accused of deliberately kicking former teammate Robin van Persie in the face, slapping one of his closest friends Alex Song, and then trying to stamp on Cesc Fabregas. You can't get much more Judas than that.
2. Robin van Persie to Man United
RVP caused a stir when he left Arsenal for rivals Man United. Van Persie was one of the best strikers of his generation, scoring 96 Premier League goals in 194 appearances for Arsenal. He then continued his remarkable scoring record with 48 goals in 86 league games at arch rivals Man United.
Van Persie suggested that he left for Arsenal's bitter rivals because they weren't willing to offer him a contract as his existing deal was winding down. Making matters worse for Arsenal, van Persie was the leagues top scorer with 26 goals in United's 2012/13 Premier League winning season.
1. Sol Campbell to Arsenal
This one is sickening to Spurs fans. Sol Campbell would unbelievably sign for Arsenal from Tottenham in 2001. What makes it even worse is that he openly committed to Spurs fans that he would be staying at White Hart Lane. As captain of Tottenham, he then let his contract expire, declined a contract that would have made him the highest-ever paid player for the Spurs, then proceeded to sign for their sworn enemies.
To rub salt into the wounds, Campbell won two Premier League titles and three FA Cups while at Arsenal. He was also a key part of the 2003-04 Arsenal team that became known as 'The Invincibles' after going the entire league season undefeated. It seems like it was the right move for Campbell in the end, but there will always remain certain parts of London he won't ever be able to set foot in comfortably.
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