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Transfers in football are always a balance of joy and sadness, especially if the player involved in the deal is a really good one. While fans of the club receiving the player are overjoyed, there's a feeling of desolation and sadness among the supporters of the departing club.
For a long time in football, free signings were impossible, with clubs holding all the powers. Things changed with the Bosman ruling that enabled players to run down their contracts for whatever reason they may seem fit. Once a footballer's contract expires, they are free to join any club.
But some departures have resulted in deep heartbreak and sorrow among fans. This can be simply because their favorite player has left for absolutely no cost. On other occasions, the fans get even more enraged when their beloved players leave for free and join their direct rivals.
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Whatever it may be, the following free signings crushed the club's fans when they left to change the track of their careers.
#5 Sergio Ramos - Real Madrid to PSG
Sergio Ramos reached almost unmatchable heights at Real Madrid.
There has never been a shortage of superstars at Real since the days of Alfredo Di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas. But Ramos created a rich legacy over the years he spent in Madrid after joining as a youngster from Sevilla. He became club captain and led the team to several honors, including multiple UEFA Champions League titles.
Initially starting at right-back, Ramos later switched to the heart of defense to become one of the world's leading centre-backs in the modern era.
But all good things come to an end, and so did Ramos' stay at Real Madrid. His departure and subsequent free signing were not devoid of controversy. As per Ramos, there was a one-year contract extension by Real which he was ready to sign, but it was taken back without any information.
Many Madrid loyalists were deeply hurt, and some were even mad at club president Florentino Perez for not keeping Ramos at the Santiago Bernabeu. It has been even more painful for Ramos as his PSG days have been marred by injuries that have massively restricted his game time.
#4 Luis Enrique - Real Madrid to Barcelona
Making a free switch to one of the club's fiercest rivals is one thing, but it's another to criticize the previous club and its fans after joining their rivals.
Luis Enrique did both in the summer of 1996 when he saw out his contract at Real Madrid and joined Barcelona free of cost. After making the switch, he declared that he was never at home with Los Blancos and their fans, and he didn't have many fond memories of his time with them.
Although the Barcelona fans were hesitant at first, Enrique soon won them over with his excellent displays of football. The midfielder spent nine long seasons at Camp Nou and went on to captain the club. Enrique could play centrally and in attack, and scored several important goals, including in El Clasico.
He won a couple of La Liga and Copa Del Rey titles at Barcelona, among other trophies. Enrique returned to Barcelona as their manager in 2014 and led them to a continental treble the following year.
#3 Sol Campbell - Tottenham to Arsenal
One can imagine how much pain Sol Campbell caused Tottenham Hotspur fans when the latter publicly declared the English centre-back as 'Judas'.
Campbell completed nearly a decade at White Hart Lane and was a cherished personality at the club, loved by all fans and fellow players alike. When he decided to join Arsenal, it shocked the entire football world, especially the Tottenham fans.
The move was considered treachery as the Gunners were Spurs' fiercest rivals, and Campbell had said earlier that he would never play for Arsenal.
The rationale for Campbell's decision was simple as the footballer wanted to play in the UEFA Champions League and challenge for trophies. He immediately found success as the hard-hitting defender became a mainstay at the back for the Gunners.
In his first season, Campbell's decision bore fruit as Arsenal won the domestic double - the league and the FA Cup. Campbell spent five seasons at Arsenal and left as an 'Invincible' after winning the league undefeated in the 2003-04 season.
#2 Robert Lewandowski - Borussia Dortmund to Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich have often been accused by detractors of pillaging the Bundesliga by acquiring the best talent from fellow title challengers. The accusation gained ground after the acquisition of Polish superstar Robert Lewandowski.
Lewandowski's departure had left the entire Borussia Dortmund fanbase heartbroken. The feeling has gotten worse over the years as the forward has grown even further to become one of the best footballers in the modern era.
From Bayern's point of view, Lewandowski's free signing has been a terrific one. It is his eighth season with the Bavarian club, and Lewandowski is a goal-scoring machine.
Aside from his first season at the Allianz Arena, Lewandowski has scored 20+ league goals every season and is already nearing the tally in the current season. He has won several major trophies with Bayern Munich, including the highly coveted Champions League.
#1 Lionel Messi - Barcelona to PSG
Lionel Messi's departure from Barcelona was not only a completely unexpected one, but the reason is quite different than that of the other four on this list.
Barcelona found itself with a massive problem in the summer of 2021 with an inflated wage bill. They needed to reduce their wage bill before registering any new signings or contract renewals. Messi's contract with the club expired at the end of the 2020-21 season, but talk of a renewal seemed positive.
However, a resolution didn't arrive in the end and Messi joined PSG after a long saga spanning all summer.
It can be said for certain that the move has caused much pain to the Barcelona faithful. Messi had grown up and become everything he is today in Catalonia. Although it's just speculation, Messi would still have been at Barcelona had it not been for the wage bill issue.
It's still acceptable when a player leaves out of his own volition but that can hardly be said about Messi's move. The transfer was evidently crushing for both the fans and Messi alike, as he bid a tearful adieu.
