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Emerson Royal had a topsy-turvy summer transfer window, to say the least. The Brazilian international began the summer by moving from Real Betis to Barcelona after the Catalans exercised a €9 million clause in his contract to sign him.
But Barcelona's financial problems meant Emerson's time at one of the biggest clubs in the world lasted just under three months and limited him to just three La Liga appearances.
The 22-year-old was sold to Tottenham Hotspur for €25 million on the final day of the transfer window, enabling the Catalan giants to raise some funds.
Other players have endured a similar transfer window in the past
Emerson is not the first player in football history to move twice in the same transfer window. Several other players have endured a similar fate of joining a club at the start of the transfer window, only to end up somewhere else before the window is shut.
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Here we take a look at five other players apart from Emerson who moved twice in the same transfer window:
#5 Benik Afobe | Bournemouth - Wolves - Stoke City (2018)
Benik Afobe's double-transfer window came as recently as the summer of 2018. Afobe impressed in League One and Championship with MK Dons and Wolverhampton Wanderers respectively.
As such, Eddie Howe offered him the chance to play in the Premier League with Bournemouth in January 2016. But Afobe only managed to score 11 goals in his first 18 months at the club and found himself out of favor at the start of 2018.
The striker was loaned back to his former club Wolves in the January transfer window. He scored six goals in 16 games for Nuno Espirito Santo's side to help them earn promotion to the Premier League.
Wolves splashed out €10 million to sign Afobe on a permanent transfer from Bournemouth. They had little intention of playing him in the top-flight though. Just 11 days later, Wolves sold him to recently relegated Stoke City for €12 million, earning a healthy €2 million profit.
Stoke, however, regretted the transfer as Afobe failed to dazzle at the club, scoring just nine goals in 49 games that season.
Afobe is still on the books at Stoke but has spent the last three years on loan at Bristol City, Trabzonspor and Millwall.
#4 Marc Cucurella | Barcelona - Eibar - Barcelona - Getafe (2019)
Another recent example of a player moving more than once in the same transfer window, Marc Cucurella, changed clubs thrice in the summer of 2019.
Young full-back Cucurella came through the La Masia academy at Barcelona but left the club to join Eibar on loan in 2018. After a successful loan spell, Eibar decided to make the transfer permanent by exercising a €2 million buyout clause in his contract.
However, Barcelona included a buy-back clause of €4 million in his contract which could be activated at any time. What Eibar would not have expected was Barcelona activating that clause just 16 days later.
Just when you thought the whole transfer saga was over, Barcelona let Cucurella go out on loan to Getafe just two days after signing him. Getafe had the option to make the transfer permanent at the end of the 2019-20 season, this time with a buyout clause of €6 million. Getafe did just that, but Barcelona chose not to include any other clauses.
Three different moves in one transfer window. It was a really strange transfer saga all-around. Cucurella was recently snapped up by Brighton from Getafe for around €18 million during the summer transfer window.
#3 Martin Demichelis | Malaga - Atletico Madrid - Manchester City (2013)
Martin Demichelis had an unforgettable transfer window in 2014. The Argentine centre-back enjoyed three good years at Malaga, taking them from near relegation to the Champions League during his time at the club. He later ended up leaving the club on a free transfer to Atletico Madrid.
However, just two months into his time in the Spanish capital, former Malaga boss Manuel Pellegrini lured the defender to Manchester City. The Premier League giants ended up paying €4.5 million for Demichelis, who Atleti signed on a free transfer just a few weeks back.
Demichelis had a successful first season at City, helping them win the Premier League title in 2014. He spent another two seasons at the club before moving to Espanyol in 2016. He eventually returned to Malaga just six months later.
The 40-year-old is currently the manager of Bayern Munich's second team.
#2 Bebe | Estrela - Vitoria di Guimaraes - Manchester United (2010)
Sir Alex Ferguson did not make many bad signings during his time at Old Trafford. But the transfer of unknown Portuguese winger Bebe was definitely one of them.
Bebe came to prominence in 2009 when he joined Portuguese third-tier side Estrela and became the club's star man during that season. His performance saw top-flight side Vitoria swoop in to pick up the youngster on a free transfer in July 2010.
Following a brilliant pre-season in which he scored five goals in six matches, Bebe's buy-out clause was increased from €3 million to €9 million.
After just five weeks with Vitoria, Manchester United activated that release clause to seal the transfer of the Portuguese youngster. There was even talk of Bebe being the next Cristiano Ronaldo.
That was not the case, however, as Bebe failed to live up to expectations at Old Trafford. He was handed a few first-team chances by Ferguson but ended his first season with just two goals in seven appearances.
Bebe never donned United's red again, heading back to Portugal on several loan deals before sealing a transfer to Benfica in 2014.
Now 31, Bebe currently plies his trade at Rayo Vallecano in the Spanish top-flight after helping them achieve promotion from the second-tier last season.
#1 Dietmar Hamann | Liverpool - Bolton - Manchester City (2006)
Liverpool legend Dietmar Hamann is arguably the most high-profile example of a player who moved twice in the same transfer window.
Hamann endured some of the best years of his career at Anfield. The German midfielder spent seven seasons on Merseyside and was part of Liverpool's memorable Champions League win in Istanbul. He came on at half-time when the Reds were 3-0 down and helped them make a miraculous comeback to draw the game 3-3 and win on penalties.
But a year later Hamann left Liverpool on a free transfer and signed a pre-contract with Bolton Wanderers in June. The German midfielder linked up with his club on July 11 but suddenly had a change of heart when Manchester City expressed interest in signing him.
Bolton allowed Hamann to join the Citizens and pocketed €600,000 from his transfer.
Hamann's decision appeared to be the wrong one as Bolton managed to finish seventh that season, earning them a UEFA Cup spot. City, on the other hand, ended the season in 14th place.
Hamann spent three seasons at the Etihad before ending his career at League One side MK Dons in 2011. He now works predominantly as a pundit and football writer.
