5 times clubs hijacked others' transfer deals

#3 David Beckham to Real Madrid (hijacked from Barcelona)

Primera Liga: Real Madrid v Barcelona — Beckham could have been a Barcelona legend!

A fallout with manager Alex Ferguson in 2003 led to David Beckham deciding to leave Manchester United. A player like the former England international was sure to attract interest from top clubs and as expected Barcelona came calling. Soon the two clubs told the media that they have reached an agreement for the transfer of the midfielder.

However, it seemed that Beckham preferred a move to Barcelona's arch rivals, Real Madrid and days later it was revealed that the Red Devils had accepted a bid of around £34 million for the player. Although their rivals snatched their target right from under their noses, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Barcelona as Beckham's stint was Los Blancos was a failed one.

However, the incident left the Blaugrana incensed with the actions of Manchester United leading them to hijack one of the English club's deals the same year.

About the author

Dakir is a European and Indian football journalist at Sportskeeda with an overall experience of 10 years. Holding a Master’s degree in Journalism & Mass Communication, and currently pursuing Master’s in Sports Journalism from Sheffield Hallam University, he is a seasoned football journalist who has interviewed the likes of former Liverpool star John Arne Riise, covered the entire 2022-23 Indian Super League season of the Kerala Blasters, and has delivered a seminar at an international conference held by St. Albert's College, Ernakulam.

Thanks to his extensive academic background in journalism, Dakir understands the importance of accuracy and spends a significant amount of time researching the subject. In today’s data-driven world of football, where players are perceived as machines, he prides himself amplify the voices of the people that make football the beautiful game that it is.

He started following football in 2013, and more specifically, Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool, and admires Jurgen Klopp for his untouched charisma and unmatched legacy. A perpetual underdog supporter, he is a fan of under-fire Reds forward Darwin Nunez and can’t wait for him to show the world what he truly is. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s iconic “corner taken quickly” corner assist for Divock Origi in Liverpool’s 4-0 UCL semifinal win over Barcelona left a lasting impact on him.

When not writing, Dakir enjoys indulging in his guilty pleasure - watching mass commercial movies.

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Edited by Kishan Prasad