Transfers are all about negotiating, but the big six have taken that too far in the past with these insulting transfer offers that have left them with egg on their faces
07:00, 13 Jul 2025
Manager of Arsenal Arsene Wenger looks on at Luis Suarez of Liverpool during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield on February 8, 2014
Few transfer offers have been more laughable than Arsenal's for Luis Suarez(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
The summer transfer window is in full swing, with offers being sent and received from all directions.
Arsenal are making strides with a £50million bid for Chelsea winger Noni Madueke after hitting a snag in negotiations with Sporting CP over Viktor Gyokeres. Their north London rivals Tottenham have bagged Mohammed Kudus for £55m. Meanwhile, Manchester United are still in talks with Brentford for Bryan Mbeumo.
With seven weeks to go until the deadline day, there's ample time to haggle down asking prices. After all, if you don't ask, you don't get. However, the big six clubs have taken this motto a bit too far in the past, leading to some rather cringeworthy bids.
Arsenal – Luis Suarez
Where else to begin but with Arsenal's infamous £40m+£1 ploy. Upon hearing about a supposed release clause in Luis Suarez's Liverpool contract, the Gunners tabled an offer that was just one quid over the amount in 2013, hoping to trigger it.
Former Liverpool forward Luis Suarez
In an alternate reality, Luis Suarez could have fired Arsenal to a Premier League title(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
If they weren't already a laughing stock because of that, they definitely were when it turned out that the clause only necessitated a potential move to be discussed, and wasn't a full-blown release clause. Consequently, the bid was promptly dismissed.
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It was much to the amusement of Liverpool owner John W. Henry, whose infamous tweet remains on the platform, now X: "What do you think they're smoking over there at Emirates?"
Meanwhile, Suarez was persuaded to stay at Anfield for another year by Steven Gerrard, before making a £75m move to Barcelona the following year.
Chelsea – Luka Modric
Dealing with a close rival is never straightforward, and it often comes with a higher price tag. However, Chelsea took a different approach when they made a cheeky bid for Luka Modric from Tottenham in 2011.
Luka Modric of Tottenham Hotspur is closed down by David Luiz and Jose Bosingwa of Chelsea during the FA Cup with Budweiser Semi Final match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium on April 15, 2012
Chelsea were taking the mick with their Luka Modric bid(Image: The FA via Getty Images)
Their initial offer of £22m for Modric, who had joined Spurs from Dinamo Zagreb for £16.6m three years prior, was met with disdain from his manager Harry Redknapp: "That is ridiculous. There are people being sold for £20m who are not fit to lace Luka's boots."
Chelsea did increase their offer, but ultimately failed to hijack Real Madrid's move 12 months later, with Modric heading to the Spanish capital for around £30m – a bargain in hindsight.
Liverpool – Clint Dempsey
Clint Dempsey was coming off an incredible season in 2012, having netted 23 goals and provided seven assists for Fulham. So, it's understandable that they didn't cave when Liverpool made a paltry offer of just £3m.
Clint Dempsey of Fulham competes with Jordan Henderson of Liverpool
Liverpool were pinching the pennies when it came to Clint Dempsey(Image: Getty Images)
The Reds were deep in their 'banter era', and their refusal to cough up more than £4m left them the butt of rival jokes. However, they might have dodged a bullet.
Dempsey eventually signed with Spurs on deadline day for £6m. His tally of 12 goals and seven assists was decent, but he jetted back to his homeland USA after just one season to join Seattle Sounders.
Man Utd – Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines
This could have been seen as an omen... United's transfer market performance has been nothing short of disastrous for over a decade, tracing back to Sir Alex Ferguson's exit.
Marouane Fellaini of Manchester United (L) and Leighton Baines of Everton (R) speak after the Premier League match between Manchester United and Everton at Old Trafford on April 4, 2017
Man Utd's effort to sign both Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines was a joke(Image: Getty Images)
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When David Moyes took the helm, he was eager to bring some of Everton's top talents with him. But his old club wasn't about to do him any favours when they received a £28m bid – for both Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines!
"Those bids were immediately rejected out of hand as derisory and insulting," a spokesperson for the Toffees blasted.
It speaks volumes about United's transfer savvy - or lack thereof - that they ended up signing only Fellaini on deadline day for just £500k less than the combined offer.
Man City – Lionel Messi
While all the above lowball offers were intentional, Manchester City can be somewhat forgiven here as they accidentally tabled a £30m bid for Lionel Messi. Although it does make it all the more embarrassing on their part.
Barcelona's Argentinian striker Lionel Messi jumps to control the ball during the UEFA Champions League group C football match between Manchester City and Barcelona at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England on November 1, 2016
Lionel Messi would've cost a hell of a lot more than the £30m Man City offered(Image: AFP/Getty Images)
Ex-City chief Garry Cook revealed the astonishing mix-up in Gary James' book, 'The Manchester City Years'. In August 2009, Sheikh Mansour had just sealed his £210m takeover, and City officials in Manchester, London and Abu Dhabi were frantically searching for a new striker before the transfer window closed.
After failed bids for Fernando Torres and Dimitar Berbatov, Cook recalled: "He (an executive) made a comment like, 'It's all getting messy.' Via the telephones and other communication lines, this somehow translated into, 'Get Messi.' An offer was made for Lionel Messi of about £30million. Needless to say, it was rejected."
Tottenham - James Maddison and Harvey Barnes
Harvey Barnes, Ricardo Pereira and James Maddison of Leicester look dejected after being relegated after the Premier League match between Leicester City and West Ham United at The King Power Stadium on May 28, 2023
Tottenham's joint bid for the Leicester City duo was never going to be accepted(Image: Getty Images)
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Poaching a relegated club's top talent is a favourite pastime for the Premier League's heavyweights, who know the selling club is in a vulnerable position. However, there's a fine line, and Spurs crossed it two years ago.
Leicester City boasted an impressive squad despite their relegation, with James Maddison and Harvey Barnes destined for big moves. A £50m offer for both players, though, was laughable.
Maddison eventually signed with Spurs for £40m, while Newcastle snapped up Barnes for £38m. So Daniel Levy was nearly two-thirds of the way to getting it done.