Five transfers that fell through at the last minute 😬 | OneFootball

Every summer transfer window sees its share of twists and turns. Between agreements found and then broken, medical visits that go wrong, or last-minute about-face, several major cases failed at the last moment during this summer 2025 transfer window.

We present you with five!

1. Marc Guéhi (Crystal Palace ➡️ Liverpool)

Everything was settled: medical visit passed, agreement of 35 million pounds found between Liverpool and Crystal Palace, but at the last moment, this Monday evening, the Eagles blocked the departure of their central defender.

The reason? The failure of the recruitment of his replacement, Igor Julio, and the pressure from coach Oliver Glasner, ready to resign if Guéhi left the club. Result: Guéhi stays at Palace.

2. Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen ➡️ AC Milan)

AC Milan thought they had their new center forward with Victor Boniface.

The deal was for a paid loan of about 5 M€ with an option to buy set between 24 and 30 M€. But the medical visit revealed concerns related to the Nigerian's injury history (ruptured cruciate ligaments, muscle problems). The Milanese doctors vetoed, and the transfer collapsed to everyone's surprise.

Boniface was eventually loaned to Werder Bremen. Awkward.

3. Javi Galán (Atlético Madrid ➡️ Nottingham Forest)

The agreement seemed concluded for a transfer estimated between 10 and 15 M€. Galán was supposed to sign for three years in the Premier League. But in the last hours of the transfer window, an administrative problem ruined everything: incomplete documents, deadlines not met... and the deal ended up falling through. The left back therefore stays in Madrid.

4. Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao ➡️ Barça)

In advanced discussions with Barça at the very beginning of the summer, Nico Williams seemed on the verge of leaving Athletic Club.

However, the discussions never concluded and, against all odds, to everyone's surprise, the player extended his contract with the Basque club until 2035, putting an end to speculation about his departure.

5. Ademola Lookman (Atalanta ➡️ Bayern Munich)

Looking for offensive reinforcements, Bayern Munich had ticked the name of Ademola Lookman. The Bavarian plan: a paid loan of 5 M€ with a purchase option set at 28 M€. But Atalanta quickly cooled the German enthusiasm, refusing this financial arrangement. The Italian club wanted a straight transfer, no hybrid formula. Deal aborted.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.

📸 INA FASSBENDER