What football transfer do you feel has been the most surprising and unexpected for you and why?

 

For me it would be when Robinho joined Man City in 2008 at the beginning of the Sheikh Mansor era. Certainly didn't see that happening with looking all but set to join Chelsea.

 

Another would be that: Tevez and Mascherano to West Ham in 2006..

Julio Cesar to QPR in 2012 was absolute madness.

 

Del Piero not retiring at Juventus and swanning off to Australia was crazy too.

Cesar to QPR, yes I remember that. It didn't work for QPR as they got relegated.

 

Robinho absolutely, not sure there is anything that comes close to that at the time.

 

Only other one that springs to mind is Neymar to PSG, but more for how mad that transfer was.

Edwin van der Sar moving from Juventus to Fulham after they had just been promoted to the Premier League was a real shock at the time, especially as he'd been a target for Manchester United for years as a replacement for Peter Schmeichel. Although he did end up joining Man United eventually.

Ali Dia at Southampton.

 

Only shocking once we saw him play but it was brilliant too

Andy Carroll (Newcastle to Liverpool, 2011)

Fernando Torres from Liverpool to Chelsea came to mind.

 

Angel Di Maria from Real Madrid to Manchester United was another misfire.

 

Plus another United no. 7 in Memphis Depay…

 

There’s been some strange other business over the years but I’m sure we are yet to be surprised again soon.

 

Edit: One more transfer that shocked me at the time (in a good way) was Zlatan Ibrahimović joining the premier league at the end of his illustrious career.