The modern football transfer market has reached unprecedented financial heights, with clubs increasingly willing to spend well over £100 million to secure the world’s top talent.
However, a review of the largest failed transfer attempts in football history shows that even eye-watering sums are not always enough to persuade clubs to sell their prized assets.
As reported by Planet Football on Friday, topping the list is the reported £259 million bid made by Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal for French superstar Kylian Mbappe in 2023.
Paris Saint-Germain were reportedly prepared to accept the offer, but the player declined the move, ultimately joining Real Madrid on a free transfer a year later.
Another remarkable case involved Lionel Messi, with former Barcelona president Joan Laporta claiming that Inter Milan attempted to trigger a €250 million release clause for the Argentine in 2006.
The offer was rejected, allowing Messi to remain at Barcelona, where he went on to become the club’s greatest-ever player.
Real Madrid also features prominently in the list. The Spanish giants reportedly had a £171.7 million offer for Mbappe rejected by PSG in 2021 despite multiple attempts to sign the forward before his eventual arrival in Madrid.
Liverpool have twice resisted enormous bids for key players. In 2023, the Merseyside club rejected a £150 million offer from Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad for Mohamed Salah, while Barcelona saw a £119 million bid for Philippe Coutinho turned down in 2017 before eventually securing the Brazilian for a higher fee several months later.
One of the most surprising entries is Manchester City’s failed attempt to sign Kaká from AC Milan in 2009. Shortly after the club’s takeover by Abu Dhabi investors, City reportedly offered £100 million for the Brazilian playmaker, who opted to remain in Italy before joining Real Madrid later that year.
Tottenham Hotspur also stood firm in 2021 when Manchester City submitted a £100 million offer for England captain Harry Kane.
Spurs chairman Daniel Levy rejected the proposal, forcing City to look elsewhere before eventually signing Erling Haaland the following summer.
More recently, Newcastle United initially rejected Liverpool’s £110 million bid for striker Alexander Isak before eventually agreeing to a British-record transfer worth £125 million on deadline day.
Barcelona’s attempt to re-sign Neymar from Paris Saint-Germain in 2019 also failed despite a package reportedly worth more than £120 million plus three players.
The latest addition to the list is Real Madrid’s reported £129 million offer for Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez in 2026. Atletico rejected the approach and referred Madrid to the player’s release clause.
The growing frequency of nine-figure bids highlights the continued inflation of football’s transfer market.
Yet these cases demonstrate that even record-breaking offers can be rejected when clubs believe a player’s sporting value outweighs any financial reward.
The players ranked according to their rejected offers
Kylian Mbappe (PSG to Al Hilal, 2023) – £259m
Lionel Messi (Barcelona to Inter Milan, 2006) – £225m
Kylian Mbappe (PSG to Real Madrid, 2021) – £171.7m
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool to Al-Ittihad, 2023) – £150m
Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid to Real Madrid, 2026) – £129m
Neymar (PSG to Barcelona, 2019) – £120.5m plus players
Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool to Barcelona, 2017) – £119m
Alexander Isak (Newcastle United to Liverpool, 2025) – £110m
Harry Kane (Tottenham to Manchester City, 2021) – £100m
Kaká (AC Milan to Manchester City, 2009) – £100m
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