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Players who forced their exit from clubs: No room for negotiation

From El Nacional · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Several footballers have successfully forced moves to new clubs by refusing to train or train with their current teams.
  • Examples include Ousmane Dembélé, Thibaut Courtois, and João Félix, who all used similar tactics to join Barcelona or Real Madrid.
  • The article highlights these cases as players increasingly assert their desire for new opportunities, sometimes creating friction with their clubs.

As Europe's summer transfer window nears its close, speculation surrounds Argentine striker Julián Álvarez, who has reportedly expressed a desire for a new challenge, with Barcelona as a primary suitor. Atlético de Madrid, Álvarez's current club, is reportedly resistant to allowing him to join their rivals, while British media suggest Arsenal could also be involved.

Álvarez's apparent disappointment with remaining at his Spanish club points towards a potential forced exit, a tactic employed by several high-profile footballers in recent history to secure moves to desired teams. This strategy often involves creating leverage by refusing to train or participate in team activities.

One notable example is Ousmane Dembélé. In August 2017, the French forward refused to train with Borussia Dortmund, pushing for a move to Barcelona, which eventually materialized. Despite a mixed reception in Spain, he later moved to PSG, achieving significant success.

Similarly, in 2018, Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois did not report for pre-season training with Chelsea, signaling his strong desire to join Real Madrid. Chelsea eventually yielded to the pressure, and Courtois has remained Real Madrid's first-choice goalkeeper since.

More recently, in 2023, Portuguese player João Félix requested to leave Atlético de Madrid, despite being on loan at Chelsea. His wish was granted with another loan, this time to Barcelona, where he spent one season before a move to Chelsea in the 2024-2025 season.

DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Nacional in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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