Top 10 transfers that never happened

10 John Arne Riise to Fulham

The Cottagers had a £4m bid for the Norwegian defender rejected in 2000 as Monaco refused to accept anything under £6m. At the time Riise was known to be interested in a move to England, and Fulham were prepared to wait until the following year to get their man. A year later Riise still wanted to leave, and Fulham rubbed their hands with glee. However, Liverpool had become interested. Riise scratched his head, and weighed up his decision. There was only one winner, and Liverpool signed him for £4m – the same amount Fulham had offered a year earlier.

9 David Unsworth to Aston Villa

In the mid 1990s David Unsworth was one of the most promising defenders around. Reliable at the back, he was stout, solid and dependable. He left West Ham for Aston Villa for £3m, hoping to make a fresh start at a bigger club. Unfortunately his family hated Birmingham and less than a month into his Villa career he signed for Everton.

8 Dietmar Hamman to Bolton

Liverpool legend Didi Hamman left Anfield in the summer of 2006. Desperately upset to have to leave Liverpool, with whom he had won the European Cup, the German wanted to stay in the north-west. He signed a pre contract with Bolton in June, however it only took him a matter of days before he realised his mistake. Claiming a "change of heart" he signed for Manchester City immediately. City agreed to pay Bolton, who weren't best pleased, £400,000 in compensation.

7 Alan Shearer to Manchester United

Sir Alex Ferguson first tried to sign Alan Shearer from Southampton in the 1991-92 season, after Shearer had exploded onto the scene. But the Red Devils were beaten to the signature by Blackburn who shelled out £3.3m – a British transfer record. Shearer scored 112 goals in 138 games and won the league with Blackburn, going ahead of United on the last day of the season. Then in the summer of 1996 Shearer's services were once again available. And once again United failed to sign the Premier League's most prolific striker, as Shearer fulfilled a boyhood dream and moved to Newcastle for £15m – another transfer record - scoring 148 goals in 303 appearances.

6 Roy Keane to Blackburn

As Blackburn had thwarted Manchester United over the Alan Shearer transfer, United were to get their own back over Roy Keane. Brian Clough called Keane the "hottest prospect in football" when he was at Nottingham Forest and Kenny Dalglish agreed a £4m transfer fee for the Irishman. However, the day before the deal was due to go through, Ferguson phoned Keane and asked him if he would join United instead. Two weeks later Keane was unveiled at Old Trafford for £3.75m. This time it was Dalglish's turn to be furious.

5 Ronaldinho to Manchester United

Having sold David Beckham to Real Madrid in 2003, for an ocean of cash, Ferguson had money to burn and set his sights on a young Brazilian called Ronaldinho. All the big European clubs were vying for the attentions of the prodigiously talented youngster, and if Ferguson could bring him to Manchester he would have the best player in the world at his disposal. Unfortunately for Sir Alex, Ronaldinho favoured Barcelona instead. Shame, in his five years at Barca he scored 70 goals in 145 games, winning the domestic league, the Champions League, the World Cup with Brazil, and was named World Footballer of the Year, twice.

4 Robinho to Chelsea

Last summer it looked like nothing would stop Robinho joining Chelsea. The Brazilian international was Chelsea's top transfer target, and despite Real Madrid raising their price tag, it always looked like Chelsea would get their man. Then all of a sudden an Abu Dhabi Sheik bought Manchester City making them the richest club in the world. Overnight everything changed, and in a surprise move, Robinho signed for City, much to Roman Abramovich's frustration.

3 Gareth Barry to Liverpool

Rewind a year. Gareth Barry is club captain of a young, ambitious side who are knocking on the door of the top four. Life is good at Villa Park. Barry is a fans hero, running his heart out, inspiring the team and slotting away countless penalties with that trusty left-foot. Then disaster strikes - he's called up to the England team. Rafael Benitez, sitting at home, turns on the TV to find Barry and Gerrard dominating in the midfield. The Spaniard decides that Gazza Bazza is his man. Thus ensues one of the fiercest transfer battles of all time, with Benitez and Martin O'Neill, taking an arm each and pulling Barry back and forth. In the end Barry was forced to stay at Villa, where he got booed by the fans, lost the captaincy and was dropped.

2 Ronaldo to Real Madrid

This one will go down in infamy. Here's the short version: Ronaldo scores 43 goals for Manchester United in an incredible season winning the Champions League. Ramon Calderon asks if he can sign him. United say no. That would have been the end of the story had Calderon not had Old Trafford on speed-dial and spent the entire summer trying to prise the Portuguese winger away from England. In the end Sir Alex Ferguson called Real "a mob", adding that he "would not sell them a virus". Calderon said Sir Alex was lacking in "respect", and asked if he could sign Ronaldo. United said no.

1 Paul Gascoigne to Manchester United

At the end of the 1987-88 season, having been named Young Player of the Year, Newcastle received offers from Manchester United and Tottenham for the young Paul Gascoigne. Gazza pondered the offers, and then promised Alex Ferguson that he would sign for United. Happy in the knowledge that he had wrapped up a nice bit of business, Ferguson went off on holiday to Malta. When he returned Gascoigne had signed for Spurs. Ferguson later claimed that the midfielder had been wooed by Spurs after they bought a house for his "impoverished" family. Sour grapes anyone?