The list of players who said goodbyes but ended up staying at their clubs added two new members this summer, as both Emiliano Martinez and Marc Guehi failed to secure moves away from Aston Villa and Crystal Palace, respectively, despite their expected exits.

In the wake of their disappointing summer, we take a look at ten players who said goodbye but ended up staying put, due to the inability of their proposed moves to materialize.

10 Players Who Said Goodbyes But Ended Up Staying

1. Steven Gerrard – Liverpool (2005)

Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard is another top name on the list of players who said goodbyes but stayed, and he went down as one of the all-time best in the history of The Reds that never walk alone.

At 25, fresh off captaining his boyhood club to Champions League glory in Istanbul, he appeared destined for Chelsea in a £37.5 million deal, with Jose Mourinho keen on adding him to a midfield of Frank Lampard and Claude Makélélé.

Contract talks had stalled, his emotions on the pitch carried the weight of a farewell, and many assumed his Anfield journey had ended.

At the breaking point, an emotional Gerrard changed his heart and decided to remain with Liverpool, rejecting the chance to move to Chelsea. Fans, who had expected his departure in the summer, couldn’t believe he was still at the club at the start of the following season.

2. Cesc Fàbregas – Arsenal (2010 & 2011)

Cesc Fàbregas’s final years at Arsenal are a textbook case of players who said goodbyes but stayed, as his time in an unproductive environment was threatened by the rise of Spain’s golden generation.

Twice, in 2010 and 2011, he appeared ready to rejoin boyhood club Barcelona. After Arsenal’s closing fixtures, he often lingered on the pitch, waving to supporters as though signing off.

His Spain teammates only heightened the pull — Andrés Iniesta, Xavi, and Gerard Piqué openly urged him during the 2010 World Cup celebrations to come home to Barcelona. Yet Arsenal stood firm, with Arsène Wenger refusing to sanction a move despite Fàbregas’s desire.

The midfielder stayed another season, captaining a side that continually fell short of silverware. He eventually joined the Blaugrana in 2011, later offering to return to Arsenal in 2014, but was rejected by Wenger.

Players Who Said Goodbyes But Ended Up Staying

3. Carlos Tévez – Manchester City (2011)

After winning the Emirates FA Cup with Manchester City in 2011, Carlos Tevez waved goodbye to the Etihad crowd, saying he was ready to leave for South America.

The club was prepared for life ahead and had embraced the fact that their star player was leaving. They brought in a host of talent, including Tévez's countryman Sergio Agüero from Atlético Madrid and Samir Nasri from Arsenal, to bolster their attack.

Tevez had been keen on a departure six months earlier, but City refused to agree. The,n in the summer, when both parties finally aligned, no team was able to meet his and Manchester City's financial demands.

Inter Milan and Corinthians were the two clubs interested, but Tevez ended up staying another season, winning the Premier League title, before eventually joining Juventus in the summer of 2013.

4. Wayne Rooney – Manchester United (2010 & 2013)

Wayne Rooney stands out among the players who said goodbyes but stayed, twice coming close to leaving Manchester United only to reverse course.

The first came in 2010, a year after Cristiano Ronaldo's departure to Real Madrid, when Rooney shocked the club with a transfer request, voicing doubts about United’s ambition. His wave to fans felt like a farewell, yet Sir Alex Ferguson’s intervention and a record-breaking contract convinced him to stay.

The drama resurfaced in 2013, when Rooney, frustrated at being played out of position, attracted strong interest from Chelsea. The arrival of Robin van Persie worsened his relationship with Ferguson.

It was thought Rooney would finally be leaving, but with Ferguson’s retirement and David Moyes' promise of a prominent role, Manchester United managed to keep him.

Instead of departing, Rooney remained and went on to become the club’s all-time top scorer in January 2017, with 250 goals, before leaving for Everton that summer.

5. Luis Suárez – Liverpool (2013)

Luis Suárez waved to fans at Anfield amid strong links to Arsenal and Real Madrid at the end of the 2012-13 season, even saying he was ready to leave.

Arsenal’s infamous £40 million plus £1 bid, meant to trigger his release clause, angered Liverpool, who closed the doors on his exit.

Brendan Rodgers and the club assured Suárez he would become the face of a new project, with a promise that he could leave the following summer if their goals weren’t met.

They came close to winning the Premier League title in 2013/14, finishing two points behind Manchester City. Suárez was then allowed to join Barcelona.

Players Who Said Goodbyes But Ended Up Staying

6. David De Gea – Manchester United (2015)

In 2015, David de Gea looked certain to leave Manchester United and return to Madrid, in a swap deal that would see Keylor Navas head the other way — a classic case of players who said goodbyes but stayed.

The goalkeeper had agreed terms with Real Madrid, with reports claiming he had already prepared for life in Spain. His farewell behind the scenes felt final, and fans braced themselves for his departure.

But the deal collapsed on deadline day due to paperwork delays, with a fax machine famously blamed.

Instead of heading to Madrid, De Gea remained at Old Trafford, later signing a new contract and re-establishing himself as a cornerstone of the team. He even won another Premier League Golden Glove as well as multiple Manchester United Player of the Season awards.

7. Antoine Griezmann – Atlético Madrid (2018)

In the summer of 2018, Antoine Griezmann joined the list of players who said goodbye. Still, he stayed, after dramatically rejecting Barcelona despite featuring in the famous La Decisión documentary, which hinted that he was leaving.

Barcelona had set its sights on him, with a €100 million clause ready to be triggered, and the forward looked destined to trade Atlético Madrid’s red and white for the Camp Nou.

The stage was so set that the documentary promised a farewell announcement. Instead, it ended with Griezmann stunningly declaring he was staying in Madrid.

Supporters who had braced for his departure were suddenly celebrating his loyalty. Though he eventually made the move a year later, Griezmann has since returned to Atlético, where he is now their all-time leading scorer.

Players Who Said Goodbyes But Ended Up Staying

8. Harry Kane – Tottenham Hotspur (2021)

After Spurs’ final home game, a 2-1 loss to Aston Villa, an emotional Harry Kane completed a lap of honour, walking the pitch alone, applauding fans, strongly hinting at a farewell.

However, his strong links to Manchester City made his intentions clearer.

Unfortunately for Kane, Spurs owner Daniel Levy refused to sanction his departure, demanding more than even City’s record £125 million bid.

With three years left on his contract, Kane had no option but to remain in North London, where he spent two more years before joining Bayern Munich in 2023.

9. Emiliano Martinez – Aston Villa (2025)

A year after signing a new long-term contract with Aston Villa, Emiliano Martinez confirmed he was leaving the club and said his goodbyes to fans in their final home game of the season against Manchester United, where he was sent off in the first half.

The goalkeeper was in talks to join Manchester United, with reports suggesting Ruben Amorim had contacted him, while Argentine teammate Lisandro Martínez also tried to influence the move.

Martinez began the season with Villa, hoping to secure his switch before the window closed. But on deadline day, Manchester United instead signed Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens, leaving Martinez with no option but to remain at Villa.

10. Marc Guehi – Crystal Palace (2025)

Marc Guehi’s situation was different. There was willingness from all parties for the centre-back to join Liverpool, but a corresponding deal collapsed at the last minute.

Igor Julio was meant to replace Guehi at Palace, but the Brazilian turned on his initial agreement and joined West Ham United instead, just hours before the deadline.

Palace, left without an alternative, had to cancel the agreement with Liverpool, even though Guehi had already passed his medical in London and recorded a farewell video while awaiting permission to travel to Merseyside.