Viktor Gyokeres's move to Arsenal turned out to be quite a saga in the transfer window, following the tough negotiations between the Gunners and Sporting CP, who insist the valuation has not been met, before an agreement was finally reached on Sunday evening.

Arsenal reportedly had £65 million on the table for the Swedish international, which is believed to be higher than expected based on the agreement between him and Sporting. However, the deal could not proceed as some payments to certain third parties would not be fulfilled.

Gyokeres had informed the Portuguese club of his intention to leave this summer and, a few weeks ago, made it known that he would no longer play for the club or even show up for training, as he has his eyes set on a move to Arsenal.

The situation escalated as Sporting’s president responded to reports that Gyokeres would not show up for preseason, stating that the club is very comfortable for the next three years if Arsenal does not want to pay the fair market value.

In this way, it became complicated for Gyokeres to leave the club, as his contract does not expire until the summer of 2028. He concluded by saying Gyokeres would pay a hefty fine and apologize to the club at the end of the window, when he would be forced to return.

Gyokeres and Sporting CP would now be at peace as harmony was restored after an agreement was sealed with Arsenal, allowing Gyokeres to complete the move for a €63.5 million guarantee and €10 million in add-ons.

This is not the first time players have tried to force a move away from their club, and the case has almost resulted in legal battles, and for sure, it will not be the last. While Gyokeres' fate is sealed, he could go through some similar scenarios from the past and maybe see what awaits him.

From Cristiano Ronaldo’s stormy move to Real Madrid in 2009 to other contract clashes that nearly ended in courtrooms, we take a walk down the path of five iconic transfer sagas that walked the legal tightrope.

Top 5 Transfer Sagas That Almost Resulted in Legal Battles

1. Cristiano Ronaldo – Manchester United to Real Madrid (2009)

Manchester United accused Real Madrid of “tapping up” Cristiano Ronaldo in the summer before the record-breaking £80 million move was finalized in 2009.

Legendary boss Sir Alex Ferguson called Madrid’s behaviour “unethical,” while United considered legal recourse as talks began without permission. He also famously remarked, "I wouldn't sell them a virus."

Manchester United reported Madrid to FIFA, but the president, Sepp Blatter, dismissed their case, affirming that players should be allowed to join the clubs of their choice and that football does not encourage slavery.

Eventually, Real Madrid had their way the following summer, with the election of Florentino Perez as president leading to the world-record move. Ronaldo went on to become the greatest player in the club’s history.

In nine years, Ronaldo won four Champions League titles, finishing as the competition's top scorer six times during his time with the Spanish giants.

2. Carlos Tevez – West Ham to Manchester United (2007)

Carlos Tevez’s rights were owned by a third party (MSI), not West Ham, making matters complicated when the Argentine wanted to leave for Manchester United.

When United attempted to sign him, contractual confusion sparked lawsuits, forcing Premier League intervention. The Hammers insisted on receiving the majority of the transfer fee.

However, despite being referred to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the case never made it that far, as MSI agreed to pay £2 million to West Ham, and the Premier League approved the settlement.

Tevez played a crucial part in Manchester United’s success, winning both the Premier League and Champions League in his first season. He spent two seasons on loan at Old Trafford before joining their city rivals permanently in 2009.

The saga led to a ban on third-party ownership in English football in 2008.

3. Antoine Griezmann – Atlético Madrid to Barcelona (2019)

Barcelona activated Griezmann’s €120m release clause, but Atlético claimed the agreement was reached when the clause was still €200m.

Los Rojiblancos threatened legal action and officially presented a complaint to La Liga on the very day Griezmann was unveiled at the Camp Nou.

League president Javier Tebas stated the Federation would decide in due time, though no court ruling followed. Griezmann spent two seasons in Barcelona before returning to Atléti on loan, eventually signing permanently for just €20 million in 2022.

Despite playing for both Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, who each won La Liga during his stints, Griezmann missed out—joining Barcelona after their title win and leaving Atlético before their triumph.

Barcelona would go on to win the league again the season he returned to Atlético.

4. Luis Suárez – Liverpool to Arsenal (2013)

Viktor Gyokeres's saga isn't the first time Arsenal have been involved in a striker’s transfer clash. In 2013, they came close to signing Luis Suárez from Liverpool—only to scupper the deal with a now-infamous £40,000,001 bid.

Suárez had a verbal agreement to leave if Liverpool failed to qualify for the Champions League. Despite this, the club blocked his exit, nearly leading to legal action.

Arsenal didn’t push further, and Suárez stayed at Anfield for one more season before joining Barcelona, where he won the treble in his debut campaign and 13 trophies in total before leaving for Atlético Madrid in 2020.

5. Gaël Kakuta – Lens to Chelsea (2007)

In one of the earliest high-profile tapping-up cases, Chelsea were found guilty of inducing 16-year-old Gaël Kakuta to break his contract with RC Lens.

FIFA initially imposed a two-window transfer ban on Chelsea and fined the club €130,000. Kakuta was also ordered to pay a larger fee to Lens.

Chelsea and the player’s legal team argued that Kakuta was unaware of the deal and that his mother had signed the contract.

Eventually, the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned the punishment, not because Chelsea were cleared, but because the contract between Lens and Kakuta was deemed invalid, so no breach could be proven.

Kakuta never made a mark at Chelsea, spending six loan spells between 2011 and 2015 before leaving on a free to join Sevilla.