Mathys Tel has made a sudden change of heart and signed for Tottenham on loan, despite reportedly rejecting the club's offer in the final days of the January 2025 transfer window. Nevertheless, Tel is not the first player to reconsider a move to Spurs.
For some reason, Tottenham have been unable to secure the level of player required to make a significant breakthrough, despite making significant attempts. While Daniel Levy has been a hindrance due to his cautious handling of finances, there have been various reasons why top players have shied away from joining the North London club.
There are eight players who turned down a transfer offer to join Tottenham during the tenure of the current chairman, Daniel Levy.
Fikayo Tomori
The AC Milan centre-back has been selected to address the team's current defensive problems, which have led to extended playing time for 18-year-old midfielder Archie Gray in the absence of both Cristian Romero and Micky van den Bergen, dealing an additional setback following the ACL injury to Radu Dragusin.
Tomori, a star player from Chelsea, has only started 10 league matches this season. He wasn't given a fair opportunity at Chelsea, and in January 2025, Tottenham tried to sign him, but were rejected. At 27 years old, he might leave the club at the end of the summer, but it seems unlikely that he will join Tottenham since he came up through Chelsea's youth system.
Willian
He received a call from Abramovich and off he went to Stamford Bridge. He despises Tottenham, he despises Tottenham...
His rejection was so well-known that it became the inspiration for one of Chelsea's most iconic chants.
Before joining Donetsk, Willian had several club options. He was at Tottenham's training facility, set to sign a contract, when he learned of Chelsea's offer. He later referred to it as the "best decision of his career" and, after winning the Europa League, the Premier League twice, the FA Cup, and the League Cup, it is clear he made the right choice.
Marcus Rashford
Having been made available, several clubs were likely drawn to the opportunity due to Rashford's past performance and abilities. Tottenham Hotspur did express interest and remain hopeful, but ultimately lost out as Rashford agreed to terms with Aston Villa, choosing them over Spurs.
Currently, with the Champions League knockout stage on the horizon, the prospect of playing for Villa is likely more alluring. Had this been just a few seasons ago, crying over missing out on Rashford, who can envision him exceling under Postecoglou, would have been Spurs's loss.
Eden Hazard
The Lille winger received interest from every major club in Europe in 2012 after three years of standout performances in the Ligue 1 league. As a result, English clubs had offers available for him, but Hazard took his time to consider his options before the summer transfer window officially opened.
Harry Redknapp claimed he had Hazard in his hotel room for over an hour, but after Chelsea secured the Champions League title, relegating Spurs to the Europa League and ensuring Chelsea's spot for the following year's competition, he decided to join the European champions instead.
Axel Disasi
Chelsea have been seeking to sell the French centre-back in the January window but have so far been unsuccessful in finding a buyer. Tottenham, requiring a centre-back, have shown interest, but the former Monaco defender has promptly ruled out his current employer's London rival.
The latest information indicates that there is no room for reconsideration or a change of heart with Tottenham reportedly giving up on the defender and Aston Villa taking steps to sign him on loan. We'll see if he and Rashford can make progress in the next few months under Unai Emery.
Rivaldo
The Spurs were seeking a significant signing in 2002, and there was a notable player available on a free transfer. It is mentioned that Spurs were close to securing a deal with him, but he chose to join AC Milan instead.
He even sent a letter explaining why he chose the Italian club, which was a classy gesture, but no matter how close he became, this one always seemed like a pipe dream.
David Raya
They seem to have gotten away with a relatively low transfer fee. Initially, Brentford demanded £40million before agreeing to let Raya join Arsenal for approximately £27million.
A disappointing deal for various reasons, losing a player of his caliber to their North London rivals is hurtful, and it is made even more painful by the fact that Guglielmo Vicario has struggled with injuries during his time at the club.
Randal Kolo Muani
In another recent deal that went off course, the Paris Saint-Germain forward was available for acquisition after being informed he was cleared to depart in a short-term loan agreement by the French club after losing favor with coach Luis Enrique.
He chose Juventus, a club with high prestige, a forward-thinking manager, and a team still competing in the Champions League over struggling Spurs. With three goals scored in just two games so far, it's impossible to envision him looking back with any regrets.