8 high-profile transfers that collapsed after failed medicals, including Antonio Nusa’s Premier League move

With fitness standards higher than ever, failed medicals are an extremely rare occurrence in modern football, but several high-profile players have seen their dream move unravel in the final stages of a transfer.

Earlier this month, for example, Ederson’s move from Atalanta to Manchester United was seemingly put on the back burner after medical tests in the United States flagged up issues relating to a knee injury.

Prior to the medical, United had agreed the structure of a £38million deal, while personal terms had already been agreed.

United, however, are not ruling out signing the 27-year-old midfielder in the coming weeks, meaning a similar situation to Ruud van Nistelrooy’s big-money move from PSV Eindhoven could play out.

Back in 2000, Van Nistelrooy’s £18.5 million transfer to United collapsed after the club’s medical staff expressed concerns over his right knee following a previous medial ligament injury.

Van Nistelrooy has previously described failing his medical as the “lowest” point of his career.

“My first attempt signing for Manchester United was the most anxious moment in my career,” he said on The Overlap. “I did the whole medical in Manchester and we were driving up to Old Trafford to do the press conference to sign, and the phone rang.

“I was told by the orthopaedic surgeon from United who saw the MRI that my knee was not right, he said, ‘you have to turn around and go back to your hotel, you’re not going to pass a medical’.”

Ruud Van Nistelrooy failed his United medical in 2000. Image credit: Getty

Of course, Van Nistelrooy went on to sign for United the following year and the rest, as they say, is history. He scored 150 goals in 219 games for the Reds. So, which other players failed a medical?

Jordan Lukaku to Newcastle United

Back in 2019, Jordan Lukaku, the younger brother of Romelu Lukaku, underwent a medical at Newcastle United and “knew” he was going to fail after picking up a knee injury while playing for Lazio.

“Not even being able to climb the stairs when you are young and a top athlete hurts,” Lukaku told So Foot. “I had to go on loan to play again and show myself again. The sporting director thought that in any case.

“I had no choice but to stay because, according to him, clubs would not come for me. The next day I brought an offer of €21million from Newcastle just to show him. Before the medical examination in England, I relapsed against Napoli.

“I knew that I was going to fail but I still went there to show Lazio that I wasn’t finished. (Rafa) Benítez wanted me, I even took the photo, but once again the injuries caught up with me.”

Weeks later, Newcastle agreed to sign Miguel Almiron from Atlanta United for a club-record £20million. Lukaku, 31, last played for Turkish side Adanaspor in 2024.

Antonio Nusa to Brentford

Brentford had agreed a £31.5 million deal with Belgian side Club Brugge to sign Antonio Nusa in 2024, but the deal collapsed after routine checks uncovered potentially serious knee and back problems.

“For a young player, I was 18 at the time, and it was difficult,” he told Transfermarkt last year.

“In football, you have to experience those things. First, I tried to figure out what was wrong with my fitness. Then, when we realised that everything was actually alright, it was important to reset and focus on the last part of the season.

“It took some time; I can’t say it was easy. My family and friends were very important in that process.”

Nusa has since flourished for club and country. He featured for Norway at this summer’s World Cup after a successful campaign at Bundesliga side RB Leipzig.

Marko Arnautovic to Chelsea

Back in 2009, Chelsea were on the verge of completing a £12million deal with FC Twente for the highly-rated Arnautovic, but they eventually decided against a move after they discovered a fracture in his foot during the medical.

Arnautovic went on to sign for Inter Milan on loan but featured on just three occasions before Twente offloaded him to Werder Bremen for around £6million.

The Austrian currently plays for Serbian SuperLiga side Red Star Belgrade following spells at Stoke City, West Ham, Shanghai SIPG, Bologna and Inter Milan.

Neven Subotic to Middlesbrough

Subotic was close to securing a move to then-Premier League side Middlesbrough in the summer of 2016 but a rib injury that was detected during medical tests in England scuppered those plans.

“It’s hard on me because I was looking forward to a new season on the pitch like a small boy who can finally live his dream again,” Subotic said after the move collapsed.

“What remains is my dream. A lot of hard work lies ahead of me. Like always, I will give 100 percent to return to full fitness and step on the gas where I am needed.”

The defender, who retired in 2021 following spells at Saint Etienne and Union Berlin, to name a few, spent several months on the sidelines after undergoing surgery on his rib injury.

Loic Remy to Liverpool

Remy looked set to join the Reds in 2014. He travelled to the United States, where Liverpool were taking part in their pre-season tour, and underwent a medical in Boston.

In fact, personal terms had been agreed and Liverpool had offered him the the No7 shirt vacated by Luis Suarez. However, the proposed £8million move from Queens Park Rangers later collapsed on medical grounds.

QPR manager Harry Redknapp was perplexed by the situation. “Reports have come out that he failed a medical. That’s not possible. He is a very fit lad, there has to be another reason,” he said.

“I don’t see how he could have failed a medical,” Redknapp added. “He had a stringent one here, one at Marseille and at Newcastle and with France before the World Cup. You couldn’t meet a fitter lad.”

Loic Remy was on the verge of joining Liverpool. Image credit: Getty

Marlon Santos to Fulham

After conceding seven goals in their opening two Premier League games during the 2020/21 campaign, Fulham were on the verge of signing former Barcelona defender Marlon Santos in a bid to plug those gaps.

However, the Brazilian centre-back is believed to have failed a medical at Craven Cottage and the £13million deal collapsed.

Gary Breen to Inter Milan

Breen had agreed to join Italian giants Inter Milan after an impressive 2002 World Cup campaign with the Republic of Ireland but in a devastating turn of events, he failed his medical after doctors were concerned about his knee.

In his own words, he still hasn’t gotten over it.

“You can check any footballer’s knee and I’m sure you will find something,” he said at an Off the Ball event in 2017. “But listen, it was one of those things, you know that I’m bashful enough to know that it was a once in a lifetime thing.

“You were on a free-transfer, you just had a reasonably good World Cup, Inter Milan were getting loads of players in at the time.

“So in terms of having the opportunity to go and play, it would have been great. I was 28 years of age, it was the right time, it would have brilliant and I was so looking forward to it. And when it didn’t materialise, I struggled actually for a little bit after that. I just couldn’t get it out of my head but you know that’s life.”