Louis Saha, Benjani, and Nolberto Solano recall their deadline day moves
Premier League footballers are well-paid, but the bonuses and bumper contracts only tell part. Their fate is not in their hands, and they can lose their whole lives at any moment.
It has been an endless source of fascination since 2002 when English football introduced the transfer window.
Many players are trapped in uncertainty, hidden from the media spotlight, and they wait behind the scenes to find out if their careers are at risk.
Four former players share their stories of deals that were close to the wire in an effort to shed light on the inner workings and the transfer window.
"You will hear my story about how I slept at the airport."
Benjani – Portsmouth to Manchester City
After moving from Portsmouth in 2008, Benjani, a Zimbabwean striker, scored four goals in Manchester City's 23-game match.
Manchester City was in an injury crisis in January 2008 and required a reliable striker to help them through the second half.
Benjani, who had scored 12 goals in 23 matches for Portsmouth, was at his best. He was enjoying Fratton park and didn't think of moving until City expressed their interest the day before.
"I thought, "Maybe it's the next window, and not this one." Everybody wants to be part of a bigger team but the timing was not right. He explains that you must think about whether or not you want to move to another club.
"You must be in a good mental state to have enough time to do everything. It was too short so I didn't know if I would move. I didn't force the move. It was just the right thing for me."
Harry Redknapp, Pompey manager, was keen to sign Jermaine Defoe so he accepted a 7.6million offer for Benjani. Although the wheels were quickly in motion, there were still many issues to resolve.
"I didn't have enough time to travel from Portsmouth. There weren't any flights so I had to fly to London. The flight was delayed. The flight was delayed.
It's a nightmare to get a deal like this in the last moment. You wonder if it will happen. You are watching the clock. It's stressful for both of you to race against the clock.
At 10.30pm, the Zimbabwean arrived in Manchester. City submitted their paperwork at the Premier League, despite concerns over a prior knee injury. The fate of Benjani was still uncertain until five days later when the move was confirmed.
"I drove like a crazy driver on the motorway!"
Nolberto Solano - Aston Villa to Newcastle United
In 230 games, Nolberto "Nobby" Solano, a former Newcastle penalty taker, scored 37 goals over two Tyneside spells.
The Peruvian winger, who had left Newcastle to join Aston Villa reluctantly, was keen to return just 18 months later. Liverpool intervened late, but Solano was determined to return to the North East.
"I received a call from Rafa Benitez's agent, but I had already spoken to Newcastle. I spoke with a few of them and was pleased to return to the club. It was quite an exciting day when we had the chance to move to Liverpool," he said.
Solano made over 200 appearances during his first stint at St James' Park and became a fan favorite. He was convinced to return to the Magpies by close friends and club stalwarts Steve Harper and Alan Shearer in August 2005.
An agreement was reached on deadline day for a 1.5m Solano fee. James Milner, who was on loan to Villa during the remainder of the season, was also part of the deal.
It was both exciting and stressful. First, it took me four hours to get from Birmingham to Newcastle. It was crazy driving on the motorway! Solano laughs.
"I arrived at club, went to my medical, and did all the paperwork. I think I was done around 11 o'clock in the night. Although it was hard, I was happy with the end result.
Liverpool won the FA Cup, and was in the Champions League final for the second year. Newcastle, however, were inconsistent.
"If Liverpool had been talking to me a few weeks or days earlier, I might have thought about it. But when it happened the same day, it was hard to know.
"No one can predict the future. Nobody can predict what will happen. "I followed my instincts, which was to return to Newcastle at that point, because I love both the club and the fans."
"At the very last moment, I had to drive down to London."
Louis Saha – Everton to Tottenham Hotspur
Louis Saha, a former striker for France and Manchester United, scored four goals during his 10 games at Tottenham
Swap deals can be rare, but they are sometimes the best for everyone. Steven Pienaar, his former team-mate Louis Saha, wanted to return to Everton in January 2012. It was a smart move to change places.
It was a good decision. It was a moment when something broke with Everton. I felt that some attitudes toward me were not right and it was time to do something new. Saha says, "I went to a club with an exciting trajectory."
Although the deal was not easy, a compromise was reached by deadline. Pienaar was loaned to Tottenham, and Saha was let go from his contract in order to allow him to join Tottenham until the end.
Clubs and advisors tend to wait until the end of the transfer window to gain more leverage and pressure. The former French international says that sometimes you hear about it a month before it becomes concrete.
"I had to rush to London for my medical. My knees have been an issue throughout my career. However, everything went well.
"My family was still living in Manchester, so it was difficult to leave them behind. It was something I had discussed with my partner. This is a great opportunity, but it's hard because you don’t get to see people you care about.
"The career is so brief that you have only to do what you need to do. But it's mostly about balance and respect." It's about ensuring that everyone finds their happiness.
Saha, 33, hoped to lead his younger teammates in the pursuit of Champions League qualification. Although he was frequently used as a bench player, he still managed to score four goals in his 10 appearances.
'I forgot my passport'
Collins John - FC Twente to Fulham
Collins John, a former Fulham forward, now plays for SC Buitenboys. He scored 20 goals in 95 games while at Craven Cottage.
Another deadline day story features Saha from eight years ago, when his move into Manchester United left Fulham looking for a striker. Collins John was a promising young talent who could replace their top goalscorer.
After a long and relentless pursuit, Fulham was eventually accepted by clubs all over Europe.
"Fulham were so pushy in a pleasant way. Chris Coleman called me. Edwin van der Sar was told by Chris Coleman to call me, as he was the Dutch goalkeeper and a legend. John recalls that they really convinced him.
The deal was delayed by discussions about the fee and a sell-on clause. The 18-year old didn't want it to be too late. It was a big step to leave his friends and family behind and move to another country to learn a different language.
"I wanted to wait for another week but the window was closing so I couldn't. Everything needed to happen quickly. It was an exciting new adventure for me, so I was nervous and scared.
Deadline day was an eventful. "I was supposed to fly to London, but my passport got lost. To get my passport, I had to return to my home. Then we took the train from Paris to London St Pancras. Imagine how stressful it was! John says that everything was final."
"I was picked up by my agent and took him to the hospital for the medical. You don't have time to consider it. You have to make a decision right away. I panicked. I was sweating.
"I found out that the deal was approved the next morning. I couldn't fall asleep all night. I thought, "There must be no wrong. Otherwise my head will spin!" It was quite tense but it was worth it. I was happy that we did it.
