It’s unusual to see rival football clubs selling players to each other. Deals between opposing teams could be as low as nil depending on the severity of the rivalry. Nonetheless, in recent years, we’ve seen a couple of instances where prominent players have switched between opposing teams.
Bayern Munich defender Niklas Sule is a recent example. When his contract with Borussia Dortmund expires in the summer, the German has signed an agreement with Signal Iduna Park to transfer.
Both parties are said to have reached an agreement on a four-year contract that will pay the player €10 million per year. Following the announcement of the 26-year-possible old’s move to Dortmund, we’ve been prompted to take a look back at previous similar deals.
The following are five of the best players who have joined rival teams over the years:
David Luiz
The Brazilian defender spent two seasons at Chelsea, the first from 2011 until 2014 after joining the Blues from Benfica. After returning to Stamford Bridge from Paris Saint-Germain in 2016, he served for a second time between 2016 and 2019.
Following his second term with the Premier League heavyweights, David Luiz made an unexpected move to Arsenal, Chelsea’s London rivals. The center-back played two years at Emirates Stadium before returning to his native Brazil to join Flamengo.
The Brazilian made 213 Premier League matches during his career in England, with 160 of them coming for Chelsea and 53 for Arsenal. While playing for the two competing clubs, he scored 14 goals and added eight assists in the English Premier League.
Robin van Persie
In the summer of 2004, Robin van Persie joined Arsenal from Feyenoord in the Eredivisie. In 278 appearances in all competitions, the striker became a fan favorite at the Emirates Stadium, scoring 132 goals and providing 58 assists for the Gunners.
In the summer of 2012, the Dutchman unexpectedly concluded his time with the London club, joining league rivals Manchester United in a £24 million transfer. With 26 goals and 15 assists in 2012-13, he had another outstanding season at Old Trafford, leading the Red Devils to the Premier League title.
Robert Lewandowski
Robert Lewandowski, a striker for Bayern Munich, is one of the few players in football history to have secured switches to rival clubs during his career. The Polish striker joined the Bavarians from arch-rivals Borussia Dortmund, where he played from 2010 to 2014.
Lewandowski had a successful spell at Signal Iduna Park, winning two Bundesliga titles, one German Cup, and one German Super Cup. In 187 games, he also scored 103 goals and added 42 assists.
His choice to abandon the BVB and join Bayern Munich, however, has proven to be a positive one. At the Allianz Arena, the Pole has established himself as one of the best players in the world, winning the FIFA Best Player of the Year award twice. He has also won numerous awards, including a Champions League title, seven Bundesliga titles, and three German Cups, to name a few.
Andrea Pirlo
Another outstanding example of a top player who accomplished a transfer to a rival football side is an Italian. The aforementioned transfer occurred in the summer of 2011 when he left AC Milan to join Juventus as a free agent.
Before the departure, the famous midfielder played a total of ten years at San Siro, scoring 41 goals and providing 70 assists in 401 appearances. He was reportedly allowed to leave because the team decided he was past his peak. Pirlo had previously played for AC Milan’s local rival Inter between 1998 and 2001.
Pirlo’s departure from the Rossoneri was bitterly regretted by the Rossoneri. In his debut season in Turin, the midfielder assisted Juventus in knocking them off the top of Italian football. He would go on to score 19 goals and assist 38 times in 164 games for the Old Lady.
Luis Figo
Luis Figo joined Real Madrid from Barcelona in the summer of 2000, in what was arguably the most contentious move of all time. The Catalan giants were opposed to selling the Portuguese, but Los Blancos chose to activate his €60 million release clause.
The deal inflamed the rivalry between the two teams, resulting in a series of contentious occurrences. During one of them, during a match against the Blaugrana at Camp Nou, a pig’s head was thrown at Figo.
Before joining Inter Milan on a free transfer in 2005, the Portuguese international scored 56 goals and 93 assists in 245 appearances with Los Blancos. In 248 appearances with Barcelona, he has 45 goals and 58 assists for a total of 45 goals and 58 assists.
