Arsenal hijacks transfer after Spurs taxi plan backfires

A look at a famous 1997 transfer hijack and a recent late move that shows how rivalries shape big deals in football.

Arsenal hijacks transfer after Spurs taxi plan backfires

Tottenham believed they were closing on Emmanuel Petit from Monaco in 1997. Tottenham even paid for a taxi to drive him to a meeting, but the cab was diverted to Arsenal chairman David Dein’s house where Wenger sealed a £3.5m deal. Petit went on to help Arsenal win the Premier League and FA Cup double in 1998 as part of Wenger’s early revolution.

This hijack is placed alongside a new surge of late deals in which rivals try to rewrite the ending. Arsenal beat Spurs to sign England forward Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace in a deal reported at about £60m, with fans and pundits on talkSPORT reacting as North London rivalry flared. The episode underlines how transfer negotiations can hinge on timing, perception, and the strategic influence of club power brokers rather than pure pedigree alone.

The Petit episode shows how a club’s identity can hinge on bold, unseen moves that reshape its core. Wenger’s arrival and the way Arsenal pounced after Spurs’ approach illustrates the power of timing, relationships, and a manager’s long game.

Today’s market keeps pushing the price tag higher, but the same psychology remains: rivals aim to outmaneuver each other with late moves, public narratives, and the pressure that comes from fans and media. The risk is reputational as much as financial, since perceived fairness matters to supporters who want to believe the game is decided on merit, not misdirection.

Highlights

The transfer game keeps evolving but the heat of rivalries never cools