Ashley Cole (Chelsea)
The left-back’s fragmented relationship with Arsenal fans was summed up when he avoided making a contribution to a book written about the Invincible side of 2003-04.
According to the Daily Mail, the England defender left the Gunners because of his outrage over their contract extension offer. Cole had been so angry he was offered £55,000 a week, instead of £60,000, that he moved across London to Chelsea. The Blues were willing to pay the Arsenal academy graduate £90,000 a week.
Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
Wayne Rooney may now be a Manchester United hero, and on the cusp of England goalscoring history, but the striker was on the verge of leaving Old Trafford for Stamford Bridge in 2013. According to the Guardian, Rooney was prepared to submit a transfer request to force through a move to their Premier League rivals.
However, having signed a new contract last year, that’s all in the past – now the United skipper is being paid £300,000 a week, according to the BBC.