TRANSFER MARKET
The four craziest stories from the summer transfer window
The transfer window is closed but we'll always have the crazy anecdotes to remember like Netflix helping Sunderland and Srktl signing for two clubs in one summer.
In the transfer window, the focus is always on the biggest stars and the biggest stories and best transfers but there are the lesser-told one that need to be remembered. Here, we have compiled four of the craziest stories from the summer transfer market.
Almería have a go at Manchester United
On Monday as the transfer market was winding down, Almería were still in full swing. They signed Arvin Appiah for €10 million from Nottingham Forest as they overhauled their squad thanks to new owner, Turki Al-Sheikh's, investment.
The club, giddy after such a busy and productive window, decided to have a go at Manchester United on Twitter after the signing of Appiah.
"Sorry, Manchester United, Arvin Appiah is rojiblanco (the colours of Almería)," said the tweet announcing the signing of the player as they tagged the Premier League club. "Nobody has ever heard of him," came one reply from a United fan defending his club. United, indeed, had not been linked with the player but that didn't stop Almería having a dig.
Netflix convinced De Bock to join Sunderland
Sunderland, relegated twice in recent years, are not going through a great time at the moment but their popularity has risen thanks to the Netflix documentary (Sunderland Til' I Die) about the club's most recent relegation.
Aside from shining a light on the club's woes and showing the fans' struggles in the face of incompetent owners, it also helped them to convince Laurens de Bock to sign with them.
"I know this is a big club that was previously in the Premier League and I also saw the documentary on Netflix. That gave me a good image of the club and how everything works here. I wouldn't say I know a lot about the club, but I am here to find out now," he told SAFC.com. From 'Netflix and chill' to 'Netflix and sign'.
Skrtel signs with two clubs in one summer
Martin Skrtel didn't last long at Atalanta. The former Liverpool, Zenit and Fenerbahce defender added two clubs to his resumé over the summer after signing with the Serie A side. The Slovakian lasted 24 days with the club before injuries got the best of him and he decided, along with the club, to terminate their contract. He also reportedly fell out with manager, Gian Piero Gasperini, which was never going to help.
After finishing in Turkey, he was soon on a flight back there. He signed with Basaksehir as Simon Kjaer, the former Sevilla defender, was brought in as his replacement on the final day of the transfer market.
Juventus sign North Korean captain, who boasts a colourful CV
Juventus seemed finished in the transfer market. But at the last minute, they landed Kwang-song Han, North Korea's 21-year-old captain. He is the first North Korean to ever score in Serie A and moves from Cagliari.
His introduction into European football was in Spain though. CE Tecnofutbol are a side based in Catalonia and play in the Catalan 2nd division. In 2013, he moved there from Chobyong and is now a full international, captain of his country and a Juventus player. Not many players can boast CE Tecnofutbol and Juventus on their CV.