Video: Nine Premier League traitors

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Players to have represented both Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, and Sunderland and Newcastle United are included on this list.

The transfer window always tends to leave fans on their edge of their seats as they prepare for potential incomings at their clubs, but also pray that their star players will not move on during the coming months.

And that feeling of losing a talisman is only made worse when they end up joining one of that club’s most bitter rivals, often tarnishing their reputation with their previous side beyond repair.

With that in mind, HITC Sport has taken a look back at nine of the biggest traitors in Premier League history…

Harry Redknapp

Harry Redknapp managed both Portsmouth and Southampton in the same season, ultimately taking the latter down to the Championship on that famous final day in 2004/05, much to the delight of the Portsmouth fans who were infuriated with Redknapp for turning up at St Mary’s shortly after his resignation at Fratton Park. He resigned from the Saints months later and returned to Portsmouth. After leaving Pompey for a second time, he brought several of their key players to strengthen his Tottenham side.

William Gallas

In a Premier League career spanning 12 years, William Gallas played for Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham, which suggests that he is not particularly bothered about what the supporters thought. Unfortunately, his form after leaving Stamford Bridge did little to appease the fans who were unhappy about his career path.

William Gallas played for Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham

Michael Owen

Michael Owen should have written his name into Liverpool legend given the incredible talent and potential he showed when he burst onto the scene at Anfield. However, he will not be remembered particularly fondly by the Kop having joined Manchester United later in his career.

Cesc Fabregas

Cesc Fabregas had the quality to be a talisman for an Arsenal side that should perhaps have been their greatest following the Invincibles. However, continual player sales and largely inadequate replacements meant that Arsene Wenger’s men failed to replicate what was achieved in 2004. He left for Barcelona in 2011 having claimed he could never play for another English team (via Telegraph). He now plays for Chelsea.

Emmanuel Adebayor angered Arsenal fans with this celebration and by then joining Tottenham

Emmanuel Adebayor

Emmanuel Adebayor is yet another former Arsenal player who was happy eventually making a move to join Tottenham. It is perhaps his decision to run the length of the pitch and celebrate in front of the Gunners fans when he had scored for Manchester City that angered Arsenal supporters the most however. His inconsistent spell with Spurs probably did little to win over the Tottenham fans unhappy about his arrival.

Jack Colback

Jack Colback stunned Sunderland fans by making the move to Newcastle in 2014, becoming the first player since 1998 to switch between the two sides. Although it has taken a while, it appears that the decision has been vindicated with the Magpies back in the Premier League while the Black Cats are heading for the second tier.

Sol Campbell on his return to White Hart Lane following his move from Tottenham to Arsenal

Sol Campbell

Sol Campbell is arguably the poster boy for Premier League traitors having swapped Tottenham for Arsenal in one of the top flight’s most incredible and scarcely-believable transfers, made all the worse by the fact that he left Spurs for free. His return to White Hart Lane saw Tottenham fans make it clear that they deemed him to be a Judas, and it seems unlikely that he will ever be forgiven for the move.

Fabian Delph

Fabian Delph may not have moved between bitter rivals, but his switch from Aston Villa to Manchester City certainly left his relationship with the Villa Park faithful in tatters. Delph had cancelled a medical with City and announced his desire to stay at Villa, only to change his mind a week later and move to the Etihad in one of the most bizarre deals in Premier League history (via Manchester Evening News).

Carlos Tevez

Carlos Tevez made the controversial move from Manchester United to Manchester City in 2009. Though he enjoyed a largely successful spell with City, it was his exile from the first-team that lasted around six months that will probably be what most City fans remember from his time with the club. He is still loved by West Ham fans though.

Carlos Tevez