Samuel Umtiti and 10 other superstars who have failed medical tests in the past

In the wake of reports that Barcelona’s French defender, Samuel Umtiti has failed his medical examinations, stalling a move to Rennes, we look at a list of players who have failed medicals in the past.

Ruud van Nistelrooy

The Dutchman was supposed to join Manchester United in the summer of 2000 but after failing a medical test at the club as he was yet to fully recover from a long-term anterior cruciate ligament injury.

The forward then returned to PSV for the 2000/01 season, when he made twelve appearances for the club, before eventually joining Manchester United the following summer for £19 million.

And at Manchester United, the persistence did paid off as he made over 210 appearances across all competitions, scoring 150 goals and winning four titles in his five year spell before leaving for Real Madrid in 2006.

Andrey Arshavin

Arsenal’s move for Russian forward Andrey Arshavin almost fell through in the winter transfer window of 2009 because doctors at the club were not sure about a heart-related matter that ensued in the course of his medical.

In the end, Arshavin did passed the medical examination the second time and was able to complete the move to the Emirates from Zenith St. Petersburg, eight seconds before the end of the transfer window.

He made 145 appearances in four and a half seasons for the club, scoring 31 goals, which included that famous winner over Barcelona at the Emirates in the Champions League round of 16 first leg.

He also provided 46 assists for the club.

Radamel Falcao

The Colombian striker endured a couple of seasons to forget in England having represented Manchester United and then Chelsea.

Following his failed loan spell at Old Trafford in the 2014/15 season, Falcao tried again with Chelsea and after six months of what was hell, he demanded a move out and return to his parent club, Monaco.

However, he failed a medical that January and was unable to leave Chelsea, spending the whole 2015/16 campaign in London before returning to Monaco in the summer.

He returned to his best at Monaco and even helped the club reached the semi final of the Champions League in the 2016/17 season.

Nwankwo Kanu

Former Nigeria international Kanu’s case was exceptionally different from others. The forward had completed a move from Ajax to Inter, passed a medical examination and even played in friendly games.

However, he joined his country for the summer Olympics at Atalanta 96 and on returning, it was found out that he had a serious heart defect, which saw him missed out after his surgery in November that year, until April the next year.

Albeit it was feared he won’t be able to play again, he did make his full return and even went on to represent Arsenal, Portsmouth and West Brom before retiring from the game in 2011.

In March 2014, he successfully underwent corrective heart surgery once again, in the United States.

Victor Valdes

Following the end of his contract at Barcelona in 2014, the Spanish goalkeeper had an agreement with French club, Monaco but after failing a medical due to a cruciate ligament injury sustained in his final season at Barcelona, the deal did not materialize.

The world cup winner would end up spending the year without a club and a year after, joined Manchester United.

Demba Ba

Senegalese striker Demba Ba is one of the few players to have failed a medical on more than one occasions. The striker failed two medicals throughout his career.

Whilst on the books at Hoffenheim, Demba Ba first failed a medical in a move to Vfb Stuggart and later Ba failed a medical in a proposed move to Stoke City in 2011 after agreement had been reached on a £7.1m deal.

Ba later moved to England in 2013 when he joined West Ham United and from there he played for Newcastle and Chelsea.

He announced his retirement in 2021 at the age of 36.

Marko Arnautovic

Bologna striker, Marko Arnautovic was also a victim of a failed medical due to a fractured foot in the summer of 2009, which disrupted a move to Chelsea from Dutch side, FC Twente.

The Austrian did get to move away the next summer but to a different destination having joined Bundesliga side, Werder Bremen.

Arnautovic did get to move to England and represented both Stoke City and West Ham United but never again was he presented a chance to join a club of Chelsea’s caliber.

Loïc Rémy

French striker, Lioc Remy was to seal a move from Queens Park Rangers to Liverpool in the summer of 2014 and even joined the club on tour in USA, spent around a week with the Reds before completing a £8.5 million move.

However, to the surprise of almost everyone who had thought the player is already of Liverpool, the deal fell through after the striker failed his medical due to a reported heart problem. 

Harry Redknapp was no impressed by the results of the failed medical and came up with his famous quote of: “he had a stringent one here, one at Marseille and at Newcastle and with France before the World Cup. You couldn’t meet a fitter lad.”

He eventually moved to Chelsea instead in the same summer.

John Hartson

The former Arsenal striker failed a medical not once but three times in his career. While at Coventry City, the Welshman failed medicals at Rangers, Tottenham Hotspur and Charlton Athletic.

Hartson failed a proposed £7m move to Tottenham Hotspur in 2000 and the same year was turned away by Glasgow Rangers due to the same reason of failure to pass his medical.

However, he sealed a move to Celtic in a £6m deal, where he was extremely successful scoring 100 goals in 150 appearances and winning three league titles in his five year spell.

Author: Kehinde Hassan Afolabi