The summer transfer window is in full swing and it can be incredibly difficult to keep up with all the moves taking place across the globe.It's always fascinating to see who the top clubs spend millions upon millions on in the quest for success, but sometimes the true joy in the transfer market comes in spotting those deals that seem, well, extremely random.Whether it's Kevin-Prince Boateng signing for Barcelona or Bojan Krkić joining the Mark Hughes revolution at Stoke City, you can't beat a transfer that makes you go: 'Wait, what?' every now and again.
Football's most random transfers
However, even the most knowledgeable and committed of transfer aficionados must have forgotten some of the most head-spinning deals that have happened in the modern game.
You know, that moment when you see a photograph of a player sporting the jersey of a club that you had absolutely no idea that they played for. It's quite a satisfying feeling, isn't it?
Stumbling upon a transfer you never knew happened is just like being a fledgling football fan again, discovering a fascinating bit of trivia just when you thought that you knew it all.
And by now, you probably know where we're going with this, because we wanted to channel that exact feeling by doing our upmost to blow your minds with permanent deals and loans that you've definitely (probably) forgotten.
32 transfers you probably forgot about
So, strap yourselves in and park all you thought you knew about transfers at the door as we walk you through 32 deals move that, if we've done our job properly, should leave you asking: "Since when did that happen?"
1. Carlos Vela at West Bromwich Albion
Go on, admit it, you definitely forgot that Arsenal sent one of Mexico's finest modern strikers out on loan to newly-promoted West Brom to enjoy the sexy football of Michael Appleton and Roy Hodgson.
WEST BROMWICH, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 01: Carlos Vela of West Brom in action during the Barclays Premier League match between West Bromwich Albion and Wigan Athletic at The Hawthorns on February 1, 2011 in West Bromwich, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
2. Kasper Schmeichel at Falkirk
You might remember Schmeichel's time on loan with Cardiff City and Coventry City, maybe even Bury and Darlington, but since when did he play in the Scottish Premier League?!
MOTHERWELL, UNITED KINGDOM - JANUARY 30: Kasper Schmeichel of Falkirk looks on after Kilmarnock had scored during the CIS Insurance Cup semi final at Fir Park on January 30, 2007 in Motherwell, Scotland. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
3. Dani Parejo at Queens Park Rangers
Yes, seriously. A recent Europa League winner with Villarreal and four-cap Spain international, Parejo spent 18 games out on loan at Loftus Road when they were a Championship side.
MANCHESTER, UNITED KINGDOM - NOVEMBER 11: Daniel Parejo of Queens Park Rangers battles for the ball with Rafael of Manchester United during the Carling Cup Fourth Round match between Manchester United and Queens Park Rangers at Old Trafford on November 11, 2008 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
4. Giuseppe Rossi at Newcastle United
This just feels like it can't be true, but indeed it is.
NEWCASTLE, UNITED KINGDOM - OCTOBER 25: Giuseppe Rossi of Newcastle United in action during the Carling Cup third round match between Newcastle United and Portsmouth at St. James' Park on October 25, 2006 in Newcastle, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
5. Franck Ribery at Galatasaray
You what? Ribery managed to squeeze a 17-game spell in Turkey between his time with Metz and Marseille, leaving the club in controversial fashion just six months into his move in 2005.
Galatasaray's Ribery celebrates his goal against Fenerbahce during the Turkish Cup final soccer match in the Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. Galatasaray's Franck Ribery celebrates his goal against Fenerbahce during the Turkish Cup final soccer match in the Olympic Stadium in Istanbul May 11, 2005. REUTERS/Umit Bektas
6. Mathieu Flamini at Crystal Palace
We all remember Flamini returning to Arsenal in the mid-2010s and not playing too badly, but his forgettable 13-game stint at Selhurst Park had definitely slipped our minds.
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 28: Mathieu Flamini of Crystal Palace in action at during the The Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Crystal Palace and Manchester City at Selhurst Park on January 28, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
7. Robbie Fowler at Blackburn Rovers
The legendary Liverpool striker decided to give Premier League football one last shot when he moved to Ewood Park, turning out just six times in the 2008/09 season.
BLACKBURN, UNITED KINGDOM - SEPTEMBER 24: Robbie Fowler of Blackburn Rovers runs with the ball during the Carling Cup third round match between Blackburn Rovers and Everton at Ewood Park on September 24, 2008 in Blackburn, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
8. Hamit Altintop at Real Madrid
A FIFA Puskas Award winner, no less, Altintop made the briefest of cameos in Jose Mourinho's all-conquering Los Blancos side between spells with Bayern Munich and Galatasaray.
MADRID, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 27: Mesut Ozil (L) of Real Madrid is substituted by Hamit Altintop during the UEFA Champions League Group D match between Real Madrid and AFC Ajax at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on September 27, 2011 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
9. Adel Taarabt at AC Milan
Truth be told, we could have made this entire list out of forgotten AC Milan buys and something just seems apt about the weird and wonderful career path of Taarabt stopping by the San Siro along the way.
AC Milan's Adel Taarabt (L) celebrates after scoring against Napoli during their Italian Serie A soccer match at San Paolo stadium in Naples February 8, 2014. REUTERS/Giampiero Sposito (ITALY - Tags: SPORT SOCCER)
10. Mark Noble at Hull City
Yes, that's right, Noble isn't *technically* a one-club player. He spent time on loan at both Hull and Ipswich Town as he found his feet at Upton Park in the mid-2000s.
Football - Hull City v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Coca-Cola Football League Championship - The Kingston Communications Stadium - 05/06 , 25/2/06
Mark Noble - Hull City in action against Rohan Ricketts - Wolverhampton Wanderers
Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Stuart Crump
11. James Milner at Swindon Town
While we're at it, we might as well mention another forgotten loan move featuring an Englishman with Milner's six-game spell away from Leeds United often slipping the minds of fans.
Football - Stock 03/04 , 6/9/03
James Milner - Swindon Town
Mandatory Credit:Action Images / Gareth Bumstead
12. Scott Sinclair at Manchester City
Remember when City signed Jack Rodwell and Sinclair in the same summer fresh off the back of winning the Premier League? Yes, that really happened.
EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - JULY 18: Scott Sinclair of Manchester City on the ball during the pre-season friendly at Tynecastle Stadium on July 18, 2014 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Richard Sellers/Getty Images)
13. Dwight Yorke at Birmingham City
Maybe it's because Yorke is such a hero at Aston Villa that his one-season fling with their bitter rivals has become such a random piece of trivia. He scored just twice at St. Andrew's.
SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 24: Darren Kenton of Southampton tackles Dwight Yorke of Birmingham City during the Barclays Premiership match between Southampton and Birmingham City at The Friends Provident St Marys Stadium on October 24, 2004 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Phil Cole/Getty Images)
14. Gerard Deulofeu at AC Milan
Another forgettable AC Milan buy consigned to the history books.
Football Soccer - AC Milan v AS Roma - Italian Serie A - San Siro Stadium, Milan, Italy - 07/05/2017 AC Milan's Gerard Deulofeu reacts during the match against AS Roma. REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini
15. Ian Wright at Celtic
To be honest, we could easily have cited Wright's spells with Nottingham Forest and Burnley during the twilight years of his career, but it was his Celtic stint that caught us out the most.
7 Nov 1999: Ian Wright of Celtic in action during the Scottish Premier League match against Rangers at Ibrox in Glasgow, Scotland. Rangers won 4-2. \ Mandatory Credit: Michael Steele /Allsport
16. Andrea Ranocchia at Hull City
Surely this one got you? It's mad to think that a man with 21 caps for Italy and 226 appearances for Inter Milan to his name randomly joined up with a soon-to-be-relegated Hull side on loan during his prime.
HULL, ENGLAND - APRIL 01: Andrea Ranocchia of Hull City celebrates scoring his sides second goal during the Premier League match between Hull City and West Ham United at KCOM Stadium on April 1, 2017 in Hull, England. (Photo by Alex Morton/Getty Images)
17. Emmanuel Adebayor at Crystal Palace
A connoisseur of random transfers, Adebayor has left supporters scratching their heads over the years with both his move to Real Madrid and one-goal fling at Selhurst Park.
LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 02: Emmanuel Adebayor of Crystal Palace thumbs up during the Barclays Premier League match between Crystal Palace and A.F.C. Bournemouth at Selhurst Park on February 2, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Christopher Lee/Getty Images)
18. Alex Telles at Inter Milan
We considered adding Joao Cancelo's unmemorable run-out for Inter to the list, too, but it's his Manchester rival who comes out on top with the more forgettable spell in northern Italy.
MILAN, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 23: Alex Telles of Internazionale Milano in action during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale Milano and Hellas Verona FC at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on September 23, 2015 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Tullio M. Puglia/Getty Images)
19. Pepe Reina at Bayern Munich
Reina has become something of a journeymen in the final years of his career and playing just three times as Manuel Neuer's deputy was certainly the most forgettable part of that devolution.
20. Lacina Traoré at Everton
Remember the six-foot-eight-inch striker playing just twice at Goodison Park? Probably not.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 16: Everton player Lacina Traore in action during the FA Cup Fifth Round match between Everton and Swansea City at Goodison Park on February 16, 2014 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
21. Nolito at Manchester City
Pep Guardiola has dropped his fair share of transfer clangers at the Etihad Stadium and recruiting Nolito, who he sold just one season later, on the back of an impressive Euro 2016 might be the worst of the bunch.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - AUGUST 28: Nolito of Manchester City during the Premier League match between Manchester City and West Ham at Etihad Stadium on August 28, 2016 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
22. Giovani dos Santos at Ipswich Town
From Camp Nou to White Hart Lane to Portman Road... not your everyday career progression.
IPSWICH, UNITED KINGDOM - MARCH 17: Giovani Dos Santos of Ipswich celebrates his goal during the Coca-Cola Championship match between Ipswich Town and Burnley at Portman Road on March 17, 2009 in Ipswich, England. (Photo by Jamie McDonald/Getty Images)
23. Rodrigo at Bolton Wanderers
Uh huh, the current Leeds baller and 27-cap Spain international first gave the Premier League a dabble in the 2010/11 season where he played on loan at Bolton under Owen Coyle.
BOLTON, ENGLAND - MAY 22: Rodrigo of Bolton Wanderers in action during the Barclays Premier League match between Bolton Wanderers and Manchester City at the Reebok Stadium on May 22, 2011 in Bolton, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
24. Andre Schurrle at Fulham
Fulham really threw the curtain kitchen sink at the transfer market upon their Premier League return in 2018, crowning their spending with a bewildering move for World Cup winner Schurrle.
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 04: Andre Schurrle of Fulham in action during a Pre-Season Friendly between Fulham and Celta Vigo at Craven Cottage on August 4, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
25. Micah Richards at Fiorentina
A cheeky 10 games in Serie A was just what the doctor ordered for Richards as his Manchester City career began to lose steam.
FLORENCE, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 18: Micah Richards of ACF Fiorentina in action during the UEFA Europa League group K match between ACF Fiorentina and EA Guingamp at Stadio Artemio Franchi on September 18, 2014 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
26. Luis Alberto at Liverpool
We can all remember Iago Aspas coming through the door at Anfield in 2013, but far fewer people recall that Alberto, now of Lazio and formerly of Spain, also stopped by on Merseyside that year.
PRESTON, LANCASHIRE - JULY 13: Luis Alberto of Liverpool during the Pre Season Friendly match between Preston North End and Liverpool at Deepdale on July 13, 2013 in Preston, Lancashire. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
27. Alvaro Negredo at Middlesbrough
In a heady summer where Boro also recruited Victor Valdes and Adama Traore, Negredo's second shot at making it big in the Premier League has faded into the ether in the years since.
MIDDLESBROUGH, ENGLAND - AUGUST 13: Alvaro Negredo of Middlesbrough celebrates scoring his sides first goal during the Premier League match between Middlesbrough and Stoke City at Riverside Stadium on August 13, 2016 in Middlesbrough, England. (Photo by Steve Welsh/Getty Images)
28. Rio Ferdinand at Bournemouth
The Cherries could never have known that they had a future Manchester United and England legend on their books when they took him in on loan during the 1996/97 season.
29. Kevin-Prince Boateng at Borussia Dortmund
A man who lives and breathes strange transfers with his 11-game loan spell at Dortmund arguably ranking as the most random of all.
Borussia Dortmund's Kevin-Prince Boateng leaves the pitch after receiving a red card during their German Bundesliga first division soccer match against VfL Wolfsburg in Wolfsburg May 12, 2009. REUTERS/Christian Charisius (GERMANY SPORT SOCCER) ONLINE CLIENTS MAY USE UP TO SIX IMAGES DURING EACH MATCH WITHOUT THE AUTHORITY OF THE DFL. NO MOBILE USE DURING THE MATCH AND FOR A FURTHER TWO HOURS AFTERWARDS IS PERMITTED WITHOUT THE AUTHORITY OF THE DFL. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT DFL DIRECTLY
30. Steve Mandanda at Crystal Palace
Think that Mandana has spent his entire club career with Marseille? Think again, because he clearly wanted a taste of Alan Pardew and Sam Allardyce's football during the 2016/17 season.
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 23: Goalkeeper Steve Mandanda of Crystal Palace in action during the EFL Cup Second Round match between Crystal Palace and Blackpool at Selhurst Park on August 23, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Christopher Lee/Getty Images)
31. Nuri Sahin at Liverpool
Frankly, you can lump 'Real Madrid' into this entry too because Sahin's time at both Anfield and the Bernabeu continues to provoke responses of: "Oh, that really happened, did it?"
BERN, SWITZERLAND - SEPTEMBER 20: Nuri Sahin of Liverpool FC in action during the UEFA Europa League Group A match between BSC Young Boys and Liverpool FC at Stade de Suisse on September 20, 2012 in Bern, Switzerland. (Photo by Harold Cunningham/Getty Images)
32. Emmanuel Emenike at West Ham United
An absolute legend on FIFA with his electric pace and ruthless finishing, it's easy to forget that Emenike did briefly call the Premier League his home with a loan spell to Upton Park in 2016.
SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 06: Emmanuel Emenike of West Ham United is chased by Jordy Clasie of Southampton during the Barclays Premier League match between Southampton and West Ham United at St Mary's Stadium on February 6, 2016 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images)
Be honest: how many caught you out?
Now, we know that you're all intelligent and invested fans of the beautiful game, so it's next to impossible that we managed to fool you with every single transfer.
And kudos if you were indeed able to recall some of these random moves because we'll happily profess to having had no idea that some of them happened ourselves when we sat down to research this article.
All that being said, we know that a few of them will have caught you out and sent you on a quick detour to Wikipedia to check that we're right, so be sure to let us know which transfers that you found most random across our various social channels.
Football Soccer Britain - Manchester City v West Ham United - Premier League - Etihad Stadium - 16/17 - 28/8/16
Manchester City's Nolito
Action Images via Reuters / Carl Recine
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Who knows, maybe we'll be adding Scott McTominay to Flamengo, Lionel Messi to Seattle Sounders, Craig Dawson to Villarreal and Andres Iniesta to Scunthorpe United to our list in the coming years. You never know...