Top five players that managers regretted selling

At a time when players can force their way out of clubs, if they don’t fancy it, most transfers still occur as a result of agreement with both parties. Whilst a lot of players move with the club’s consent, there are those who go away because of difference of opinion with the manager. Those are the ones that managers usually look back on, with not much fond memories.

Is Mourinho going to make the same mistake with Mata? Will the Chelsea’s sale of their two-time and reigning Player of the Year be one that will live to regret in the coming years? With those thoughts, let us look at five players whom managers regretted letting go of in the first place.

5. Daniel Sturridge – Chelsea to Liverpool

Daniel Sturridge

Strurridge’s talents have never been in question, but it is his temperament that led to Chelsea letting go of the prodigiously gifted player last January. From a very young age, it was very apparent that Sturridge was going to go onto bigger and better things, but somehow he never quite got going. First at Manchester City, then at Chelsea. It was only during his loan move to Bolton that he showed just what he was capable of.

And although he did well there, the competition for places in the Chelsea squad was just too much and Chelsea decided to cut their losses and sell the 24-year-old to Liverpool for £12m. The move now seems like an absolute bargain as the England forward has shown his former employers just what he can do with a regular run in the squad.

With every passing day, it looks like Chelsea would have been better served to loan him again instead of selling a talented striker, when their squad has been lacking in one.