Matheus Nunes has got the move he so desperately wanted, leaving Wolverhampton Wanderers for Manchester City after a drawn-out saga that saw the Portuguese man go on strike in order to force the deal. The midfielder isn't the first footballer to deploy such methods in an attempt to get a move away from a club. Far from it in fact, with numerous stars doing something similar over the years.

Who can blame them as well when it seems the decision always results in the players getting the move they ultimately wanted in the end? While there have been plenty of examples in the past, we've decided to put together a team of the biggest stars to do so. Here is an XI of players who went on strike to force a move away from their respective clubs.

GK - Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea)

Replacing Petr Cech was never going to be easy for Chelsea, but it seemed they had found their long-term goalkeeper of the future in Thibaut Courtois. Unfortunately, he clearly had other ideas and in 2018, seven years after first moving to Stamford Bridge, he decided he wanted out. The problem is, Chelsea weren't too keen on selling, but once Real Madrid were reportedly interested, the Belgian had made his mind up and went to nefarious means to get his transfer.

The shot-stopper simply refused to show up to the Blues' pre-season, leaving them little choice but to cash in while they still could. Speaking about the situation, Courtois' agent credited the decision to leave Chelsea due to a desire to be closer to his family in Spain, saying: "There has been a misunderstanding that he wanted to get a move for the wrong reasons, but he was pushing to go out of Chelsea because of his child.

“If the family were in London it would have been totally different. He would have stayed, there is no reason to leave a club like Chelsea, he could have won trophies. Unfortunately his kids are living with the mother in Madrid"

CB - William Gallas (Chelsea)

Another player who wanted out of Stamford Bridge and was prepared to go to certain lengths to ensure he'd get a move was William Gallas. The Frenchman had spent five years at Chelsea, making 225 appearances in all competitions, while winning a fair bit. Surprisingly then, he revealed he wanted out of the club in the summer of 2006 and was pretty adamant about it.

Reports suggest he even refused to play in the 2005/06 FA Cup semi-final for the side and threatened to score own goals if he was forced to line up for the club in the opening game of the following campaign. He got his move, with the centre-back joining Arsenal that summer, but he was quick to deny the allegations that he'd threatened to score own goals for Chelsea.

Speaking shortly after his move to the Gunners, he said: "I am surprised and shocked [by what Chelsea have said]. I certainly never said I'd try and score an own-goal if I ever played for Chelsea again. I was very firm in my desire to leave - that's clear - and I've already explained why. But I never went that far. If people want to hide behind these ridiculous accusations to explain why I left to keep onside with their club's supporters, that's what they do. I don't think it'll fool anybody."

For what it's worth, Chelsea got Ashley Cole in the deal, so they can't really complain too much.

CB - Marcos Rojo (Sporting CP)

After it was revealed that Manchester United were interested in Marcos Rojo in 2014, the defender immediately wanted out of Sporting CP. He refused to play for the club after the deal almost fell through and wouldn't even attend training according to the star himself.

It was the dream of playing at Old Trafford for United that fueled his actions he revealed, saying: "I was in Portugal when my representative told me. He asked me to stay calm, but I could not. I started living this dream. I could not think of anything else. I would call him every day, but when it seemed the transfer would not happen then I refused to work with Sporting."

The deal eventually went through and Rojo spent seven years playing for United before leaving for Boca Juniors in 2021.

CB - Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal)

Is there anything worse than a player refusing to play for your club and going on strike in an attempt to move away? Well, yes, actually and that's your captain doing so. That's exactly what happened at Arsenal as well in 2019 when Laurent Koscielny went on strike and refused to take part in the Gunners pre-season tour that summer in an effort to secure a transfer away from the Emirates. Having spent nine years at the club and acting as club captain, it was a surprising move from the Frenchman who was keen on a return to France and a move to Bordeaux.

The decision to force a move came down to his unhappiness and putting his family first, according to Koscielny who said: "I can understand that Arsenal fans did not expect me to leave. Nobody expected it. To put it simply, I was not happy as I was on the first day I signed. And with my family, we needed to go back to France and have a new challenge.”

He got the move he wanted, joining Bordeaux shortly after, before ticking Arsenal fans off even more with THAT controversial transfer announcement video.

RM - Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City)

Just 18 months after winning the Premier League with Leicester City, Riyad Mahrez wanted to leave the club and was prepared to do just about anything to secure a transfer away from the midlands. What's worse, is he went on strike on more than one occasion. First trying it in the summer of 2017, before again doing so in January 2018.

The Foxes were reluctant to sell, though, and refused to back down until they finally accepted defeat in the summer of 2018. He went on to join Manchester City where he won just about everything there was to win over the next five years.

CM - Moises Caicedo (Brighton & Hove Albion)

Despite playing just six months as a regular in Brighton & Hove Albion's first team, Moises Caicedo wanted to leave the club in January and very publicly spoke out about the matter in the hope of securing a move. Taking to his Instagram page, he penned a message trying to convince Brighton to sell him, which resulted in the midfielder being banned from the club's training ground for a month.

They kept hold of him, though, and he returned to the side in the second half of last season, where he played a vital role in helping the Seagulls secure their highest-ever league finish. He finally got his move this summer, though, after reportedly refusing to attend training, when Chelsea made him the most expensive Premier League transfer of all time.

CM - Matheus Nunes (Wolverhampton Wanderers)

The latest name to successfully force his way out of a club by going on strike, Matheus Nunes finally got the move to Manchester City he'd been craving this week. Having joined Wolves just last year, the move is a surprising one considering how underwhelming he'd been for the club throughout his debut campaign. Still, it was enough to pique Pep Guardiola's interest who has now brought him to the Etihad.

Wolves sporting director Matt Hobbs was clearly furious with Nunes' actions, saying this as the midfielder departed: "I was disappointed with how it ended, it wasn't necessary the stance Matheus took, but we ended with a good resolution for everyone. Matheus is a hugely talented player but would admit that last season he didn't hit the heights he expected, but it was a tough season for the team, so maybe he wasn't allowed to do that."

LM - Dimitri Payet (West Ham United)

Few players took to the Premier League quite as quickly as Dimitri Payet did and the West Ham United man quickly became one of the most exciting and impressive attackers in England when he joined the club. That's why his decision to request a move away just 18 months after joining was so shocking. The midfielder wanted away from London and was determined to return to Marseille.

This led to Payet refusing to train or play for the Hammers and going on strike until a move could be sorted. He eventually got the deal he was so desperate for, when he returned to Marseille for £25m. His behaviour turned West Ham fans on him, but he was proud of his actions.

In an interview following his exit, he said, per the Independent: "I know how to be a d**khead, it is one of my specialities. It’s a little game. When I want to p**s everyone off, I do it. My managers understood that: when I sulk, they talk to me. It’s a way for me to be heard. Those who know me play along, and, in the end, it goes well.”

His return to Marseille has gone well, so we're assuming he hasn't felt the need to 'sulk' recently.

ST - Dimitar Berbatov (Tottenham Hotspur)

After impressing at Tottenham Hotspur, Dimitar Berbatov found out United were interested in his services and wasted no time trying to force a move away from the club. After straight up refusing to play in a couple of league games for Spurs in an attempt to force their hand, Berbatov was handed his move to Old Trafford, and he certainly lived up to expectations at the club. In four years, he scored 56 goals and won a couple of league titles for his troubles.

Speaking on the matter, it's clear how Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy felt about the Bulgarian's actions, saying: "I don't think Berbatov treated this club with the respect that we honestly deserved. We put him on the map. I think he's an outstanding player, but he signed a long-term contract with this club and I think he should have stayed. I had so many conversations with him. He kept saying it was about his ambition to play for Manchester United. It wasn't a money issue. We offered him a new contract, and he wasn't even interested in discussing it. The reality is, in modern football, the players have all the power."

ST - Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)

There's no denying Harry Kane gave Tottenham everything he possibly could over the years. No one can blame him either for finally moving on from the club and joining Bayern Munich as he looks to win some silverware. That doesn't change the fact that the England striker tried to force his way out of Spurs through some nefarious means in the past.

When Man City revealed their interest in Kane back in 2021, the striker was keen on the move and didn't show up to Spurs' pre-season tour in an effort to force himself out of the club. It didn't work, though, and he remained at the club for a further two years before finally departing this summer.

ST - Luis Suarez (Liverpool)

There are few players in the history of football who have been quite as controversial as Luis Suarez. Incredibly talented, he's known just as much for his less-than-flattering antics, whether they're on the pitch or off of it. Despite that, Liverpool stuck by the Uruguayan during his time at Anfield, but that didn't stop him trying to force a move away from the club when Arsenal revealed their interest and had their approach for him rejected by the Reds.

The striker considered legal action and contemplated suing the club for turning down the Gunners' bid which was £1 over his £40m release clause. Suarez refused to play for Liverpool and was forced to train alone in the build-up to his eventual departure. He wouldn't join Arsenal, though, instead making the switch to Barcelona in 2014.