A player does not actually ‘pass’ or ‘fail’ a medical exam, they just complete one before joining a new club.
It is then up to the buying club to decide whether signing the player in question is worth any risk should there be any abnormalities found in the results.
Think of it a bit like buying a house. Buyers will get a survey done, and weigh up whether they will complete the purchase depending on the findings.
Like a house survey, if a manager or team is determined to sign a player, they can do so despite any issues in the medical test.
Dr Charlotte Cowie, who was previously in charge of the medical departments at Tottenham and Fulham, told BBC News medical teams never really “pass” or “fail” a player.
”One man’s fail is another man’s pass,” said Dr Cowie. “It really depends on where the player is injury-wise, what the manager and the club want from that player and what it’s going to cost. It’s a risk-benefit analysis.”
There have been occasions when the results have come back with issues, preventing a move.
Ruud van Nistelrooy was set to join Manchester United in 2000 but his move was delayed after his medical. The Dutchman ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament within a week of the deal being delayed.
Then Peterborough United forward George Boyd’s move to Nottingham Forest fell through in 2013 after an eye test came back “inconclusive”. Despite the finding, Boyd continued to play elsewhere.
In 2024, Kurt Zouma’s proposed move to United Arab Emirates side Shabab Al-Ahli collapsed after the West Ham defender failed a medical.
