Falcao was the weirdest example. I think I’ve got this right, but on loan at Chelsea, recalled by Monaco, failed his medical, so had to go back and finish his loan at Chelsea. Tried to switch his loan to Atletico, failed that as well. Happens all the time across all divisions. We just don’t have examples for League One and down as it just isn’t on our radar or won’t be confirmed by clubs.
A medical is a risk assessment, not a pass or fail situation. Something probably came to light in his medical and we decided his signing wasn't worth the risk, whereas another team, Harrogate in this case, may be happy to sign him regardless.
It's not as simple as him being fit to play, in terms of the medical. Presumably we picked up on some deep lying issue that we weren't happy to take a risk on, but Harrogate were. Having listened to Undr the Cosh a lot, some football clubs simply ignore the results of a medical, or don't perform anything particularly strenuous because they want to sign a player at all costs. I reckon that might have happened more in the past, but I guess we'll never know what the issue was.
Must be something about Chelsea as they seem to pop a few times over these examples. There was a player whose name escapes me failed his medical at Chelsea, transfer cancelled went to Inter for the rest of season on loan with a view of permanent signing, who then failed his medical in the Summer at Inter.
People might have forgotten but Ruud Van Nistelrooy failed his medial one Summer and then still signed for Man United the next.
Didn't he break down in a training session and tore his ACL? Then they confirmed the transfer 12 months later. I could be wrong like, it has been known. Edit: That's what you've written and I can't read.