The 2024/25 Premier League season has seen its fair share of high-profile transfers fail to deliver. While some players have seamlessly adapted, others have struggled to justify their price tags or meet pre-season expectations. A closer look at these signings reveals a mix of underwhelming performances, issues with team fit, and external factors such as injuries that have all played a part in their struggles.
Nevertheless, we wanted to mention some of the players who can still turn their season around. But have thus far failed to deliver in their new garments for their new clubs and are marked as currently the worst signings of the season.
Chelsea’s Misfiring Moves
Joao Felix (£46.3m) tops the list of disappointing acquisitions. Despite Chelsea’s clear need for a proven striker, the club opted to re-sign Felix. A player whose best role clashes with Cole Palmer’s position. Limited to sporadic appearances, the Portuguese forward has failed to replicate his La Liga form. Leaving fans questioning the logic behind the move. He managed to get only two goal involvements, a single goal and an assist, before being loaned out to AC Milan until the rest of the season.
Equally perplexing is Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (£30m). The midfielder, crucial to Enzo Maresca’s Leicester City side, has managed just 55 Premier League minutes amid competition from Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez. While effective in Europa Conference League fixtures, his league contributions remain negligible.
In seven games for the Blues, he only managed to get a single assist. Compare that to the 12 goals and 14 assists he had in the Championship last season and you can see how far he has let down.
Manchester United’s Defensive and Attacking Woes
United’s summer rebuild promised much but has yielded mixed results. Matthijs de Ligt, hailed as a defensive saviour, initially floundered with poor positioning and decision-making. Though recent performances have shown improvement, consistency remains elusive for the Dutchman.
Up front, Joshua Zirkzee’s stint has been disastrous. Booed off after 30 minutes against Newcastle, the striker’s work rate and attitude have drawn criticism. Echoing past concerns raised by Vincent Kompany. With just two meaningful contributions in 19 games, his £27m transfer looks increasingly misguided.
Liverpool’s Risky Gamble Backfires
Federico Chiesa (£13m) arrived as a potential Mohamed Salah deputy but has been plagued by injuries and homesickness. The Italian winger has played only 18 Premier League minutes, and reports suggest he’s already seeking an out. For a player once dubbed a “dream signing,” his rapid fall from grace highlights the risks of low-cost gambles.
Last season at Juve, he scored 9 goals and made 3 assists in Serie A. Unfortunately, he has failed to produce any attacking returns after joining Liverpool. Luckily for the Reds, his underwhelming performance has not bothered them at all. They top the league with 60 goals scored.
Surprising Struggles at Manchester City
Ilkay Gündogan’s emotional return to City has been underwhelming. The midfielder, previously a linchpin under Pep Guardiola, has looked off the pace without Rodri’s support. His dip in form mirrors City’s broader struggles during the Spaniard’s absence, raising questions about the logic behind re-signing a 34-year-old.
The German international has made only two assists this season in 22 games played. He is a far cry from the player he once was, where he scored 8 goals and made 4 assists in his last season in the Premier League before moving to Barca.
Mid-Table Missteps
We also have to mention a few other names without going into too many details. Even though their clubs brought them on to improve their mid-table position, they failed at that attempt.
- Niclas Füllkrug (West Ham, £15m): The German striker has scored once in 352 minutes, overshadowed by Michail Antonio’s enduring reliability1.
- Eddie Nketiah (Crystal Palace, £30m): Two Carabao Cup goals pale next to his £30m fee, with Palace’s attack lacking cohesion since his arrival1.
- Kalvin Phillips (Ipswich, loan): Once dubbed the “Yorkshire Pirlo,” Phillips has struggled for confidence, contributing more to West Ham’s goals (via a misplaced pass) than his own team’s.
