The Premier League had many transfers last season, both in the summer and winter, with clubs spending millions on new players.
Some signings work well and help clubs reach their goals, while others are bold moves that simply do not work out in the end.
7 Failed Signings That Broke Down in the Premier League Last Season
For every good transfer that changes a team, many others end up as disappointments. Some players suffer injuries, others don’t perform, and some just arrive with too much hype.
Looking at performances, prices, and overall influence, here are the 7 worst signings of the 2024-25 Premier League season.
7 – Ilkay Gundogan – Man City
Gundogan returned to Man City for free after ending his contract with Barcelona. This time, he played in midfield without Rodri beside him, and he didn’t look like the player fans remembered.
Even though he played regularly, he couldn’t bring the same impact he had in his earlier years. Fans expected more from a player who had already won the Premier League five times.
6 – Matthijs de Ligt – Man United
De Ligt arrived with big hopes, but things didn’t go well at Old Trafford. He struggled with his positioning and made many mistakes.
Instead of improving the defence, he added more problems. Man United had one of the weakest defences in the league and finished in 15th place. They also lost the Europa League final to Tottenham.
5 – Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – Chelsea
Chelsea paid £30 million for Dewsbury-Hall, but the midfielder didn’t get many chances in the league.
With too much competition in midfield, he mainly played in cup games and European matches. His displays didn’t meet the expectations at all.
4 – Joshua Zirkzee – Man United
Zirkzee had a rough start with the Red Devils. Fans booed him, and he couldn’t find his form. He did improve a bit later, but his performances stayed poor overall.
Supporters wanted more from the Dutch forward, but he couldn’t deliver across the season.
3 – Raheem Sterling – Arsenal (Loan)
Sterling went to Arsenal on loan from Chelsea, but the move didn’t bring back his form. He didn’t help the team much, even during their injury crisis.
He only managed one goal and two assists. His playing time stayed limited, and he failed to make a difference.
2 – Federico Chiesa – Liverpool
Liverpool brought in Chiesa for £13 million, which looked like a good deal on paper. But in reality, it didn’t work at all.
He barely played because of injuries and added no real value to the side that went on to win the league title. He didn’t fill in well for Salah, and this transfer stands out as a rare mistake from Liverpool’s usually sharp scouting team.
1 – Joao Felix – Chelsea
Chelsea wanted to improve their attack and decided to bring back Joao Felix.
But he didn’t settle in at all and moved to Milan on loan halfway through the season. He didn’t do much there either. It was another costly and strange move in Chelsea’s long list of confusing transfers.
