The 19 biggest floppers in football history

October 21, 2025 Aksel Kryhlmand

Spending big in football doesn't always mean buying success. Time and time again, clubs have shelled out massive fees for players who failed to deliver on the pitch. From injury woes to poor tactical fits, these are the 19 most expensive transfer flops in the game’s modern history, ranked from 19 to 1.

19. James Rodriguez – Monaco to Real Madrid (2014) – €80m

James Rodríguez — Marcos Mesa Sam Wordley / Shutterstock.com

After a dazzling World Cup in 2014, James arrived in Madrid as the next Galactico. Though he impressed in his first season, he faded fast and left for nothing after being sidelined under Zidane.

18. Zlatan Ibrahimovic – Inter to Barcelona (2009) – €69.5m + Samuel Eto’o

Barcelona not only paid Inter €69.5m but also gave up Samuel Eto’o, who went on to win the treble with the Nerazzurri in Italy. Ibrahimovic scored goals but clashed heavily with Guardiola, making the move short-lived and bitter.

17. Neymar – Barcelona to PSG (2017) – €222m

The most expensive transfer in history failed to bring PSG the Champions League that year. Neymar showed flashes of brilliance but was constantly overshadowed by injuries and the rise of Kylian Mbappe.

16. Kepa Arrizabalaga – Athletic Club to Chelsea (2018) – £72m

Chelsea made Kepa the world’s most expensive goalkeeper, only to see erratic form and high-profile blunders. His legacy is more about refusing to be subbed than saving goals.

15. Harry Maguire – Leicester to Manchester United (2019) – £80m

Maguire’s £80m fee was never justified by his performances. Despite occasional resilience, he became a symbol of United’s mismanagement in the transfer market.

14. Romelu Lukaku – Everton to Manchester United (2017) – £75m

After a great start, Lukaku lost momentum and fell out of favour under Solskjær. The hefty price tag looked worse with every inconsistent display.

13. Alvaro Morata – Real Madrid to Chelsea (2017) – £60m

Chelsea splashed out for Morata after a strong season in Spain, but he never settled in London. His form dipped quickly, and he was shipped out after just 18 months.

12. Antoine Griezmann – Atletico Madrid to Barcelona (2019) – €120m

Barcelona’s second attempt at signing Griezmann finally succeeded, but it backfired. The Frenchman struggled to fit in and returned to Atletico, who got him back at a discount.

11. Jack Grealish – Aston Villa to Manchester City (2021) – £100m

City broke the British transfer record for Grealish, but he failed to make a consistent impact. Though part of a treble-winning squad, he often looked like a regular squad player rather than a star.

10. Randal Kolo Muani – Eintracht Frankfurt to PSG (2023) – €80m

PSG paid a fortune for Kolo Muani to appease Mbappe, but the striker didn’t deliver. After two poor seasons, he was loaned to Juventus in hope of finding form elsewhere.

9. Nicolas Pepe – Lille to Arsenal (2019) – £79m

Pepe showed promise in Ligue 1, but never hit those heights in England. Arsenal ultimately let him go for free, making him one of their worst-value signings ever.

8. Joao Felix – Benfica to Atletico Madrid (2019) – €126m

Felix never looked suited to Simeone’s defensive system. Loans at Chelsea and Barcelona didn’t change his fortunes, and Atletico Madrid sold him for a massive loss.

7. Paul Pogba – Juventus to Manchester United (2016) – £89.5m

United broke the world record to bring Pogba back, but he never showed consistency. He left on a free twice and became a divisive figure at Old Trafford.

6. Romelu Lukaku – Inter to Chelsea (2021) – £97.5m

Lukaku returned to Chelsea to “finish business,” but his second appearance was worse than the first. After criticising Tuchel publicly, his relationship with fans collapsed completly

5. Antony – Ajax to Manchester United (2022) – £82m

Signed to reunite with Ten Hag, Antony dazzled briefly before being exposed as a one-dimensional winger. United loaned him to Real Betis while still covering his wages.

4. Neymar – PSG to Al Hilal (2023) – €90m

Neymar Jr. Al Hilal — Tasnim News Agency, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Al Hilal bet big on Neymar, but the move was a disaster. He played just seven games before suffering another long-term injury and had his contract terminated.

3. Philippe Coutinho – Liverpool to Barcelona (2018) – €120m + €40m in bonuses

Barcelona paid a fortune for a player they didn’t need. Coutinho’s best moment in Spain was scoring twice against his own club while on loan to Bayern.

2. Eden Hazard – Chelsea to Real Madrid (2019) – €100m

Hazard turned up to Madrid overweight and constantly injured. He never played a single Clasico and became a forgotten man at the Bernabéu.

1. Ousmane Dembele – Borussia Dortmund to Barcelona (2017) – €105m

Ousmane Dembélé — Christian Bertrand / Shutterstock.com

Dembele was a panic buy after Neymar’s exit, and he never lived up to his price tag. Injuries, poor professionalism, and inconsistency defined his time at Camp Nou.