Football transfers can make or break a team, and while some signings become legends, others turn into costly mistakes. Whether due to injuries, poor performances, or failing to adapt, many clubs have spent millions on players who simply didn’t deliver. Some of these signings arrived with high expectations, only to flop spectacularly, while others were puzzling moves from the start. From overpriced forwards who couldn’t score to midfielders who barely played, these deals are painful reminders of how risky the transfer market can be.

Nottingham Forest – Harry Arter – £4.7M

Nottingham Forest signed Harry Arter to bring experience to their midfield, but he quickly became surplus to requirements. Poor performances and injuries saw him fall out of favor, and he was loaned out multiple times before disappearing from the squad entirely.

Ipswich Town – Matteo Sereni – £5.3M

Matteo Sereni was supposed to be a reliable goalkeeper for Ipswich, but he struggled with consistency and defensive errors. He couldn’t prevent the club from relegation and left shortly after, making his signing a costly mistake.

Aston Villa – Bosko Balaban – £6.6M

Balaban arrived as a promising striker, but his time at Villa was an unmitigated disaster. He failed to score a single Premier League goal and barely played before being moved on.

Fulham – Kostas Mitroglou – £12.9M

Brought in to rescue Fulham’s season, Mitroglou was never fit enough to make an impact. He played just three matches before being loaned out, making him one of Fulham’s worst-ever transfers.

Crystal Palace – Alexander Sørloth – £13.6M

Sørloth struggled massively at Crystal Palace, failing to score in 16 league games. He was soon loaned out, and despite later success in Turkey and Germany, his time in the Premier League was a total failure.

Brighton & Hove Albion – Jürgen Locadia – £14.4M

Brighton made Locadia their record signing at the time, but he never adapted to English football. His lack of goals and poor performances meant he was soon loaned out before leaving permanently.

Bournemouth – Jordon Ibe – £15.3M

Ibe was tipped for big things after arriving from Liverpool, but he never lived up to expectations. His inconsistency and off-field issues meant Bournemouth eventually let him leave for free.

Wolverhampton Wanderers – Patrick Cutrone – £15.3M

Cutrone struggled with the physicality of the Premier League and failed to establish himself at Wolves. He scored just a few goals before being sent out on loan and eventually sold.

Leicester City – Ahmed Musa – £16.6M

Musa’s blistering pace was exciting, but his lack of technical ability and decision-making held him back. He was soon pushed to the fringes of the squad before returning to CSKA Moscow.

Southampton – Guido Carrillo – £18.7M

Carrillo arrived as Southampton’s record signing, but he failed to score a single Premier League goal. He was quickly loaned out and later offloaded permanently.

Brentford – Fábio Carvalho – £19.9M

Carvalho’s move to Brentford has been underwhelming, as he has struggled to break into the starting lineup. His lack of impact has made his signing look like an expensive mistake.

Newcastle United – Michael Owen – £21.2M

Newcastle broke their transfer record to sign Owen, but injuries plagued his time at the club. He never fully justified his price tag and left on a free transfer after their relegation.

Everton – Davy Klaassen – £22.9M

Everton expected Klaassen to be their creative spark in midfield, but he lacked the physicality needed for the Premier League. After just one season, he was sold at a huge loss.

West Ham United – Gianluca Scamacca – £32.8M

West Ham invested heavily in Scamacca, expecting him to be their long-term striker. However, injuries and a failure to adapt saw him leave after just one season with minimal impact.

Manchester City – Eliaquim Mangala – £45.0M

Mangala was one of the most expensive defenders at the time, but he never lived up to the hype. His positioning and decision-making were poor, and he was quickly replaced in the squad.

Liverpool – Naby Keïta – £51.0M

Keïta was supposed to be Liverpool’s midfield dynamo, but injuries and inconsistency ruined his time at Anfield. He never reached the heights expected of him and left on a free transfer.

Tottenham Hotspur – Tanguy Ndombele – £52.7M

Ndombele showed flashes of brilliance but never had the work rate or consistency to succeed. Spurs sent him on multiple loan spells before eventually cutting their losses.

Chelsea – Mykhailo Mudryk – £59.5M

Mudryk arrived with massive expectations, but he has struggled to adapt to the Premier League. His poor decision-making and lack of impact in front of goal have made his signing look like a costly mistake.

Arsenal – Nicolas Pépé – £68.0M

Pépé became Arsenal’s record signing, but he never justified his price tag. Despite some moments of brilliance, he was too inconsistent and was eventually loaned out before leaving permanently.

Manchester United – Antony – £80.8M

United spent nearly £81M on Antony, expecting him to be a game-changer on the right wing. However, his end product has been poor, and his performances have not justified his enormous price tag.