The 19 Most Expensive Transfer Flops in Football History
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
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. 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. Neymar showed flashes of brilliance but was constantly overshadowed by injuries and Mbappe’s rise.
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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.
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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 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.
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8. Joao Felix – Benfica to Atletico Madrid (2019) – €126m
Felix never looked suited to Simeone’s defensive system. Loan spells at Chelsea and Barcelona didn’t change his fortunes, and Atleti 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 spell was worse than the first. After criticising Tuchel publicly, his relationship with fans collapsed.
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.
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4. Neymar – PSG to Al Hilal (2023) – €90m
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
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.
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