Barcelona Feature Heavily in Our Top 10

With gamers comparable to Romelu Lukaku and Paul Pogba actively attempting to rectify their careers this window after lower than beneficial transfers, the group right here at Sportslens determined to take a seat down and check out a number of the worst signings of all time.

10. Jonathan Woodgate – Newcastle to Actual Madrid

Kicking issues off with what stays probably the most weird Actual Madrid acquisitions in Jonathan Woodgate.

Earlier than he had even took to the pitch for Los Blancos, the Englishman arrived with a considerable harm that saved him on the sidelines for over a 12 months. As soon as hailed as “most likely the perfect centre-half I ever performed with” by Gary Velocity, it appeared Madrid have been ready to spend simply over £13m on the then-24-year-old regardless of carrying an harm.

Nonetheless, he took to the sphere 17 months after his arrival in a match towards Bilbao, and nothing might put together the Madrid trustworthy for the calamity that unfolded. Woodgate discovered the web with a surprising diving header, simply on the unsuitable finish, leaving goalkeeper Iker Casillas utterly dumbfounded.

To make issues worse, he was then dismissed 66 minutes in, finishing one of many worst debuts ever seen to today. As you’ll be able to think about, his Madrid profession by no means took off and was subsequently loaned to Middlesbrough with simply 14 appearances to his title.

9. Gaizka Mendieta – Valencia to Lazio

At a time when Valencia have been one among Europe’s elite and a pressure to be reckoned with underneath supervisor Rafa Benitez, Gaizka Mednieta was on the coronary heart of their success.

To supply a little bit of context, the Spaniard was probably the most sought-after midfielders in world soccer having been named Greatest Midfielder in Europe by UEFA two years on the trot. To everybody’s shock, free-spending Lazio made him the sixth most costly signing of all-time in what gave the impression to be an enormous assertion of intent within the Romans’ hunt for the Scudetto.

All through the season, Mendieta would go on to be a ghost. At his sensible finest in Spain, he scored between 10 and 20 targets per season, and supplied as many assists. In Rome, a stark distinction; 31 video games performed in all competitions, no targets scored, three assists.

He returned to Spain with Barcelona after only one season Italy.

8. Andriy Shevchenko – AC Milan to Chelsea

Undoubtedly one of many best marksman of his technology, Andriy Shevchenko arrived at Chelsea with a lot promise; twice winner of the Capocannoniere award for prime scorer in Serie A, the Ukrainian was the whole striker; quick, highly effective and lethal in entrance of objective.

After Roman Abramovich had unsuccessfully tried to deliver him in twice earlier than, the Russian lastly obtained his man after a £30m bid was accepted, signalling an influence shift from Italy to England within the course of.

Nonetheless, an ageing, burnt-out Shevchenko who had performed over 600 occasions already in his profession, struggled with the tempo and depth of the Premier League discovering the web simply 9 occasions earlier than retracing his steps to Milan.

7. Alexis Sanchez – Arsenal to Manchester United

Subsequent we’ve got Alexis Sanchez, who’s burning want to go away Arsenal was finally the reason for his steep downfall.

The Chilean seemed destined for a transfer to United’s neighbours Metropolis, the place we imagine he would have thrived in a extra formidable and forward-thinking atmosphere. Nonetheless, the Pink Devils managed to accumulate arguably the league’s hottest property in a weird swap deal during which the Gunners obtained Henrikh Mkhitaryan in return (additionally one of many worst transfers within the Premier League).

In a irritating interval of his profession, he scored three Premier League targets in 32 appearances earlier than being loaned out to Inter the place he now resides. A gargantuan £500k-per-week contract appeared to weigh heavy with the press and United trustworthy continually questioning his dedication.

6. Romelu Lukaku – Inter Milan to Chelsea

The freshest switch on this listing, Romelu Lukaku’s homecoming was removed from the dream transfer it was pegged to be.

The Belgian loved a fruitful stint at Inter Milan, scoring 64 targets in 95 video games incomes him an enormous £100m transfer again to Stamford Bridge the place he seemingly had unfinished enterprise.

Quick-forward to now, he finds himself again in Milan on mortgage after a closely criticised season during which he scored simply eight Premier League targets, and bemoaned at how a lot he missed enjoying in Italy.

Chelsea followers will definitely be glad to see the again of him.

5. Arthur & Miralem Pjanic Barcelona Swap with Juventus

Sneaking within the prime 5 we’ve got a double entry as we start our countdown of a few of Barcelona’s weird behaviour within the switch window.

After it was revealed former Blaugrana President Josep Bartomeu was responsible of corruption and fraud, this mind-boggling swap deal makes whole sense.

In an trade that noticed a supremely proficient Arthur who had been likened to Xavi, simply 22 on the time, swapped for an ageing Miralem Pjanic, it appeared to sign the start of the top for Barcelona.

The Blaugrana additionally paid £59.4m for Pjanic who made simply 19 appearances earlier than being loaned out to Besiktas a 12 months later.

4. Danny Drinkwater – Leicester to Chelsea

Clocking in at quantity 4, we’ve got Danny Drinkwater who’s £35m transfer to Chelsea again in 2017 raised eyebrows in all places.

Off the again of miraculously successful the Premier League title with Leicester during which he was one of many stand-out gamers, Drinkwater made the change to West London.

Undoubtedly a weird acquisition the place he was surplus to necessities earlier than he even arrived, he made simply 12 league appearances and located himself largely unused by Antonio Conte and Maurizio Sarri.

A string of mortgage strikes to Burnley and Aston Villa, in addition to some off-field incidents together with a drink driving cost and a nightclub combat has seen one of many steepest profession drop-offs in latest reminiscence.

He’s now a free agent.

3. Philippe Coutinho – Liverpool to Barcelona

Certainly one of two Barcelona signings that make up our prime three, Philippe Coutinho’s transfer to Barcelona gave the impression to be a match made in heaven.

The mercurial Brazilian started life in Catalonia in typical trend, registering a powerful 9 targets and 7 assists in 22 appearances within the 2017/18 season.

Nonetheless, he predictably failed to suit into Ernesto Valverde’s pragmatic system that relied closely on the brilliance of Lionel Messi. He was introduced in as an Andres Iniesta substitute, and he doesn’t fairly match that profile. He isn’t a midfielder, and so they didn’t want him within the entrance three both; they’d each Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez on the time.

Brazil handle Tite additionally revealed he’s “painfully shy”, which as you’ll be able to think about within the notoriously poisonous Barcelona dressing room, would begin to weight heavy.

He was loaned out to Bayern Munich within the 2019/20 season after a number of makes an attempt to dump him beforehand, and at a monumental price rising as excessive as £140m with add-ons, it could actually definitely be classed as one of many worst transfers ever.

2. Antoine Griezmann – Atletico Madrid to Barcelona

Whereas Antoine Griezmann was definitely a greater servant to Barcelona than Philippe Coutinho, the Frenchman by no means fairly redeemed the astronomical price ticket he arrived with.

It gave the impression to be a signing spearheaded by, you guessed it, Barcelona’s former President Josep Bartomeu. With a number of Barcelona mangers undecided the place to play him, and gamers within the dressing room reportedly firmly towards the switch, it could appear the £110m funding was nothing greater than a industrial ardour undertaking. As time would inform, this switch virtually definitely contributed to the dire financial state of affairs the membership now discover themselves in.

35 targets in 102 appearances definitely doesn’t warrant one of many heftiest worth tags ever seen, and you need to query whether or not this switch immediately affected the membership’s incapability to maintain maintain of the best participant of all time in Lionel Messi. Whereas in a roundabout way Griezmann’s fault, it could appear the repercussions of this switch have despatched ripples nonetheless being felt at present.

1. Eden Hazard – Chelsea to Actual Madrid

And so, we arrive at what we expect to be the worst switch ever.

After Cristiano Ronaldo’s exit at Los Blancos, Florentino Perez was keen to herald long-term goal Eden Hazard who seemed set to usher in a brand new interval of success on the Bernabeu.

Whereas they’ve certainly gone on to do exceptionally properly together with a league and European double final season, the Belgian has featured sporadically since his arrival after a string of considerable accidents, making simply 66 appearances since making the change in the summertime of 2019.

A stat that actually hits residence as to how disastrous this switch has been is he has suffered extra accidents than he has scored targets.

It definitely didn’t assist that the now-31-year-old arrived for the preliminary pre-season seven kilos obese, and nonetheless collects a reported £400,000-a-week.