The 11 worst signings of the 2024/25 Premier League season have been named.Manchester United stars Matthijs de Ligt and Joshua Zirkzee have failed to impress.Chelsea duo Joao Felix and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall have yet to be handed regular game time, while Federico Chiesa is already forcing a move away from Liverpool
Recent acquisitions are expected to serve as a source of optimism for any football club. The hope is that a player will arrive and make a significant impact akin to that of Eric Cantona at Manchester United or Virgil van Dijk at Liverpool. Regrettably, such occurrences are rare and typically limited to a select few exceptional individuals who possess the capacity to transform a club’s fortunes almost instantaneously. For most, they either perform their roles adequately or, in some cases, fail to meet expectations entirely. The Premier League experienced considerable transfer activity over the summer, yet not every player has adapted successfully. Consequently, these 11 individuals must engage in self-reflection as they currently rank among the least successful signings of the season.
Ranking Factors
Price tag Performances in key statisticsImpact at new clubPre-arrival expectations11Ben Brereton DiazSouthampton
Ben Brereton Diaz is an interesting character, as a lot was made of him adding Diaz to his last name when he received a shock call-up to the Chilean national team. He has, however, proven he can have an impact in the top flight, as he previously scored six Premier League goals in 14 games as part of a woeful Sheffield United team. To have found the net that many times in a dismal side is impressive.He has failed to meet those standards at Southampton though. He has more yellow cards than goals and his biggest achievement to date is goading Fabian Schar into getting sent off on his debut. He’s still yet to find the back of the net in a Saints shirt and finds himself on loan back at Sheffield United again following the January transfer window deadline.Ben Brereton Diaz’s 24/25 Premier League statsGames10Goals0Assists0
10
Niclas FullkrugWest
Ham United
Achilles injury aside, Niclas Fullkrug’s transition from Champions League finalist to mid-table bench warmer is one the striker won’t be too proud of. In the summer, the target man was at the peak of his career. He was agonisingly close to grabbing a goal against Real Madrid at Wembley, was a handful the entire game and then received a call-up to the Euro 2024 Germany squad, with the tournament taking place in his home country.In England, Fullkrug has been plagued by the same issue many other number nines have faced before him: the Michail Antonio curse. No matter who is bought in to replace him, it seems the Irons would always revert to their ever-reliable all-time top Premier League goalscorer. Hannover-born, the ex-Dortmund talisman has struck just twice in 368 minutes of action for the east Londoners.Niclas Fullkrug’s 24/25 Premier League statsGames9Goals2Assists1
9
Ilkay GundoganManchester City
A bonafide Manchester City legend thanks to the instrumental part he has played in their Premier League dominance over the years, fans were distraught after Ilkay Gundogan left in the summer of 2023 for sunny Barcelona. It didn’t take long for Gundogan to complete a sensational homecoming, as the summer after, he was back under Guardiola’s spell.Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil, Manchester City’s Ilkay Gundogan, and Chelsea’s Michael Ballack.Related10 Greatest German Players in Premier League History [Ranked]But this time around, things are much less fruitful with the central midfielder, who is typically remembered as a reliable presence in the middle of the park, not at the races without the talismanic Rodri by his side. The reigning champions have struggled in the Spaniard’s absence in general, but his partner in crime and five-time Premier League winner, Gundogan, has missed him most.Ilkay Gundogan’s 24/25 Premier League statsGames22Goals0Assists2
8
Matthijs de LigtManchester United
Of the signings that came into Old Trafford under the supposedly revolutionary new football regime at Manchester United, none excited fans quite like Matthijs de Ligt. A world-class defender whose stats rivalled those of the top players in the league – this was a move that was bound to solve United’s defensive frailties.The Dutchman was nothing short of a liability at the Theatre of Dreams in the infancy of his career with his current employers, with his positioning being slandered and rightfully so. One of De Ligt’s supposed strongest assets is his mental toughness, and he’s used that to great effect in recent weeks by proving what he is worth. Now, Ruben Amorim and his entourage just need a layer of consistency to get over what has been a rocky start to life in England.Matthijs de Ligt’s 24/25 Premier League statsGames23Goals1Assists0
7
Eddie NketiahCrystal Palace
A fresh start in a different part of London for Eddie Nketiah is yet to prove too fruitful. The former Gunner had plenty of admirers over the summer, but his £30 million move to Crystal Palace has yet to see anything noteworthy take place. So far, the young striker has scored just two goals, both in the Carabao Cup, and has failed to regularly lay claim to a starting berth. His crowning moment since his across-London switch, the centre forward did manage to score against his former employers recently. On the whole, the Eagles have not been the same impressive unit that Oliver Glasner turned them into immediately after his arrival last season, so it is not all Nketiah’s fault. That being said, the 25-year-old needs to start showing his worth as he can no longer rely on potential handing him opportunities.Eddie Nketiah’s 24/25 Premier League statsGames18Goals0Assists1
6
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
Chelsea157 minutes of Premier League action for £30 million? It makes you wonder whether Chelsea really needed Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Sure, the midfielder was a key part of Enzo Maresca’s midfield at Leicester City, so you can understand the appeal from the player and manager’s perspectives. But with Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez ahead of him, two £100 million men are unlikely to be usurped.The Englishman has been a positive feature in the Europa Conference League. However, it was hardly his dream to move to Stamford Bridge and play on Thursday nights and dead rubber League Cup fixtures against lesser-known opposition. Whether Maresca has plans to use the former Fox more often in the second half of the season remains to be seen – but it’s been the mother of all disasters thus far.Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s 24/25 Premier League statsGames7Goals0Assists1
5
Kalvin PhillipsIpswich TownKalvin
Phillips during a pre-match warm-up at Ipswich TownThe man that Gareth Southgate couldn’t replace. This is interesting because, with his current form, Kieran McKenna is probably feeling a different way. Truth is, Kalvin Phillips has not been the same player since joining Manchester City, and he looks like a man devoid of any sort of self-belief or confidence.His loan spell at West Ham last season was so disappointing that his biggest contribution to them came this season when he lost possession in advance to the Hammers scoring against Ipswich. It begs the very important question of whether fans at Portman Road will ever get to see the ‘Yorkshire Pirlo’ in full force. At the moment, it seems unlikely.Kalvin Phillips’s 24/25 Premier League statsGames14Goals0Assists0
4
Raheem SterlingArsenal
(on loan)Raheem Sterling’s loan move from Chelsea to Arsenal suited all parties: the latter were receiving a serial Premier League winner and the winger himself was, hopefully, enjoying some much-needed game time. It’s been a far from pretty start to life in north London, however, as Sterling, 30, has failed to pull up trees per se, even after being given a bigger role following an injury crisis in the attacking unit.Given very little opportunity to shine by Mikel Arteta and his entourage, the left-winger – one of the greatest English attackers in football history – has chalked up a paltry 822 minutes of action across all competitions. In that time, one goal has been scored, and he’s also assisted teammates on two occasions. It’s not exactly the type of form that boosts your chances of an international remontada, is it?Didier Deschamps and Andy Cole.Related10 Most ‘Disrespected’ Players in Football History [Ranked]Raheem Sterling’s 24/25 Premier League statsGames10Goals0Assists1
3
Joshua ZirkzeeManchester United
Much like the aforementioned Liverpool man, Joshua Zirkzee’s Premier League career looks all but over before it ever really got going. A debut-winning goal at the Stretford End and then an impressive display against Southampton are the only two positives. The rest, he has come across as a player who is not working as hard as he should, shades of what Vincent Kompany once called him out for at Anderlecht.This most recemtly resulted in the unsavoury scene of the Dutchman leaving the pitch within 30 minutes of United’s home match against Newcastle, met with a chorus of booing and jeering by his own supporters. Rather than taking a seat on the bench, the 23-year-old headed straight down the tunnel, visibly distraught. Old Trafford has seen many careers falter during what has shaped up to be their worst-ever start to a Premier League season, but no one appears more like a casualty of questionable recruitment than Zirkzee, even if recent fixtures have shown glimmers of his neat linkup play.Joshua Zirkzee’s 24/25 Premier League statsGames25Goals3Assists1
2
Federico ChiesaLiverpoolLiverpool winger
Federico Chiesa in actionLiverpool have long been hailed for their modest-yet-prosperous recruitment strategies. So, when the club were able to tie lightning-quick Juventus winger Federico Chiesa down to a deal worth just £13m, the Italian was confidently touted to be the perfect Mohamed Salah understudy, while there was a genuine sentiment by Anfield regulars – who have become so used to transfer hits in recent years – that they could be in for a real treat as they watched the 27-year-old go through a career revival.This intended masterstroke has fallen flat, though. After just 25 minutes of Premier League football by beyond the midway stage of the campaign, Chiesa’s battered injury history has made an unwelcome return, and he’s been about as useful as a three-pin plug in Europe when it comes to giving his Egyptian teammate a rest.Federico Chiesa’s 24/25 Premier League statsGames3Goals0Assists0
1
Joao FelixChelsea
What were Chelsea crying out for all summer? A striker. What did they absolutely not need? A player who best operates as a number 10 or on either flank. So when the obvious options of Ivan Toney and Victor Osimhen were waiting to be snapped up, the Blues went down a route they had already tried previously and didn’t like.Jack Grealish (Man City), Lisandro Martinez (Man United) and Joao Felix (Chelsea),RelatedEvery Premier League Club’s Most Overrated Player in 2024/25There is no doubt Joao Felix has talent. There is also no doubt that Atletico Madrid was not the best place for him to showcase it. But Stamford Bridge is hardly any better. There is no chance of the Portuguese international unseating Cole Palmer, and the likes of Noni Madueke and Jadon Sancho have been too good to drop. It makes you wonder why this move was ever sanctioned, especially when you consider the club happily parted ways with £46.3m to achieve it just to then send him out on loan in January.Joao Felix’s 24/25 Premier League statsGames12Goals1Assists1