The PUNCH looks at 10 players, in the last seven years, who failed to live up to expectations after their transfer.
1. Ousmane Dembele (Borussia Dortmund to Barcelona, 2017)
The French winger joined Barcelona from Borussia Dortmund in 2017 for a club-record fee of €105 million. However, he struggled to live up to expectations at Camp Nou, due to frequent injuries. Dembele joined PSG in August 2023 after roughly six years at Barcelona.
2. Eden Hazard (Chelsea to Real Madrid, 2019)
The Belgian winger joined Real Madrid from Chelsea for a club-record fee of €115 million in 2019. However, being plagued by injuries since his move to the Spanish capital, he failed to replicate his best form. He retired from the Belgian team in 2022 and currently is a free agent after terminating his contract with Real Madrid in 2023. Hazard, 32, is alleged to be considering retirement after he was said to have rejected offers from Saudian clubs and some Premier League clubs.
3. Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool to Barcelona, 2018)
Philippe Coutinho’s high-profile transfer from Liverpool to Barcelona in 2018 was touted as a game-changer. However, the Brazilian midfielder struggled to find his rhythm at Camp Nou. The weight of the transfer fee and the adjustment to Barcelona’s style appeared to have hindered his performance. Coutinho currently plays in Aston Villa, after his move to Bayern Munich did not yield the expected results.
4. Sadio Mane (Liverpool to Bayern Munich, 2022)
The Senegalese forward joined Bayern Munich from Liverpool in 2022 for a fee of £35 million. He has had a mixed start to his career at the Allianz Arena, scoring 10 goals in 22 appearances. However, Bayern chief executive Jan-Christian Dreesen stated, “Because of his long (injury) lay-off, he also couldn’t have the impact at FC Bayern that we all and he himself had hoped for. That’s why we came to the joint decision that he’ll begin a new chapter in his career and make a new start at a different club. We wish him all the best and lots of success for the challenges ahead at Al Nassr.” He was released just after one year at Bayern.
5. Alvaro Morata (Real Madrid to Chelsea, 2017)
Alvaro Morata’s transfer from Real Madrid to Chelsea in 2017 aimed to elevate his career. Yet, the pressure of filling Diego Costa’s shoes weighed heavily on the Spanish striker. His inability to regularly find the net eroded his confidence, resulting in a disappointing spell at Stamford Bridge.
6. André Silva (Porto to AC Milan, 2017)
André Silva’s transfer from Porto to AC Milan in 2017 held immense promise. However, the Portuguese striker found it challenging to replicate his goal-scoring form in Serie A. Inconsistent playing time and managerial changes hampered his progress, leading to loan spells at Sevilla and Eintracht Frankfurt.
7. Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal to Manchester United, 2018)
The Chilean forward joined Manchester United from Arsenal in 2018 for a fee of £39 million. However, he failed to make an impact at Old Trafford and was loaned out to Inter Milan in 2019.
8. Memphis Depay (Lyon to Barcelona, 2021 & PSV Eindhoven to Manchester United, 2015)
The Dutch forward joined Barcelona from Lyon in 2021 for a fee of €30 million. However, he struggled at the Camp Nou, leading to his exit. Prior to this, he made a €16m move from PSV Eindhoven to Manchester United. However, he failed to meet expectations.
9. Angel Di Maria (Paris Saint-Germain to Juventus, 2022 & Real Madrid to Manchester United, 2014)
The Argentine winger joined Juventus from Paris Saint-Germain in 2022 for a free transfer. However, he has also struggled to find his best form at the Allianz Stadium, and has been benched on several occasions. Earlier, The Argentine winger joined Manchester United from Real Madrid for a fee of £59.7 million in 2014. However, he failed to live up to expectations at Old Trafford, and was sold to Paris Saint-Germain after just one season.
10. Renato Sanches (Bayern Munich to Swansea City, 2017)
Renato Sanches’s journey from Bayern Munich to Swansea City in 2017 is a tale of misplaced potential. The Portuguese midfielder’s struggles to adapt to the physicality of the Premier League were evident, as his performances fell short of expectations.
