Money down the drain: The worst signings in Premier League history

The Premier League is the most popular football league in the world, but that does not mean that every signing turns out well. Read on to find out the worst signings in Premier League history.

Robinho was City's first big signing. They invested 43 million euros and took him away from Real Madrid, who are still congratulating themselves for the deal. The Brazilian had a good first season, but in his second season he only played 12 games and ended up on loan at Santos. He never recovered the magic he showed at the Bernabeu.

With Torres' money, Liverpool signed the huge striker from Newcastle for 40 million euros, just hours before the winter transfer window closed in 2011. Things done in haste tend to go wrong, and Carroll was left with 6 goals in 44 games.

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He arrived after a devastating spell at Liverpool but with a strong reputation in the Premier League and the Spanish National Team. He was transferred in exchange for 58.5 million euros, but when he put on the Chelsea shirt, he looked like a different player. He scored 45 goals in 172 games, and some of his missed chances are engraved in the memory of the fans.

United paid 42.5 million euros for La Brujita to take him from Lazio and make him, at the time, the most expensive signing in the history of the Premier League. He lasted two seasons in Manchester, before being transferred to Chelsea in 2003 for 22.5 million euros. In London, he lasted only one season.

The Red Devils paid 75 million euros plus 15 million euros in variables, making the Champions League champion at the time the most expensive signing in the history of the Premier League. He lasted one season in Manchester where was never again on the same form as he was in Madrid.

Paying 20 million euros for Super Mario seemed like a bargain, but it ended up costing the Reds dearly. Four goals in 20 games and a tremendous feeling of lack of commitment. This transfer ended with the Italian out of the team and loaned to Milan the following season.

A young, promising striker, he cost Chelsea 22.5 million euros, but his lifestyle, his clashes with Ranieri and Mourinho, as well as testing positive for doping, would end with the Romanian having to return 17 million euros to Chelsea. Even so, it was expensive.

He arrived from Valencia for 30 million euros, with 13 goals in 54 games. He returned to Valencia after two seasons and after scoring 3 goals in 32 games.

Roman Abramovich paid €45 million in 2006 for the fine Ukrainian striker, but his arrival at Chelsea marked the beginning of his decline, and the figures prove it: 22 goals in 77 appearances.

The Reds signed him for 24 million euros and sold him, a year later, for 16 million euros. They recovered part of their investment, but the feeling of a bad signing still weighs heavily at Anfield.

'The Sun' placed the midfielder as the second worst signing in Premier League history. West Ham paid €13 million to Brescia for a player who made just 11 appearances and went to Fiorentina for a third of what he cost.

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Chelsea paid €8 million to Werder Bremen and, in the process, loaned Kevin DeBruyne. They did this in order to obtain Marko Marin, who went out on loan to Sevilla after a season in London.

He arrived at Anfield after an impressive 2002 World Cup with Senegal, but at Liverpool he quickly became an unimportant player, with a balance of 3 goals in 55 games.

His 15 million euros were a tremendous investment, but he was worth it, as he had become a star at Deportivo La Coruña. His record with the Magpies was 3 goals in 33 games over two seasons.

Legend has it that Sunderland wanted to sign Adolfo Valencia, Milton Nunez's teammate at Greek side PAOK, but they brought Nuñez in and it didn't work out. He only played one game all season.

Villa paid about 7 million euros to Dinamo Zagreb for a striker who was compared to Davor Suker. In two and a half years he played 11 games, nine of them as a substitute and failed to score a single goal.

He played 11 games in four years but fulfilled his contract, went to training and didn't ever make a scene. Bogarde himself was amazed at his salary of £40,000 a week and he was aware that he would not get that amount at another club, so he stayed in London until the last day.

By 2010, Altidore showed signs of his potential as a striker in the Premiership, scoring 2 goals in 30 games at Hull City. Despite this, Sunderland paid 8.5 million euros for him three years later. In two seasons and 50 games, he scored 3 goals.

In three years at Leicester, he played only 25 games. His performance was so bad that he is one of the most hated players by the 'Foxes' fans.

The worst thing about Bebé is not that he cost 7.5 million euros; the worst thing is that Alex Ferguson chose him over James Rodriguez. Ferguson confessed that he signed him without knowing him, because he was recommended by Carlos Queiroz.

The Ivorian striker cost Arsenal €12 million but never really adapted to the Gunners. He spent two seasons with the team, scoring 11 goals in 63 games. A meager return.

Liverpool bought Benteke for £32.5m from Aston Villa. He scored 10 goals in his only season with the Reds, which isn’t too bad, but he was never the quality forward the club needed, however he did score a screamer of an overhead kick against Manchester United.

Liverpool, still managed to regain £27m by selling him to Crystal Palace.

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Manchester United paid Ajax €95 million to sign Antony in 2022, but the Brazilian has not lived up to the high expectations Erik ten Hag had of him. And that is an understatement.