da 888casino： Believe it or not, a third of the new Premier League season will have already passed us by when all the action finishes next weekend – the 13th matchday out of 38.
da premier bet： It’s been a gripping campaign thus far with just eight points separating the entire bottom half and six clubs seemingly involved in the Premier League title race – although Manchester United are very much the ‘little horse’, to paraphrase Jose Mourinho.
And Football FanCast feel we’ve now received enough evidence to give our verdict on the Premier League’s transfer dealings during a summer window that saw the division break the collective £1billion spending barrier for the first time.
Whilst some acquisitions have already proved their weight in gold – you can read our Top Ten Signings of the Season here – others are currently leaving a lot to be desired.
With that in mind, here’s our Top Ten transfer flops of the season so far.
10. Adnan Januzaj
A reunion with David Moyes – the manager who famously granted his Manchester United debut and handed the then-teenager a record-breaking contract – appeared the ideal scenario for Adnan Januzaj after two campaigns in the wilderness at Old Trafford.
But the prodigious winger has struggled to deliver, failing to provide a goal or assist in seven Premier League appearances before suffering an ankle injury that has kept him out of action for the last six weeks. In his absence, the Black Cats have claimed all but one of their eight points in the Premier League.
It’s rather incredible to think the United loan starlet was once at the epicentre of a battle for his services between the Belgium and England national teams.
9. Claudio Bravo
Claudio Bravo is yet to justify his £17million price-tag, let alone the commotion surrounding his arrival during the summer – with Pep Guardiola infamously axing club icon Joe Hart to make room for the former Barcelona shot-stopper.
Indeed, whilst the England No.1 is continually earning plaudits in Italy for his performances at adoptive club Torino, registering 32 saves and three clean sheets in eleven appearances, the Chile international has been an unsettling presence, rash when coming off his line and calamitous when attempting to catch crosses – the obvious example being his fumble to Zlatan Ibrahimovich in the Manchester derby.
Pep believes the payoff is worth it for Bravo’s willingness to play out of the back. Although the 33-year-old has certainly demonstrated that, his actual ability on the ball remains questionable.
8. Papy Djilobodji
The laboured change in management at the Stadium of Light forced Sunderland into some questionable summer deals, not least including their £8million swoop for former Chelsea flop Papy Djiloboji.
Many questioned why the Senegal international’s Blues career consisted of just a single appearance – a one-minute substitute outing in the League Cup – but now we have our answer; in short, Djilbodji is pretty darn terrible.
Premier League strikers have been brushing him off for fun this season and the 27-year-old has a bemusing knack of attempting to win the ball by sliding from behind through opponents’ legs.
Sunderland have claimed just one clean sheet with the centre-back in the starting line-up this season and even during that instance, Djilobodji was sent off in the 89th minute for a double booking.
7. Borja Baston
Borja Baston arrived at Swansea City last summer following a spate of prolific loan spells, typified by an 18-goal haul with Eibar last season – firing them to an impressive 14th place in La Liga.
The Welsh outfit shelled out a club-record transfer fee for the former Atletico Madrid man, £15.5million to be precise, but he’s just not delivered. The Spaniard’s managed a paltry three Premier League starts so far, although injuries have been a factor, and has found the net just once from his seven outings in total.
New manager Bob Bradley doesn’t appear convinced by the 27#4-year-old and as a consequence of his poor form, the Swans have scored the third-fewest goals of any Premier League side this season – just eleven in twelve games.
6. Sofiane Feghouli
When West Ham announced Sofiane Feghouli’s arrival on a free transfer, many thought the east London club had pulled off one of the deals of the summer.
The Algerian winger stood out for his country at the 2014 World Cup and sealed a move to the London Stadium off the back of five impressive campaigns at Valencia, finishing his last season with four goals in Europe – including two strikes in the Champions League.
A tricky winger with CL pedigree appeared the perfect accomplice to Dimitri Payet in attack, but the 26-year-old hasn’t even earned the right to attempt to link up with the French playmaker, with Slaven Bilic issuing him just 130 minutes’ worth of Premier League action, all from the bench, so far this season.
Although injuries have affected his game-time, Bilic has seemingly already deemed the African attacker not fit for purpose.
5. Lucas Perez
Spontaneous street parties almost erupted in north London when Arsenal completed a last-minute swoop for Deportivo’s Lucas Perez, as Gunners fans celebrated Arsene Wenger finally splashing the cash on an out-and-out goalscorer to complete with Olivier Giroud.
But many warned Perez’s final campaign in La Liga, which saw him net 17 times in 36 appearances, was a flash in the pan amid an otherwise mediocre career and that’s already proving to be the case.
Admittedly, injuries have limited the Spaniard’s involvement, with him currently sidelined until December 10th. But when Perez has played, he’s been a largely anonymous figure, looking well below the required standard at the Emirates Stadium. Based on current evidence, the 28-year-old was a £17million panic buy.
4. Havard Nordtveit
Another West Ham signing that’s turned out to be more crass than coup. Havard Nordtveit was seen as a solid addition after progressing through Arsenal’s academy and holding down a key role in Borussia Monchengladbach’s squad for five-and-a-half seasons, proving himself a reliable utility man as managers fielded him in defensive midfield and across the backline.
But the Norway international’s Hammers career got off to a worrying start with a shaky performance against Chelsea, which saw him repeatedly squander possession at the base of midfield, and has continued in a similar fashion – typified by him conceding a stoppage time penalty on Saturday after coming on as an 89th-minute substitute to hand Tottenham a shock 3-2 comeback.
The 26-year-old has proved ineffective as a holding midfielder, a right-back and a left-back already throughout his short Irons tenure – which makes you wonder where he and Slaven Bilic can go from here.
3. Jordon Ibe
Another club-record signing struggling to deliver. Young, English players always come at a premium but Bournemouth’s £15million swoop for winger Jordon Ibe is already looking like very poor value for money.
The 20-year-old has plenty of time to turn his Cherries form around, yet to produce a goal or an assist in eleven Premier League appearances, but he’s certainly not had the impact you’d expect of a club-record acquisition, especially one who made 41 appearances for Liverpool last season.
In truth, Ibe has always been a little overrated – flashes of competence rather than brilliance – and Bournemouth appear to be paying the price.
2. Vincent Janssen
Eredivisie imports always come with a warning. For every Luis Suarez or Ruud van Nistelrooy, there’s an Alfonso Alves or Mateja Kezman. Well, Vincent Janssen seemingly belongs in the latter category.
No doubt, the Dutchman’s all-round play has been decent and plenty of Tottenham fans have warmed towards his industriousness in the final third.
But the 22-year-old failed to produce the goods in Harry Kane’s absence, with all three of his Spurs goals coming from the penalty spot, and is yet to provide the impact from the bench assumed when Mauricio Pochettino paid £17million for his services during the summer after a rather protracted transfer saga.
To make matters worse, Janssen’s performances appear to be regressing. Failing to convert decent chances, whilst admittedly finding himself unfortunate in front of goal in other instances, has eaten away at his confidence. Spurs might have another Roberto Soldado on their hands.
1.Simone Zaza
West Ham deserve to be top of this list for some frankly atrocious business during the summer, epitomised by their late summer deal for Italy striker Simone Zaza.
The Hammers made no secret of their plans to sign a top-class front-man but after missing out on the likes of Alexandre Lacazette and Carlos Bacca, eventually settled for the the 25-year-old’s services on loan with an obligation to buy after making a certain number of appearances.
Based on current form, the Irons management will do anything to prevent activating the £25million clause. Although often isolated for large periods, Zaza has been nothing short of hopeless for West Ham, failing to find the net in eight Premier League appearances, hauled off at half-time in two of them and producing just two shots on target.
Like this article? You can read our Ten Signings of the Season here!