The January transfer window is a pretty predictable part of any Premier League season. By the time the winter comes around, clubs know where they stand in terms of what they should be competing for during the second half of the campaign.
Those battling relegation know they need to strengthen and more often than not, will take a few gambles in the transfer market in an attempt to turn things around and fight their way out of trouble. Whereas those either battling for the title or pushing for European qualification will be a little bit more composed in their business.
Both scenarios inevitably lead to the same thing – transfers being made that just don’t work out. Teams at both ends of the table have done it, and there are always a handful of January signings who arrive with great fanfare before drifting off into obscurity shortly afterwards.
How many of the players arriving at Premier League clubs this winter will join the illustrious list of the worst ever January transfers in Premier League history.
How many has your club made?
Ricardo Rocha to Tottenham (2007)
Portuguese Rocha had been playing Champions League football for Benfica before completing a £3.3m move to Spurs in 2007 and made his first appearance in Ledley King’s stead on 27th January.
However, he went on to make just five appearances for the Lilywhites in 2007/08 and didn’t play one competitive game the next season – he was released on 14th June 2009 upon the expiry of his three-and-a-half-year contract. Flop.
Juan Cuadrado to Chelsea (2015)
Juan Cuadrado might be tearing it up in Italy with Juventus these days, but the Colombian had a torrid time at Stamford Bridge following a £27.9m switch from Fiorentina in 2015.
The pacey winger couldn’t produce the goods in the Prem and made just four appearances under Jose Mourinho before being sent packing on loan. A permanent switch to the Old Lady was sealed in summer 2017 and so ended his disappointing Blues career.
Kostas Mitroglou to Fulham (2014)
Prior to his 2014 move to relegation battlers Fulham, Kostas Mitroglou was one of the most in-form strikers in Europe having bagged 14 goals in 12 league appearances for Olympiakos.
The Craven Cottage faithful were pinning their survival hopes on the £12m hitman but he couldn’t deliver – the sick-note striker made just three appearances and failed to find the net, before being sent back to Greece on loan. Thankfully, there’s a different – and far better – Mitro at Fulham these days.
Chris Samba to QPR (2013)
Big Chris Samba joined QPR from Anzhi Makhachkala in 2013 with equally big expectations having commanded a club-record £12.5m fee, however his massive six-figure wages caused fan outrage after a string of error-strewn appearances.
The 34-year-old was sent back to Russia less than six months later having failed to prevent the Loftus Road outfit’s relegation from the Premier League. A costly mistake.
Guido Carrillo to Southampton (2018)
Carrillo made the move to Southampton in 2018 as the high-ups made quick use of the £75m received from the sale of Virgil van Dijk and was expected to get right amongst the goals having commanded a cool £19.2m fee.
However, the target man couldn’t hit a barn door for the Saints and, in failing to score in 10 appearances, was promptly sent out on loan to Leganes when the summer window opened. Worse than Shane Long.
Savio Nsereko to West Ham (2009)
When West Ham sold Craig Bellamy to Manchester City midway through the January window, panicking Hammers fans were appeased by the assurance that the £14m received would be spent on signing a new, top forward.
Enter Savio Nsereko, a £9m signing from Brescia who few had heard of and many would now rather forget. The Ugandan-born German made just ten appearances in claret and blue before being sold to Fiorentina just six months later.
Scott Parker to Chelsea (2004)
Parker made a name for himself as a young midfielder at Charlton Athletic and his performances earned an exciting, £12.6m move to Chelsea in 2004.
However, with the Roman Abramovich era just getting underway, the following months saw the Englishman frozen out with the likes of Juan Sebastion Veron and Claude Makelele to compete with and he ended up making just 29 appearances in all competitions before sealing a switch to Newcastle in summer 2005. Unfortunate.
Wilfried Bony to Man City (2015)
Bony became one of the most expensive African footballers in history after completing a £28m move from Swansea to Manchester City in 2015. The Ivorian had won the Golden Boot in 2013/14 with the Swans and scored nine by the half-way point in the following season.
However, the Ivorian couldn’t replicate that form at the Etihad and scored just six goals in 36 Prem appearances thereafter. He’s back in Wales now and hasn’t fared any better. Yikes.
Fernando Torres to Chelsea (2011)
Torres had notched an astonishing 81 goals in 142 appearances for Liverpool and had established himself as one of the Premier League’s top strikers, however a £50m move to Stamford Bridge in 2011 saw the Spaniard’s form plateau – and then plummet – quite spectacularly.
The number 9 took 903 minutes to net his first goal in Chelsea blue and that ended up being his only strike that season. He still has a special place in Blues fans’ hearts thanks to *that* goal against Barca, but his contributions otherwise were few and far between.
Gilberto to Spurs (2008)
Gilberto made headlines for all the wrong reasons during his brief stint at Spurs – the Daily Mail famously labelled the left-back “Brazil’s first rubbish footballer”.
He chalked up just seven appearances for the White Hart Lane outfit between his arrival on 31st January 2008 and 26th February 2009 – his last outing for the club – and his poor performances have led the 42-year-old to be branded Spurs’ worst winter signing in history. Ouch.